John O'Leary (ambassador)

John O'Leary
United States Ambassador to Chile
In office
August 19, 1998 – June 29, 2001
President Bill Clinton
George W. Bush
Preceded by Gabriel Guerra-Mondragón
Succeeded by William R. Brownfield
Mayor of Portland, Maine
In office
1980–1981
Preceded by Llewellyn Smith
Succeeded by Pamela Plumb
Personal details
Born January 16, 1947
 Portland, Maine
Died April 2, 2005 (aged 58)
 Washington, D.C.
Political party Democratic
Spouse Patricia Cepeda

John O'Leary (January 16, 1947 – April 2, 2005) served as mayor of Portland, Maine, and as United States ambassador to Chile under President Bill Clinton.

Personal life

O'Leary was born in Portland and graduated from Yale University in 1969. He later attended Clare College, Cambridge University, on a Mellon fellowship and received a master's degree in 1971. He received a degree from Yale Law School in 1974. While studying at Yale Law, O'Leary acted as a coach for the Yale debate team. He then went on to a private law practice.

O'Leary married a fellow Yale student, Patricia Cepeda, the daughter of Colombian writer Álvaro Cepeda Samudio. John and Patricia O'Leary had two daughters. The O'Learys endowed the John O'Leary and Patricia Cepeda Fellowship for the Study of Latin America at Yale College.

Political career

He served as a member of the Portland City Council 1975-82) and for a term as that city's largely ceremonial Mayor (1980–81). He ran unsuccessful candidate for the U.S. House from Maine's First Congressional District in 1982, losing in the Democratic primary.