Gail Horak

Gail Horak is a Senior Political and Economic Relations Officer with the Consulate General of Canada in Seattle, WA. She focuses on government outreach to Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Alaska—the four states within the consulate’s area of responsibility. Thematically, she is the consulate’s lead on market access issues; border, security, and defense issues; Arctic and indigenous issues; and media relations.

Prior to joining the consulate, Gail was a political officer in the U.S. Foreign Service. She worked at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, U.S. Embassy Kuwait, the National Security Council, U.S. Embassy Baghdad, and U.S. Embassy Bucharest.

While detailed to the National Security Council, Gail partnered with interagency colleagues to dramatically increase Iraqi refugee admissions to the United States and support Iraq’s development. As a political advisor at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, she negotiated with international counterparts on the UN Security Council to build consensus on international action to help the Syrian people. In Iraq, Gail provided strategic advice to the ambassador and served as his interlocutor with staff at one of the largest U.S. embassies in the world. In Kuwait, she managed multicultural consular staff and visa programs. Her career in international relations and public policy began in the U.S. Senate, where she worked as a deputy press secretary.

Gail is originally from the state of Oregon. She and her family have called Seattle home since 2015.