Paola Weise
Summary
International program and grants management professional with 10+ years of experience in overseeing multi-million dollar portfolios and driving strategic planning across diverse regions. Expert in budget oversight, program operations, and stakeholder engagement, with a focus on fostering inclusive teams and advancing social justice initiatives. Committed to gender equity and climate action.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Humanitarian Assistance Advisor
U.S. Department of State
U.S. Embassy Bogota, Colombia
10.2023 - Current
- Budget & Grants Management: Manage and oversee $150 million humanitarian portfolio ensuring compliance and operational efficiency.
- Strategic Planning: Developed program strategies aligned with evolving needs, supporting resource allocation and policy wins. My data-driven reporting informs high-level decision-making and securing policy and funding wins (e.g., facilitating approval of migrant regularization for 600k Venezuelans).
- Cross-Program Coordination & Stakeholder Engagement: Identified the need to improve coordination with other offices and agencies within the mission working on migration and assistance. Led coordination efforts, enhancing collaboration among programs within the mission. Synthesized data to create impactful reports to inform from frontline teams to the U.S. National Security Council.
- Extra Mile: Green Team volunteer — Advanced workplace sustainability initiatives to minimize climate footprint.
Deputy Refugee Coordinator
U.S. Department of State
U.S. Embassy Islamabad, Pakistan
08.2023 - 10.2024
- Budget & Grants Management: Managed $60M refugee assistance portfolio for Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Monitored and evaluated programs; provided funding and strategy recommendations.
- Operations & Compliance: Instituted processes reducing bottlenecks and enhancing transparency. I have consistently ensured compliance with risk, security, and donor requirements while enabling teams to stay nimble and adaptive.
- Communication: Conducted public outreach on behalf of the U.S Government. Briefed internal and external stakeholders on past and current events regarding refugees in Pakistan. Led coordination efforts, enhancing collaboration among programs within the mission.
- Extra Mile: Volunteer member, DEIA Committee — Championed initiatives to foster inclusive, diverse teams by promoting gender equity and reducing systemic roadblocks.
Grants Officer
U.S. Department of State
U.S. Embassy Mexico City
10.2019 - 08.2023
- Operations & Grants Management: Managed $157M portfolio; led proposal reviews, negotiations, approvals. Oversaw hiring process. Streamlined grants cycle with new M&E systems and reporting formats.
- Team Support and Development: Supervised and mentored national and international staff, building strong internal systems, fostering professional development, and creating healthy, collaborative team cultures even in high-pressure environments.
- Extra Mile: Volunteer member DEIA and Charity committees - improved the onboarding process to provide equal resources and support to all staff.
Budget Analyst
U.S. Department of State
U.S. Embassy Islamabad
08.2018 - 10.2019
- Budget & Grants Management: Managed $22M in grants through complex interagency processes.
- Operational Effectiveness: Designed milestones, trackers, and training systems that improved efficiency.
- Communications: Provided updates and briefings to leadership on budget and grants status.
Associate Attorney
Ecija DVMS
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
10.2016 - 08.2018
- Negotiated multi-million-dollar contracts, including $166M resort project.
- Led mergers and acquisitions, balancing diverse stakeholder interests.
- Supervised legal team, fostering expertise in negotiation and compliance.
Education
Program Management
Harvard Extension School
01-2024
LLM - Business Law
Belgrano University
Buenos Aires, Argentina03-2014
J.D. - Law
PUCMM
Santiago, Dominican Republic01-2009
Skills
- Data-driven decision making
- Policy analysis
- Effective cross-cultural collaboration
- Financial oversight
- Team leadership
Languages
English
Full Professional
Spanish
Native/ Bilingual
Affiliations
- President, House of Blue Hope. U.S. NGO focused on breaking the cycle of poverty through education in Tanzania.
Timeline
Humanitarian Assistance Advisor
U.S. Department of State
10.2023 - Current
Deputy Refugee Coordinator
U.S. Department of State
08.2023 - 10.2024
Grants Officer
U.S. Department of State
10.2019 - 08.2023
Budget Analyst
U.S. Department of State
08.2018 - 10.2019
Associate Attorney
Ecija DVMS
10.2016 - 08.2018
Program Management
Harvard Extension School
LLM - Business Law
Belgrano University
J.D. - Law
PUCMM
Similar Profiles
Ken A. SeifertKen A. Seifert
Supervisory Regional Executive HR Director / Chief Management Officer at U.S. Embassy, U.S. Department of StateSupervisory Regional Executive HR Director / Chief Management Officer at U.S. Embassy, U.S. Department of State
RAISSA SILVARAISSA SILVA
Security Investigator at U.S. Department Of State, U.S. Embassy BrasiliaSecurity Investigator at U.S. Department Of State, U.S. Embassy Brasilia
Rasul HamidliRasul Hamidli
Information Management Assistant (Full Performance Level) at U.S. Department of State (U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan)Information Management Assistant (Full Performance Level) at U.S. Department of State (U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan)
Katherine BainKatherine Bain
Academic Exchange Specialist at U.S. Department of StateAcademic Exchange Specialist at U.S. Department of State
Rebecca MaifeldRebecca Maifeld
Humanitarian Assistance Officer at USAID Bureau for Humanitarian AssistanceHumanitarian Assistance Officer at USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance