Michael Gonzalez

Background

About Michael Gonzalez

Global problem solver with experience leading initiatives in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Current U.S. Diplomat with 25 years of experience spanning the U.S. government, the private sector, and NGOs. Reputation for turning big ideas into concrete results. I help teams, corporations, and organizations solve complex problems. As a U.S. Diplomat, I analyze and advise senior U.S. Department of State leaders on complex political matters affecting strategic-level U.S. national security interests. I deliver fact-based geopolitical strategies that empower leaders to make confident decisions that are in tune with global realities. Some examples include: • Overseeing $10 million in public diplomacy programming across Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe; • Serving as the lead action officer for the Compacts of Free Association negotiations with Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia, which culminated in a $7.1 billion economic assistance package; • Leading Bureau of East Asia and the Pacific coordination efforts for the 2022 Our Oceans Conference in Palau, which raised $16 billion to address climate change; and • Helping deliver vaccines to the Kingdom of Jordan at the height of COVID-19. My experience cuts across geopolitics and business strategy. From boardrooms to village settings, I have helped corporations, NGOs, and other U.S. agencies craft innovative, actionable solutions to problems in complex environments. For example, I stood up a peacebuilding NGO across 9 states in the Niger Delta, Nigeria, for the Chevron Foundation’s Nigeria initiative. In Jakarta, Indonesia, I authored the American Chamber of Commerce’s Disaster Response Plan in the wake of the 2004 Tsunami. In Iraq and Afghanistan, I served as a senior civilian advisor to U.S. military leaders and civilian decision-makers. I love applying my experience to help organizations solve complex problems and achieve their goals. Key Strengths: leadership, program management, strategic and operational planning, strategic engagement, stakeholder management, program analysis, market expansion, negotiations, and international partnerships.