Quick facts about Kirsten Hillman, Canada’s outgoing ambassador in Washington

By Canadian Press on February 7, 2026.

WASHINGTON — Canada’s Ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman is ending her term in February. Here are some quick facts about the top diplomat in Washington who has stickhandled the Canada-U.S. relationship through three American administrations.

Age: 57

Early life: Hillman grew up in Western Canada — Calgary and Winnipeg. In her youth, she spent her summers at her grandparents’ farm in southern Manitoba, near the North Dakota border.

Education: Hillman has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Manitoba, a bachelor’s degree of civil law and common law from McGill University and a Doctor of Laws from the Royal Military College of Canada.

Previous career: Hillman held various senior diplomatic, policy and legal positions in government before being named ambassador. She was Canada’s senior legal adviser to the World Trade Organization and its chief negotiator for the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. She became Canada’s deputy ambassador in Washington in 2017 and acting ambassador in 2019, and played a key role in the negotiations on the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade.

Life as ambassador: Hillman officially became ambassador in 2020 during the first Trump administration — the first woman to hold the post. She worked with officials in Washington to ensure the release of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig from detention in China.

She ensured trade continued during the COVID-19 pandemic and played a key role in Canada’s response to the second Trump administration. The Washingtonian, a monthly magazine, named her one of the most powerful women in D.C. multiple times, including in 2025.

How her peers see her: Prime Minister Mark Carney described Hillman as an “exceptional public servant.” Former prime minister Justin Trudeau said Hillman is “a real patriot who has served Canadians proudly and effectively in the face of unprecedented challenges against our economy and our sovereignty.”

United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told Politico that Hillman is a “class act.” Former U.S. ambassador to Canada Bruce Heyman said Hillman is “one of Canada’s very best public servants.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 7, 2026.

Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press