Fatema Z. Sumar is a “development diplomat,” leading U.S. efforts to advance economic policy and sustainable development in emerging markets and fragile countries.

Currently, she is Regional Deputy Vice President for Europe, Asia, Pacific, and Latin America at the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation where she oversees a multi-billion dollar portfolio of U.S. grant investments to reduce poverty through economic growth in areas such as energy, water, transport, education, health, and community development. Previously, she was the Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia at the U.S. Department of State leading regional affairs and regional economic connectivity initiatives and a Senior Professional Staff Member on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee with oversight of foreign policy and foreign assistance in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the South Central Asia region. Specific honors include being profiled by the National Journal for “The 35 and Under Power Set” and being selected as a Presidential Management Fellow and National Finalist for the White House Fellows.

Fatema has a Master in Public Affairs from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, and a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Cornell University’s College of Arts and Sciences. She studied abroad at the American University in Cairo.

Fun-fact: Today, Fatema has traveled to over 45 countries but her diplomatic career started when she 14 years old and represented the United States on a Girl Scouts mission to Malaysia to study water issues.