Ariel Pollock, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, assumed the role of Minister Counsellor for Public Affairs in August 2026, following three years as Mission Canada Spokesperson. She leads the Mission’s public diplomacy team and strategy. Pollock has held diplomatic positions in Ethiopia, Pakistan, and India, including: Public Affairs Officer at U.S. Consulate General Chennai, Director of the North India Office at U.S. Embassy New Delhi, and Spokesperson for the U.S. Mission to India. She served in Washington, D.C., as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs.
Pollock is the recipient of multiple State Department Meritorious and Superior Honour awards. A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, she holds a B.A. in Political Science from Xavier University of Louisiana and a Master of Public Policy in International Security and Economic Policy from the University of Maryland.