He is a retired diplomat and senior official in the U.S. Department of State.  He received a BS in Mathematics and Computer Science from Southwestern Oklahoma State University (Weatherford) in 1977, a MPA in Public Administration and International Relations from Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff) in 1987, and a MS in National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University (Washington, DC) in 2008.

He joined the Foreign Service in 1988 and has served in West Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and South America.  Mr. Hanks was at the center of Guyana’s and Nigeria’s elections in the 1990s, peace processes in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Chad, and Sudan, and peace building in Guinea-Bissau.

Prior to the Foreign Service, he gained experience in power, construction, and textile industries, with labor organizations, and consulting on political campaigns, employment programs, and various micro-economic development programs.

Mr. Hanks has extensive experience in negotiations, political mediations, conflict resolution, intergovernmental operations, and national strategy.

Mr. Hanks currently consults with a variety of clients on diplomacy, political risk analysis, and political campaign structures.

He speaks English, Portuguese, Arabic, and smatterings of a number of other languages.