Regina Faranda
Washington,DC
Summary
Executive leader with a great deal of experience providing analysis to senior decision makers in dynamic environments. Proven ability to develop and implement data-informed strategies and risk assessments. Recognized expert in polling, intelligence, and research on global politics and US Government policy, with eight Senior Executive Service performance awards in a row.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
US Department of State, Intelligence and Research
Washington, DC
04.2022 - Current
- Intelligence Community Leader: In charge of analysis for the United States' oldest civilian intelligence agency. Directed the production of classified assessments, which evaluated policy risks and opportunities for the Secretary of State and senior stakeholders across the US Government, including at the White House, National Security Council, and in Congress.
- Enhanced Analytic Capabilities: Spearheaded the integration of advanced analysis, Artificial Intelligence, data science, and visualization into analyses significantly improving their clarity and impact in high-stakes decision-making.
- Team and Resource Management: Aligned the work of 300 staff and a budget of $100 million with national security priorities, ensuring the timely delivery of intelligence to senior leadership. Inspired employees to love the mission and want to come to work.
- High-Level Communication: Briefed the Secretary of State, other senior executives, and Congress on fast-moving foreign policy developments, including on risks to US citizens and equities.
- Interagency Collaboration: Fostered strong relationships with interagency and international partners, collaborating to address global intelligence challenges and support foreign policy objectives.
Director, Office of Opinion Research
US Department of State, Intelligence and Research
Washington, DC
05.2016 - 04.2022
- All-Source Analysis: Tailored the production of all-source intelligence analyses to the needs of the Secretary of State, other State and Defense stakeholders, and to principals in the White House, National Security Council, and Intelligence Community.
- Global Polling Program: Recruited highly skilled talent and directed the work of 31 experts on foreign affairs and survey research. Oversaw roughly 200 contracts to conduct polling in 100 countries and established funding priorities for nearly $8 million annually.
- High-level Communication: Conveyed intelligence to senior policymakers through timely assessments of foreign public and elite opinion and intelligence from all sources.
- Interagency Collaboration: Worked with non-governmental polling organizations, academia, and international partners, establishing the leading government-run center for foreign public opinion expertise globally.
Deputy and Acting Director, Opinion Research
US Department of State, Intelligence and Research
Washington, DC
04.2011 - 05.2016
- Intelligence Briefing and Reporting: Provided intelligence to policymakers in Washington and overseas from assessments of foreign opinion polls on US policy initiatives in more than 80 countries.
- Budget and Contract Management: Managed international polling contracts and established strategic funding priorities for a training, travel, and research budget of over $6 million annually.
- Mission Continuity: Coordinated with the Secretary of State to maintain the office’s mission as the leading center for public opinion expertise within the US Government during leadership transitions.
- Team Leadership and Evaluation: Met weekly with office management to plan, direct, and evaluate the work of 29 employees involving the collection and analysis of polling data and all other sources of intelligence on foreign countries.
- Senior Briefing Responsibilities: Principal briefer to senior State Department and interagency policymakers on polling and analysis from classified sources.
Europe-Eurasia Division Chief, Office of Opinion Research
US Department of State, Intelligence and Research
Washington, DC
09.2008 - 04.2011
- Supervision and Management: Directed a staff of seven professional foreign affairs research analysts and experts in public opinion research on Europe, Eurasia, and Afghanistan. Established strategic goals and objectives for public opinion research in those regions, proposing new approaches and methods.
- Budget and Strategy: Negotiated with senior policymakers to establish priorities for a research, travel, and training budget of over $1 million annually.
- Analysis: Supervised the production and dissemination of all-source analyses that met the highest methodological standards. Designed and oversaw opinion research in Europe, Eurasia, and Afghanistan.
- Liaison with Intelligence Community: Served as the primary liaison with mid- to senior-level officials in other components of the Intelligence Community as well as other foreign affairs and national security agencies.
- Recognition: Named the Bureau of Intelligence and Research's “Analyst of the Year” in 2010 for exemplary support to the President’s Daily Brief.
Eurasia Analyst, Office of Opinion Research
US Department of State, Intelligence and Research
Washington, DC
09.2000 - 09.2008
- All-source Analysis: Analyzed the complex relationships between public opinion and political, military, economic, and social issues in the region using intelligence from polling and other sources, as well as rigorous tradecraft.
- Opinion Research Design: Designed and oversaw all stages of opinion research studies in Russia, Ukraine, and Afghanistan.
- Reporting and Briefing: Conveyed results from polls and all-source analysis by writing clear, concise assessments, and by briefing mid- to senior-level officials in the US Government national security community.
- Regional Expertise: Maintained in-depth understanding of political, social, and economic developments in Russia, Ukraine, and Afghanistan. Principal analyst and briefer on Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia, and Afghanistan social issues for the Executive Branch and Congress.
Education
Master of Science - Foreign Policy, Russian, Economics
Georgetown University
Graduate School of Foreign ServiceBachelor of Arts - History, Minor in Russian, Summa Cum Laude
The Ohio State University
Certificate - Joint Program in Survey Methodology
University of Maryland
Certificate - Structural Equation Modeling, Multi-level Analysis, and Bayesian Statistics
The Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
Skills
- Intelligence analysis
- Policy evaluation
- Budget management
- Data visualization
- Risk assessment
- Strategic planning
- Team leadership
- Stakeholder engagement
Service And Professional Affiliations
- Professor, Georgetown University
- Advisor, Bureau of Intelligence and Research’s Leadership and Development Council
- American Association of Public Opinion Research, member
- Association for Slavic, Eurasian, and East European Studies, member
- Journal Ethnic and Racial Studies, author, reviewer
- Nationalities Papers, author, reviewer
- Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, author, reviewer
- Public Opinion Quarterly, author, reviewer
- Studies in Intelligence, Journal of the American Intelligence Professional, contributor
Fellowships And Awards
- Senior Executive Service Performance Awards, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
- U.S. Department of State Meritorious Honor Award, 10/2021, For Diversity and Inclusion Committee
- Meritorious Honor Award (group), 2014, For support to the President’s Daily Brief
- Partnership for Public Service’s Excellence in Government Program Fellow, 2014
- Superior Honor Award, 2012, In recognition of policy support to Public Diplomacy clients
- INR Analyst of the Year Superior Honor Award, 2010, For exemplary support to the President’s Daily Brief
- Superior Honor Award, 2009, For outstanding analysis of public opinion in Afghanistan
- Superior Honor Award, 2008, For exemplary all-source analysis of Russian social issues
- Meritorious Honor Award, 2006, For innovative statistical methods in intelligence analysis regarding Eurasia
- Quality Step Increase, 06/2005
- Meritorious Honor Award (group), 2004, Darfur Atrocities Survey Team
- Presidential Management Fellow, 2000-2002
Timeline
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
US Department of State, Intelligence and Research
04.2022 - Current
Director, Office of Opinion Research
US Department of State, Intelligence and Research
05.2016 - 04.2022
Deputy and Acting Director, Opinion Research
US Department of State, Intelligence and Research
04.2011 - 05.2016
Europe-Eurasia Division Chief, Office of Opinion Research
US Department of State, Intelligence and Research
09.2008 - 04.2011
Eurasia Analyst, Office of Opinion Research
US Department of State, Intelligence and Research
09.2000 - 09.2008
Master of Science - Foreign Policy, Russian, Economics
Georgetown University
Bachelor of Arts - History, Minor in Russian, Summa Cum Laude
The Ohio State University
Certificate - Joint Program in Survey Methodology
University of Maryland
Certificate - Structural Equation Modeling, Multi-level Analysis, and Bayesian Statistics
The Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities