A career officer in the US Foreign Service has been announced as the new US Consul-General to Bermuda.

Antoinette Hurtado brings more than 20 years’ experience in overseas and domestic positions.

Ms Hurtado, who arrives on Thursday, said she was “honoured and excited” at her appointment by the US Department of State.

She added: “The United States and Bermuda have a four-centuries-long history and partnership, and I look forward to strengthening that relationship and collaborating to advance our shared interests.”

Ms Hurtado thanked Vanja Vukota, the Acting US Consul-General, for leading in the role until her appointment was confirmed.

Her previous assignments include serving as political and consular officer at the US Embassy to Australia in Canberra; consular officer at the US Consulate in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; special assistant to the director of communications and public diplomacy at the US Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan; and public affairs officer at the US Embassy to the Holy See in Rome.

In Washington, she has taught public diplomacy and communications at the state department’s training centre, and worked on digital public engagement campaigns with youth networks in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Ms Hurtado worked in the private sector for a yearlong exchange programme as a Lawrence Eagleburger Fellow.

She served in the department’s 24-7 Bureau of Intelligence and Research watch office and as an advance officer for the Secretary of State, where she arranged overseas and domestic travel programmes and logistics for the secretary.

Before her assignment to Bermuda, Ms Hurtado served as the Diplomat-in-Residence for the Southwest Region, recruiting for state department careers and student programmes in Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico

Hailing from Southern California, she holds a bachelor of science degree in foreign service from Georgetown University, and a master of public policy from Harvard University.