Bernadette B. Paolo

Bernadette Paolo "was named President and CEO of The Africa Society in 2006, succeeding the deceased President and Founder of the organization, Leonard H. Robinson, Jr. Prior to assuming this position; she served as Vice President of The Africa Society as well as Vice President of the National Summit on Africa. She was formerly the Summit’s Director of Field Operations, entrusted with the responsibility of organizing six regional summits throughout the United States, outreach and mobilization efforts, as well as being the in-house Legal Counsel. Ms. Paolo was also instrumental in the founding and development of The Africa Society, and in creating and executing its educational programs.

"During her tenure as Vice President, she has been selected as a non-governmental representative on two occasions by the Department of Defense’s Africa Center for Strategic Studies to participate in key conferences in Dakar, Senegal and in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

"Ms. Paolo has more than 25 years of experience in international affairs that includes an extensive career of 12 years in the U.S. Congress. For more than a decade, she was a professional staff member on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, now the House International Relations Committee. Her positions included Staff Director and Counsel for the House Subcommittee on Africa, Deputy Staff Director for the Subcommittee on International Operations, and Staff Consultant and Deputy Staff Director of the House Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Organizations.

"While on Capitol Hill, Ms. Paolo represented Congress in 43 countries in the roles of negotiator, investigator, election observer and arbitrator. In addition to managing Subcommittee staffs; she was responsible for formulating strategies and policy determinations for Members of Congress, and for writing key pieces of legislation, speeches and articles pertaining to foreign policy issues.

"Ms. Paolo worked as an international consultant with a private law practice in Washington, DC for four years. During this period, she advised foreign and domestic clients on economic and policy issues, as well as providing analysis and research on a wide range of subjects, including human rights, international trade, electoral procedures. She also served as a criminal defense attorney.

"Her other work experience includes being an educator – teaching English on the secondary and university levels, as well as a professional writer. A native of West Virginia, Ms. Paolo received her B.A. from West Liberty College, her M.A. from West Virginia University and her J.D. from Antioch School of Law. She is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and the West Virginia Bar. She is on the Board of the Women's Intercultural Network."