She was sworn in on March 17 after being confirmed by the US Senate as ambassador to Bangladesh on February 16.

Butenis will be the 12th US ambassador as well as 3rd American woman ambassador to Bangladesh.

A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Butenis was the deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Islamabad (2004-2006). She has also served in the US missions in Karachi, New Delhi, San Salvador, Bogota, Warsaw, and Washington.

Born in New Jersey, she completed her BA in Anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania and MA in International Relations from Columbia University. Butenis joined the US Foreign Service in 1980.