SEMPA, Francis P. 1959–

PERSONAL: Born August 13, 1959, in Scranton, PA; son of Frank F. and Minerva (Pidick) Sempa; married Mary E. Hergert (a homemaker), September 10, 1988; children: Eileen, Francis, Mary Grace, John, Abigail. Ethnicity: "Polish/Russian." Education: University of Scranton, B.S. (political science), 1981; Pennsylvania State University, J.D., 1984. Politics: Republican. Religion: Roman Catholic. Hobbies and other interests: Tennis.

ADDRESSES: Home—201 Amity Ave., Old Forge, PA 18518. Office—U.S. Attorney's Office, Federal Building, North Washington Ave., Scranton, PA 18503. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Pennsylvania Superior Court, Lock Haven, law clerk, 1985–86; Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office, Scranton, PA, assistant district attorney, 1986–89; Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Wilkes Barre, deputy attorney general, 1989–2002; U.S. Attorney's Office, Scranton, assistant U.S. attorney, 2002–. Wilkes University, adjunct professor of political science.

MEMBER: Center for the Study of the Presidency.

WRITINGS:

Geopolitics: From the Cold War to the Twenty-first Century, Transaction Publishers (New Brunswick, NJ), 2002.

Author of introduction, The Problem of Asia: Its Effect upon International Politics, by Alfred Thayer Mahan, Transaction Publishers (New Brunswick, NJ), 2003. Contributor of articles and reviews to periodicals, including Strategic Review, National Review, National Interest, American Diplomacy, Human Rights Review, and Presidential Studies Quarterly.

WORK IN PROGRESS: Introduction to The Interest of America in International Conditions by Alfred Thayer Mahan, for Transaction Publishers (New Brunswick, NJ).

SIDELIGHTS: Francis P. Sempa told CA: "Since 1986, I have written articles and book reviews on historical and foreign-policy topics for several publications. In my writing, I have been greatly influenced by the works of James Burnham, Halford Mackinder, Nicholas Spykman, and Alfred Thayer Mahan, as well as by more-contemporary writers on foreign policy and geopolitics.

"I write on historical and foreign-policy topics because I love to read, study, and think about history, especially the history of international relations. I have chosen to write about Burnham, Makinder, Spykman, and Mahan because their ideas and concepts are still relevant to current international relations theory, and much of their writings and ideas is unknown, except to specialists in the field."