Klaas Frans J Keirse

Klaas is a Belgian career diplomat, who served as the Deputy Chief of Mission in Mexico City. Klaas considers himself a generalist, and has worked on a multitude of issues, from foreign policy negotiations, political and economic diplomacy, and human rights, to the joint fight against organized crime, and hostage release. Previously, Klaas was posted in Washington as a Counselor for Political Affairs, tracking U.S. domestic politics, and serving as Belgium's U.S. Congressional liaison. As a Counselor for International Development, he worked with the World Bank and the IMF. Prior to joining Belgium's Foreign Service, he was an international civil servant in the United Nations Human Rights Office, working with the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. As a Research Fellow at the Leuven Centre for Political Research, he focused on social movements and collective action. He earned a master's degree in modern history (magna cum laude), and holds bachelor’s degrees in history and in laws. He was Chairperson of the National Union of Students in Flanders, and served in different positions for a centrist democratic party at the local and national level in his native Belgium. Klaas enjoys travelling with his wife Katherine and their four-legged friend Winston, tracks politics and binge-watches shows and movies for fun, and took up boxing in Mexico. After Princeton, he plans to return to public service, and see more of the world.