Dan Simpson retired from the U.S. Foreign Service after 35 years of assignments to countries in Africa, the Middle East and Europe, including as U.S. ambassador to the Central African Republic, ambassador and special envoy to Somalia, and ambasssador to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He has been associate editor and member of the editorial board of the Post-Gazette and The Toledo Blade since 2001.

He and his wife have six children and four grandchildren.