Brother Teddy Taylor

A native of the District of Columbia and the DC public school system, Bro. Teddy Taylor is a 1975 graduate of Florida A&M University, receiving his bachelor’s degree in Political Science. He completed the requirements to join the Department of State as a career member of the US Foreign Service in 1978.    

Now a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Bro. Taylor, in June of 2006  was appointed by Secretary of State; Dr. Condoleezza Rice, as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Human Resources.  Brother Taylor was very recently appointed by Secretary Rice to the number two position in this Bureau, assuming responsibility as the senior Deputy Assistant Secretary.  During his 30 years as a US diplomat, “Teddy B.” has lived in Cuba, Hungary, Honduras, Panama, and Guatemala and served in multiple assignments within the Department of State.  He was the first African American to serve as the Director of the Orientation Division at the Foreign Service Institute. In this capacity, Teddy was the “first face” of the Foreign Service, preparing new diplomats for the rigors of public service abroad.  He has won numerous professional accolades, including the prestigious Barbara Watson Award for Consular Excellence.  Known for his innovative and inspirational leadership, Teddy mentors a wide and diverse group of State Department personnel.  Teddy speaks Spanish, Hungarian and Turkish and is a graduate of the forty-sixth Senior Seminar, the Department of State’s premiere senior leadership training program. 

A son of Gamma Pi, Brother Teddy B. Taylor was initiated into the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. in 1990.  Immediately following his initiation, Brother Taylor was elected AKRS.  Known for living our creed, Brother Taylor has served as Chairman of the Social Action and Public Relations Committees, Chapter Editor, KRS and two separate occasions as Vice Basileus.  He was first elected Basileus in 2005 and will complete his third term this year.  In addition to these leadership positions, “Teddy B” has served as a member of the Membership Selection, Mardi Gras, Public Relations, Achievement Week, and Social Action committees.  Brother Taylor is also a life member in the Fraternity and serves on the Board of Directors of the Gamma Pi Omega Foundation, Gamma Pi’s philanthropic entity.

Bro. Taylor always has played an active role in the lives of young people.  During his tour at the US Embassy in Panama, Bro. Taylor coached a 13-15 year old basketball team in the former Panama Canal Zone. While in Hungary, Bro. Taylor was the Chairperson of the Cub and Boy Scout parent organization. He also served as a merit badge instructor and Chairman of the Eagle Scout Board of Review committee. Teddy remains active in scouting serving as a member of the parent organization and merit badge counselor for Boy Scout Troop 1294 in Largo, Maryland.  For many years, he was a male chaperone for the Prince George’s County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority annual Historically Black College and University Tour and he routinely mentors young men in Prince George’s County.

Bro. Taylor has spent thirty wonderful years married to Antoinette Corbin-Taylor, also a career member of the Foreign Service. They have two children, an adult daughter Blair, and a son Ashton, a university student. Bro. Taylor is a member of the American Foreign Service Association, and a former President of the Thursday Luncheon Group (TLG), an employee organization created to promote African-American participation in foreign affairs.