Owens-Kirkpatrick served at Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. embassies in Barbados and the West Indies.
From 1992-93, she was Deputy Director of the Office of International Security Operations (PM/ISO) in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs at the State Department.
Her team participated in establishing U.S. policy and coordinating global crisis management with Department of Defense counterparts, including in Bosnia, northern Iraq, and Somalia.
From 1993-94, she was Director of Inter-American Affairs at the National Security Council, focusing on Cuba, the Haiti crisis, Central and South America.
From 1997-98, she was Director of the Office of European Security and Political Affairs (EUR/RPM) in the State Department.