KATHMANDU, MAY 22 Mike Harker, Public Affairs Chief at the US Embassy Nepal, successfully summited Mount Everest at around 9:10 AM on May 20, becoming the first serving American Foreign Service Officer to scale the world's highest peak. Harker reached the summit alongside Lakpa Sherpa (Makalu Lakpa) and Ming Temba (Mikel) Sherpa, with Seven Summit Treks serving as the expedition organiser, according to Chhang Dawa Sherpa, Expedition Director at Seven Summit Treks. An experienced high-altitude climber, Harker has previously summited peaks across South America, Asia, and Africa, including Mount Kilimanjaro, as well as Lobuche East (6,119 m) on October 25, 2026. His connection with the country dates to 2006, when a trek on the Annapurna Circuit first drew him to Nepal, a bond he has since deepened through multiple visits for trekking and monastery studies. At the US Embassy in Nepal, Harker directs communications and oversees educational and cultural programming. He has previously served in Bangladesh, Iraq, Pakistan, Qatar, Egypt, and Burma, where he managed crisis communications following the 2021 military coup. He holds a bachelor's degree in mass communications from UCLA and a master's degree in international affairs from Columbia University. The US Embassy described the achievement as a milestone for both mountaineering and diplomacy, underlining nearly eight decades of US-Nepal friendship. It also linked the feat to Freedom 250, marking the upcoming 250th anniversary of American independence. 'This successful summit attempt underscores nearly eight decades of U.S.-Nepal friendship and highlights how sustainable adventure tourism builds global connections while fueling local economies,' the embassy said. The embassy credited Nepal's Sherpa community as the backbone of Himalayan mountaineering, saying the summit would have been impossible without their expertise and dedication. 'Protecting Everest is vital to ensuring this iconic global treasure can continue to support Himalayan communities and inspire adventurers for generations to come,' it noted. Prior to the summit bid, United States Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor and Acting US Ambassador and Chargé d'Affaires Scott Urbom visited Everest Base Camp to extend their wishes to Harker. The team was safely descending to the lower camps, according to Seven Summit Treks.