Wondemneh A. Pawlose

Strategic and people-centered international development professional with 6+ years of experience advancing inclusive economic development, anti-corruption reforms, and governance initiatives across Africa, Asia, and the U.S.

CORE COMPETENCIES

  • Program Design & Implementation

  • Human Rights Advocacy and Policy

  • Strategic Partnerships

  • Language (fluent: English, Amharic | basic: Arabic)

  • Research & Policy Analysis

  • Project & Team Management

  • Cross-Functional Leadership

  • Capacity & Coalition Building                  

Education

Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs, University of Denver - Denver, CO
Master of Arts in Development Economics and International Development         

Goucher College - Baltimore, MD
Bachelor of Arts in International Relations; Cum Laude

Work Experience

The Lelt Foundation - New York, NY
Director of Operations (Contract) - September 2025 – Present   

  • Oversee daily operations to enhance organizational efficiency, streamline workflows, and ensure alignment with strategic goals.

  • Develop and implement operational strategies, policies, and budgets; manage resources and monitor key performance metrics to drive impact.

  • Partner with the Executive Director to design and execute initiatives that strengthen programs and expand revenue streams.

Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) – Washington, DC

Program Officer - April 2024 – May 2025

  • Lead a 7-person team managing a $3.4M State Department-funded global project focused on private sector anti-corruption and compliance initiative in the critical minerals value chain across Africa and Asia

  • Spearheaded partnerships with corporations and institutions (e.g., Airbus, Anglo-American, African Development Bank, World Bank) to build collective integrity-based business practices

  • Orchestrated strategic communications that boosted web engagement by 30% and enhanced reporting efficiency

  • Partnered with government entities such as the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit to build a national anti-corruption and business integrity framework

Freedom House - Washington, DC
Senior Program Associate  - August 2022 – April 2024

  • Executed ~$10M in democracy and governance programming, managing budgets across regional portfolios, leading financial reporting, vendor contracts, and donor communications

  • Led cross-team coordination for impact tracking, operational planning, and reporting for international stakeholders as well as partner organizations, leading to over 90% project reporting success rate

  • Designed and facilitated partner meetings, knowledge-sharing events, and donor briefings

Frederick S. Pardee Institute for International Futures - Denver, CO
Project Lead  - January 2022 – July 2022

  • Directed cross-disciplinary research projects related to economic development, poverty, conflict, and global health

  • Co-authored content for the European Union’s official development publication, with emphasis on SDG tracking

  • Built and managed a data repository for assessing COVID-19’s development impacts across 5+ countries in Africa and Asia

United Way for Greater Austin - Austin, TX
Corporate Account Manager - June 2019 – June 2020

  • Managed a portfolio of 29 corporate partners, increasing year-over-year contributions and engagement

  • Designed and delivered CSR campaigns, boosting revenue by 35% and increased donor engagement by 10%

  • Developed remote giving models during the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining revenue stability

Goldbug Inc. - Denver, CO
Project Planning and Logistics Intern - June – August 2018

  • Audited weekly factory material and facility test results to vet any errors and mishaps.

  • Researched and developed a list of potential factories in Southeast Asia and East Africa during a sensitive trade atmosphere between the US and China.

  • Audited customs paperwork and created instructions for overseas factories about packaging and
     shipment. This experience allowed me to understand GoldBug’s supply-chain procedures and the various compliance requirements.

Research Experience

Frederick S. Pardee Institute for International Futures - Denver, CO
Project Lead  - January 2022 – July 2022

  • Led a literature review team supporting multiple research initiatives funded by organizations such as the UNDP, U.S. Department of State, and the African and European Unions.

  • Authored literature review sections for various academic and policy publications, ensuring methodological rigor and alignment with project objectives.

Goucher College International Relations Department - Baltimore, MD          
Research Assistant- January – March 2019

  • Contributed to scholarly publications and assisted the supervising professor in collecting, analyzing, and contextualizing materials for a co-authored paper in the field of international relations.

 Goucher College History Department  Baltimore, MD          
 Research Assistant -Jan - Feb 2017, Jan - May 2018

  • Conducted independent historical research using archived newspapers from the 18th and 19th centuries; synthesized findings into detailed descriptive analyses and written summaries.

  • Managed data collection, analysis, and archival organization to ensure accuracy and accessibility for ongoing research projects.

Wondemneh Pawlose PDF Resume