Ms. Alina L. Romanowski was appointed in May 2009 as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Academic Programs in the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) where she oversees all academic programs, including the Fulbright Program, the Humphrey Program0, Gilman Scholarships , English Language Programs, and international marketing of American education resources and advising. Prior to her appointment to lead the Office of Academic Programs, she served for almost four years as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Professional and Cultural Exchanges in the same Bureau where she oversaw professional, cultural, sports and high school international exchanges, including the launch of several new programs, notably the Edward R. Murrow Journalism Program, the FORTUNE/State Department International Women Leaders Mentoring Partnership, the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y), the Global Cultural Initiative and the American Public Diplomacy Envoy program.
She came to the Department of State in June 2003 to establish a new office to oversee and manage the President’s Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) and served as its first Director. She also served as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs for nine months.
Prior to her appointment at the State Department, Ms. Romanowski served at the Defense Department for almost 14 years in various senior positions involving the Near East and South Asia. She was the founding Director of the Near East-South Asia Center for Strategic Studies at the National Defense University from December 2000 through June 2003. She served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs in the Office of the Secretary of Defense from August 1997 to December 2000 where she was the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense on all matters relating to Near Eastern and South Asian affairs. Prior to serving as Deputy, Ms. Romanowski served as the Office Director from January 1995 to August 1997. Previously she served as the Country Director for Israel from February 1990 through December 1994. She came to the Department of Defense from the Central Intelligence Agency in 1990 after serving 10 years as an intelligence analyst on the Near East and South Asia region.
Ms. Romanowski has received several awards and citations during her career. She is a 2001 recipient of the Presidential Distinguished Rank Award for Senior Executive Service, a 2008 and 1999 recipient of the Presidential Meritorious Rank Award for Senior Executive Service, and a 2005 recipient of the Department of State Superior Rank Award. Her other awards include two Secretary of Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Awards for her contributions during Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM and again for developing and executing national security goals and force protection initiatives in the post-Gulf War Middle East Region as well as the CIA Exceptional Performance Award.
In 1985-86, Ms. Romanowski attended Tel Aviv University in Israel to pursue postgraduate work in Middle East studies and learn Hebrew.
Ms. Romanowski is a graduate of the University of Chicago where she received her Bachelors Degree in History in 1977 and a Masters Degree in International Relations with a concentration in the Middle East in 1980. She speaks French and has studied Arabic and Hebrew.