Darrell A. Jenks Assumes Duties as Chief of AIT Kaohsiung Branch Office

PR9636E | Date: 1996-07-26

Darrell A. Jenks arrived in Taiwan July 26, 1996, to take up his new position as Chief of the American Institute in Taiwan's Kaohsiung Branch Office. Prior to joining AIT, Mr. Jenks was a Coordinator in the Summit of the Americas' office in the State Department in charge of implementation of the sustainable development and anti-poverty action items agreed to in Miami in December 1994 by the assembled leaders of the Americas.

From 1994 to 1995, Mr. Jenks studied national security issues at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. From 1991 to 1993 he was Principal Officer of the American Consulate in Maracaibo, Venezuela. Mr. Jenks' earlier postings with the Foreign Service include Science & Technology Officer in Beijing, Political and Economic Officer in Shanghai, Political/Military Affairs Officer in Tokyo, and Chief of the Consular Section in Belize.

Before joining the Foreign Service, Mr. Jenks worked as a teacher of French, English and music at a private school in Takamasu, Japan. Prior to that he worked for the Department of Agriculture as a firefighter in Eastern Oregon.

Born in New Mexico, Mr. Jenks holds a bachelor's degree from Reed College in Portland, Oregon. He studied political science at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Aix-en-Provence, France. He holds masters degrees from the Naval War College and the Universidad del Zulia in Maracaibo, Venezuela. He has passed his comprehensive exams for a Doctoral degree in the Humanities from Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island, and is working on his dissertation. His foreign languages include Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, French and Portuguese. His wife Thelma has worked with the U.S. Government in several positions at various postings. Her languages include Spanish, Chinese and Japanese. They have two children: Desiree, 8, and Christopher 7.