SENIOR ADVISOR & CONSULTANT
“I am a passionate implementer and strategic thinker working to develop and advance democracy, civilian security, conflict prevention, and transparent, accountable, inclusive governance in a variety of global contexts and institutions.”
Claire Sneed provides technical support in areas of assessment, program design, strategic planning, training and tool development, and evaluation. She works on issues related to governance reform, security, violence mitigation, P/CVE, and holistic approaches to various development challenges.
Ms. Sneed is an international development and foreign policy specialist with 20 years of experience. She worked as a team lead, program manager, technical specialist, trainer, and analyst on topics including human security, local governance, conflict and violent extremism prevention, economic and social inclusion, and women, peace, and security.
For 10 years, Ms. Sneed worked with NGOs and IGOs. With Mercy Corps, she helped developed a humanitarian partnership initiative with North Korea, and worked as a Regional Head of Office in Serbia’s Sandžak region where she led a field team to implement one of the US Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s) first community mobilization programs: Community Revitalization through Democratic Action. As Mercy Corps’ Chief of Party in the Kyrgyz Republic, Ms. Sneed and her team implemented the USAID integrated conflict mitigation program. She later joined with the OSCE Mission to Skopje (Macedonia) where she led a team to support inclusive local governance programs.
Additionally, Ms. Sneed worked with the Department of State (DOS) for 10 years. As a member of the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO), she led conflict assessments, developed methodologies for gender mainstreaming in stability operations, and developed practitioner toolkits and training curricula on conflict and stabilization practice areas. As a US liaison to the UK Stabilisation Unit in London, Ms. Sneed fostered UK-US collaboration in complex operations (such as in Syria), established a seven-country Stabilization Leaders Forum, and led research and the creation of UK stabilization lessons and best practices. As Team Lead for the National Security Council (NSC) Atrocities Prevention Board Secretariat, she represented the DOS’ position on atrocity risk and prevention policy and program recommendations. Later, with the Secretary’s Office of Religion and Global Affairs, Ms. Sneed established a government-NGO working group of experts to develop a training curriculum and handbook for diplomats on religious community engagement in foreign policy. Most recently, as Deputy Director in the DOS’ Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Bureau (DRL) Office of Global Programs, she led seven technical and regional teams.
Ms. Sneed has a BA in international relations and French language from Randolph-Macon College and holds an MA in development economics and international law from Tuft’s Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy. She has professional competency in French and basic Russian language skills.