Kevin Michael Rudd (born 21 September 1957 in rural Queensland, Australia) is an Australian diplomat, former politician, and political scientist who served as the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010 and again in 2013, and as Foreign Minister from 2010 to 2012. Growing up on a dairy farm near Eumundi, Rudd faced significant personal challenges early in life, including the death of his father when he was 11, which led to financial hardship. He excelled academically, studying at the Australian National University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Chinese language and history in 1978. His early career included service in the Australian Foreign Service as a diplomat focusing on China, followed by roles as Chief of Staff to the Queensland Premier and as a senior bureaucrat. Entering federal politics in 1998 as the Member for Griffith, Rudd became leader of the Australian Labor Party in December 2006 and led the party to victory in the 2007 federal election. As Prime Minister, he implemented key reforms including the national apology to Indigenous Australians for the Stolen Generations in 2008, the introduction of a carbon emissions trading scheme, and significant investments in education and healthcare. His government navigated the Global Financial Crisis effectively. Internal party divisions led to his ousting in June 2010, after which he served as Foreign Minister under Julia Gillard. He reclaimed the Labor leadership in June 2013 and served a brief second term as Prime Minister until Labor's defeat in the September 2013 election. Since retiring from politics, Rudd has held international roles including as a senior fellow at Harvard University's Belfer Center and as co-chair of the Independent Commission on Multilateralism. In April 2023, he was appointed Australia's 23rd Ambassador to the United States. His career has been defined by expertise in Asia-Pacific affairs, fluency in Mandarin, and commitment to progressive policies, though he has faced criticism for his leadership style and post-political business dealings.