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

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 Artsin International Relations; Cum Laude

Work Experience

The Lelt Foundation - Remote
Director of Operations (Contract) - September 2025 – Present   

• Create operational protocols and manuals to improve organizational excellency and efficiency.

• Create visually compelling donor collateral and play a leading role in the annual report.

• Collaborate with program leads to draft information-rich donor collateral and proposals, ensuring technical project goals are accessible to non-expert supporters.

• Conduct quarterly project and financial review.

• Lead comprehensive fundraising strategies, including major gift prospecting and high-touch donor cultivation to support programs in Ethiopia.

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

• Managed documentation and impact reporting for a $10M regional portfolio, providing the critical data used for donor stewardship and annual reports.

• Prepared program deliverables, including comprehensive work plans, quarterly/annual reports, and various program materials, contributing to program success.

• Responsible for financial management, which includes maintaining program budget tracking systems, monitoring expenditures, processing payment requests, and delivering financial updates and reports.

• Managed vendor and consultant contracts with a high degree of administrative accuracy, ensuring 100% compliance with donor-mandated financial standards.

• Actively engaged in program-related research to inform decision-making and strategic planning.

• Organized and participate in events and meetings related to Freedom House programs or regional interests, satisfying project objectives and metrics.

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

• Managed documentation and impact reporting for a $10M regional portfolio, providing the critical data used for donor stewardship and annual reports.

• Prepared program deliverables, including comprehensive work plans, quarterly/annual reports, and various program materials, contributing to program success.

• Responsible for financial management, which includes maintaining program budget tracking systems, monitoring expenditures, processing payment requests, and delivering financial updates and reports.

• Managed vendor and consultant contracts with a high degree of administrative accuracy, ensuring 100% compliance with donor-mandated financial standards.

• Actively engaged in program-related research to inform decision-making and strategic planning.

• Organized and participate in events and meetings related to Freedom House programs or regional interests, satisfying project objectives and metrics.

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

• Collaborated with researchers and academics by offering valuable historical and academic contexts through literature reviews presented as annotated bibliographies and concise summaries.

• Collaborated in co-authoring an essay for the European Union's annual directory of international organizations, focusing on the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), showcasing my ability to contribute to authoritative publications.

• Took on the responsibility of forming a comprehensive literature base and conducting rigorous information and data analysis for diverse projects in fields such as economy, poverty, health care, education, the environment, and international politics.

• Fostered a supportive team dynamic by assisting research aids, helping them with their assignments, and managing weekly administrative tasks, ensuring smooth project operations.

• Analyzed, reviewed, and summarized scholarly papers to create a database of research focused on assessing the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in developing countries, specifically using the $1.9 poverty line, and its implications for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• Conducted in-depth analysis, review, and summarization of scholarly papers to produce a comprehensive research database highlighting the economic, political, and developmental effects of COVID-19 in the Republic of Sudan.

Global Livingston Institute - Kampala, Uganda

Community Partnerships Coordinator - June – August 2021

• Conducted comprehensive research and data analysis to assess the impact and effectiveness of GLI's programs and projects. This data-driven approach informed strategic decision-making and program improvement.

• Played a pivotal role in setting up the "Listen. Think. Act." Quarterly Series, an important platform for knowledge sharing and thought leadership within GLI. This initiative facilitated meaningful discussions and promoted the exchange of ideas.

• Led the development of new marketing and branding materials for GLI's academic programs. This included creating compelling materials that effectively conveyed the value and unique attributes of GLI's educational offerings.

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

• Formulated and executed strategies to cultivate and expand relationships with a portfolio of 29 companies and individual donors, spanning global, national, and local entities to enhance financial support and collaborative partnerships.

• Successfully maintained and, in many cases, increased the giving history of these 29 companies and individual donors, ensuring ongoing financial commitment to United Way's anti-poverty initiatives.

• Effectively communicated United Way's mission and acted as an ambassador for the organization's collective fight against poverty in the Austin community, raising awareness and garnering support.

• Played a pivotal role in conceiving, creating, and implementing programs in collaboration with partner corporations. These programs enabled companies to identify and fulfill their social responsibility goals while actively engaging their teams in the fight against poverty in Austin, Texas.

• During the COVID-19 pandemic, I actively contributed to the development of innovative approaches to corporate social responsibility, aligning corporate efforts with community needs and demonstrating adaptability and resilience in challenging times.

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.