Ronald DeWayne Palmer (May 22, 1932 – April 21, 2014)[2] was an American diplomat who served as United States Ambassador to Togo (1976–1978), Malaysia (1981–1983), and Mauritius (1986–1989).

In 1955 Palmer won a fellowship for the M.A, program at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of Johns Hopkins University graduating in 1957.

October 1962 he was placed as economics officer in Kuala Lumpur and ended the tour early in June 1963 due to his wife's illness.

He worked in the Washington State Department Operations Center of the Executive Secretariat as staff aide to Assistant Secretary Lucius Durham Battle Jr. from 1964 to 1965.

From 1965 to 1967 Palmer was a cultural affairs officer in U.S. Embassy Copenhagen and wrote speeches for Ambassador Katharine Elkus White.

He gave a lecture called "Negro-White Relations In the United States" at the Copenhagen student club and Aarhus University in Tutland.