Kimberly Ballou serves as Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of International Affairs (IA), a role she resumed in June 2026 after previously serving in the position during a period of leadership transition in early 2025. She has more than two decades of experience advancing U.S. international energy policy, global energy security, strategic partnerships, and international cooperation.
Throughout her career, Kimberly has held senior leadership positions across IA, including Senior Advisor for Strategic Operations to the IA Assistant Secretary, Acting Director for Asian Affairs, Deputy Director for American Affairs, and Senior Advisor for Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Kimberly has also served in multiple overseas leadership assignments as Acting Energy Attaché and DOE Office Director, including at the U.S. Embassy in Paris, France; U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, Mexico; and U.S. Mission to the OECD in Paris, where she represented DOE and advanced engagement with foreign governments and key multilateral organizations, including the International Energy Agency and Nuclear Energy Agency.
Earlier in her career, Kimberly spent more than 15 years managing DOE engagement with the International Energy Agency and held responsibility for countries across Europe and Asia, including China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, France, and Spain. She also coordinated the inaugural APEC peer review on fossil fuel subsidies in Lima, Peru, which helped establish a model for subsequent peer reviews.
Kimberly began her DOE career as a summer intern and has since built a career spanning international diplomacy, policy, operations, and organizational leadership. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies from Notre Dame of Maryland University and a Master’s degree in Government from Johns Hopkins University. Outside of work, she is active in community service and enjoys baking, playing tennis, and cheering for the Washington Commanders.