Žygimantas Pavilionis is a career diplomat who became ambassador of Lithuania to the United States in August 2010.

Born on August 22, 1971, in Vilnius, Pavilionis grew up with parents who prized higher education; his father, Roland Pavilionis, being an academician and his mother, Mary Pavilionienė Venus, a professor.

He attended college at Vilnius University, where he earned a master’s degree in philosophy and postgraduate diploma in international relations.

In 1993, Pavilionis joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and worked in the Western European Division, with the rank of third secretary.

He was assistant director of policy from 1994-1995, before moving to the Ministry of European Integration, Department of Political Cooperation.

He worked in Brussels, Belgium, at the Lithuanian Permanent Mission from 1999-2002.

Pavilionis was then promoted to lead the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ European Integration Department from 2002-2004.

Most recently, he served as ambassador-at-large and chief coordinator for Lithuania’s presidency of the Community of Democracies, as well as chief coordinator for the Transatlantic Cooperation and Security Policy Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Pavilionis and his wife, Lina Pavilioniene, have four sons.

-Noel Brinkerhoff
http://www.allgov.com