She lived in Angola during part of her childhood because of her father's work assignment there with Texaco.

She began her foreign service career when she joined the U.S. State Department in 1980, and has held a variety of policy and leadership roles in the U.S., Europe and Africa.

Just prior to being nominated for the role of U.S. ambassador to Angola, La Lime was in Germany with the U.S. Africa Command, having earned the rank of Minister Counselor.

[5] Presently, she is the head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and she is working with the Haitian actors to find a solution to the crisis in the Country.

[citation needed] In addition to English, she speaks French, German, Portuguese, Polish and Spanish.