Brad Bell became Deputy Chief of Mission for U.S. Embassy Bern in April 2023.  Previously he served as the Political Economic Counselor in Bern.   Brad is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service.  Before arriving in Switzerland, Brad served in Washington as a Member on the Secretary’s Policy Planning Staff (S/P) from 2020-2021.  Prior to S/P, Brad was the Deputy Director in the Office of Policy, Planning and Coordination in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.  Brad also has served in Moscow, Warsaw, and Belgrade. From 2006-2007, Brad was a member of the UN team led by UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari responsible for negotiations on Kosovo’s status.  Other overseas assignments include Rio de Janeiro and Manila.

Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Brad worked for the World Bank and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), focusing on Latin America.  Brad has an M.S. in National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University’s Dwight D. Eisenhower School.  He also holds an M.A. from the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh.

Originally from Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania, Brad is married to Branka Bell, a career Foreign Service Officer.  They have a teenage son.