Edward 'Ed' Maatman is a career U.S. Foreign Service Officer specializing in Middle East diplomacy, with primary expertise in Syrian affairs. As a U.S. State Department official, he has held senior positions in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs (NEA), including as Director for Syria, where he oversees U.S. policy coordination on political transitions, stabilization efforts, and diplomatic engagements related to the Syrian conflict. His work involves interagency collaboration, briefings to external experts, and advancing U.S. objectives amid complex regional dynamics involving actors like Russia, Iran, and Turkey. Maatman's diplomatic career emphasizes operational roles in high-stakes environments, contributing to U.S. strategies for Syria's political future, including post-Assad regime considerations and humanitarian responses. While specific prior overseas postings such as Baghdad or Amman are reported in diplomatic circles, they remain less documented in public records. He represents the institutional continuity of U.S. Syria policy through multiple administrations.