New U.S. ambassador Hartog-Levin sent ‘home’ to The Netherlands

Early Obama supporter in Chicago

WASHINGTON – U.S. President Barack Obama has picked his third Chicagoan for an ambassadorship, naming a consultant from a politically connected public affairs and media relations firm to be his representative to the Netherlands. The candidacy of Dutch-born Fay Hartog-Levin, who was an Illinois Finance Committee member for Obama's presidential campaign, was since confirmed by U.S. Congress.

Fay Hartog-Levin, who lived in Nymegen when she immigrated with her family in 1948 to the U.S., is married to Daniel Levin, the founder and chairman of Habitat Co., is a cousin to two Democratic Party Congressmen.

Daniel Levin was also a key member of the East Bank Club in Chicago, where many of Obama's political friendships were established on the basketball court.

Prior to joining the public relations firm, Hartog-Levin served as both an attorney and an executive at Chicago's Field Museum, where she was the vice president for external affairs.

Earlier in her career, she served as a legal advisor to the Illinois State Board of Education. She has also worked as an attorney in private practice, primarily representing school boards, colleges and social service agencies.

Hartog-Levin is a graduate of Northwestern University, where she earned a degree in Russian language and literature. Her law degree is from Loyola University.

Earlier, Obama picked Chicago native Ertharin Cousin as his U.S. representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture in Rome, and retired Chicago investment banker Louis Susman to be ambassador to Britain.

Hartog-Levin’s father escaped Nazi-controlled Europe during World War II and lived in Surinam before temporarily returning to the Netherlands.