Roger D. Carstens is the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs (SPEHA) at the United States Department of State. Prior to assuming this role, Carstens was a deputy assistant secretary in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. He previously served in Amman, Jordan, as the country director for a US-based international nongovernmental organization providing humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons. He’s also held positions in Afghanistan and Somalia. He is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel who served in the Special Forces and the 1st Ranger Battalion. He is a graduate of the US Military Academy and holds master’s degrees from the U.S. Naval War College and St. John’s College.