Obama names new U.S. ambassador to Costa Rica

United States President Barack Obama announced Thursday his intent to nominate an environmental consultant to head the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica.

The embassy has been without an ambassador since June, when Peter Cianchette, a Maine businessman and former Republican gubernatorial candidate, left the post to return to his home state.

Obama´s chosen replacement, Anne Slaughter Andrew, currently serves as a principal to the Washington, D.C.-based company New Energy Nexus, where she advises companies and entrepreneurs on energy-related investments.

According to a White House statement issued Thursday, Andrew has been actively engaged with conservation and environmental organizations, including The Sierra Club, The Nature Conservancy and the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation, and she is experienced in creating and managing public policy initiatives in the environmental and clean-energy arena.

Previously, she served as co-chair of the Environment/Energy Team at Baker & Daniels, and as a partner at the Washington, D.C.-based law firm of Patton & Boggs. In addition, Andrew co-founded a medical bio-tech consulting company, Anson Group LLC, where she served as an owner and director from 2004 to 2007.

She is a graduate of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and she received a law degree from the Indiana School of Law in Indianapolis, Indiana.