Canada has a new ambassador to Israel, Lisa Stadelbauer.

The announcement came recently from Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau.

Stadelbauer replaces Deborah Lyons, who served in the post from 2016 to 2020.

Stadelbauer, who has a bachelor’s degree in administrative and commercial studies from the University of Western Ontario, joined External Affairs and International Trade in 1990.

In a tweet on May 3 accompanied by a photo from a balcony in Tel Aviv she wrote, “Shalom old friend. My, look how you have grown! Can’t wait to get reacquainted once I am done quarantine.”

Her first assignment abroad was in 1992 to Tel Aviv, and she later served in Hanoi as counsellor and then in Oslo as counsellor and consul.

From 2011 to 2015, she served as ambassador to Zimbabwe and Angola, and high commissioner in Botswana.

In Ottawa, she has served in a number of functions, including as director of the Eastern and Southern Africa Division; deputy to Canada’s Africa personal representative to the G8; and, from 2015 to 2017, director general of the Pan-Africa Bureau.

She also served in the Foreign and Defence Policy Secretariat of the Privy Council Office.

Most recently, Stadelbauer served as Canada’s high commissioner in Kenya, with accreditation to Burundi, Rwanda, Somalia and Uganda.

She also served as Canada’s permanent representative to the United Nations Environment Programme and UN-Habitat.