EXECUTIVE CAREER PROFILE

Accomplished Senior Executive official with domestic and international operation experience. Diplomatic, professional, and strong leader with strong people skills and the ability to handle and break down cross-cultural communication barriers. Successful bilateral and multilateral assignments, adept at strategically identifying and implementing solutions to execute and support policies, strategies, and Mission goals. The exceptionally seasoned and dependable senior executive official who advances and protects national interests, and security. Strong fluency in a variety of Southeast European languages to facilitate complex political agreements. More than 20 years of international relations work experience. Resided in Croatia, Serbia, Turkey, Germany, UK, USA, Iran, Egypt, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Cyprus.

JOB TITLES HELD

Chief of Staff, Foreign Service Officer/Diplomat, Consular officer, Executive assistant, Administrative assistant, Specialist/Advisor, Lecturer

SKILL HIGHLIGHTS and AREAS OF EXPERTISE

•Exceptional proficiency in current domestic and foreign policy issues

•Executive-level advisory

•Negotiation expert and conflict resolution

•Expert in executive assistance and communications to a senior leadership

•Expert in international security and peacekeeping missions

•Policy analysis, security, and defense issues

•Terrorism and counterterrorism policies

•Democracy building and rule of law

•Expert in Diplomatic Protocol and Etiquette (EU and US), Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations

•Leadership/communication skills

•Superior prioritization and organization skills

•High critical and creative thinking abilities

•Superb written and oral communication skills

•Native proficiency in Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, Macedonian, Slovenian

•Working proficiency in Italian and French

•Security clearance level SECRET, active JPAS/DoD

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

PUBLIC SERVICE

U.S. EMBASSY CAIRO, ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT Oct 2019 – Jun 2020

EXECUTIVE OFFICE

•Executive assistant

Executive, administrative and organizational support, ad hoc policy support to variety Embassy offices and agencies (DHS, FBI, DEA, Pol/Mil, Consular, ECON, USAID, OMC, DAO; Prepared and managed the programs and schedule appointments, including arranging official appointments, receiving and escorting official visitors and making travel arrangements; Developed and maintain networks and relationships with key internal and external stakeholders; Organized representational functions with detailed Protocol activities and Etiquette requirements; Assisted with program preparation, booklets and logistical support for visiting officials; Provided assistance with official functions and commemorative events; Managing the calendar and schedule for senior staff;

U.S. EMBASSY NICOSIA, REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS Jan 2014 - Jul 2017

DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

•Administrative Assistant, Defense Attaché Office

Research of political activities in the region, increasing management awareness, speech writing and outreach strategic opportunities, facilitation for official events and other diplomatic requirements, travel and accommodation, Protocol and Etiquette planning

GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA, ZAGREB Jan 2011 – Jun 2012

•Chief of Staff to the Prime minister

Serving as primary head of the Office, aide-de-camp, adviser and facilitator to effective decision making; ensuring daily briefs; Coordination, execution of Government policies and strategic initiatives, selection and supervision of key staff, communications and information flow, negotiation with domestic and foreign government agencies to implement PM’s agenda, direction of all operational and administrative activities

Diplomatic Protocol and Etiquette planning and implementing events and functions for senior personnel involving foreign dignitaries, diplomats, and foreign military personnel

EU TS clearance and NATO TS clearance.

ASSOCIATION OF MARSHALL CENTER FOR SECURITY IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE

•Executive Director Jan 2008 - Dec 2013

Working closely with USG (Embassies, DoD, DoS and other departments)

Accomplishments: founder of MCASEES, Jun 15, 2011 Marshall Center association members from 14 countries in Southeast Europe, all military and government leaders, met in Garmisch to hammer out details for a first-time agreement -- see video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x8ZtBLIaGk

- see video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6xZ7FxlZSI

- Conference “ISAF, Afghanistan 2001 – 2011 – 2021 – Croatia's Role and Prospects” organizer and lecturer

- Conference Republic of Croatia and Republic of Kosovo – Building Efficient Alliance to Support Stability and Security”, organizer and lecturer

- “Southeast Europe COOPERATION IN TERROR PREVENTION AND SUPPRESSION”, organizer and lecturer

- “Republic of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina – Building Efficient Alliance to Support Stability and Security”, organizer and lecturer

Engaging senior government leaders from Southeast Europe (SEE) and world, members of the international community and donors on important subjects to promote and advance the European and Euro-Atlantic integration and security. Pursuing improved security and political cooperation in SEE, promoting rule of law, counter terrorism initiatives, inter-ethnic dialogue, assisting in conflict resolution and the protection of human rights, individual freedoms, introducing counter-corruption initiatives.

Maintained network of national directors and senior government officials.

CROATIA INSURANCE LTD Government Head Office Sep 2009 - Jan 2011

•Regional Government Advisor/Specialist

Analyzed political situation in Southeast Europe and guided national and local leadership

Organized bilateral conferences and negotiated bilateral insurance terms (Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Kosovo)

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA Apr 2007 - Aug 2009

•Chief of Staff to the Deputy minister for international security and Peace Keeping Operations

•multidimensional nature of peacekeeping operations, post-conflict management, with unique, first-hand area experience, especially in the fields of refugee return, confidence building, processing war crimes, economic reconstruction, and the reintegration of war-torn areas

Accomplishments: NATO accession invitation, Official NATO membership.

Key POC for MAP and NATO membership

Key POC for numerous military exercises, Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Program, assisting in deployment of 13th rotation - 13 HRVCON (300 troops to three regional commands, located at four permanent locations: Kabul, Mazar-e Sharif, Chaghcharan and Pol-e Khomri.

Coordination of 12 UN missions: BINUB (Burundi), MINURCAT (Chad and CAR), MINURSO (Western Sahara), MINUSTAH (Haiti), UNDOF (Israel and Syria), UNFICYP (Cyprus), UNIFIL (Lebanon), UNMIL (Liberia), UNMIS (Sudan), UNOCI (Ivory Coast), UNOMIG (Georgia) and UNMOGIP (India and Pakistan).

•Foreign Service Officer Jan 2001 - Aug 2009

First secretary - Chief of Staff Served as a point of contact on behalf of the Assistant minister’s office for coordination of all activities related to international security, strategy’s to combat terrorism, bilateral, multilateral cooperation from a policy, national strategy, technical and programmatic standpoint. Coordinated international security, bilateral and multilateral strategic activities, Developing and implementing protocol policies and procedural guidance, Briefing/debriefing with military and law enforcement personnel on cultural adaptability NATO and EU peacekeeping missions, Led interagency coordination of treaties on a wide range of security issues.

Third secretary/Second secretary, Desk officer for the Republic of Turkey, Department for Southeast Europe; Directorate for EU and European Cooperation

Attachė, Desk officer - Croatian emigrants, USA and Canada, Department for Croatian immigrants, emigrants, and minorities.

Served as FSO and consular officer in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Kosovo, and Iran.

•Consular service experience:

EURODAC, EUPOL CEPOL & COPPS – advanced fingerprint training

IOM training to Combat Passport Fraud in Southeast Europe

Knowledge of Immigration and Nationality Act

Knowledge of biometric identifiers

Knowledge of Visa types

EDUCATION

George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies; Germany Sep 2007

Leaders Program in Advanced Security Studies

University of Zagreb, Republic of Croatia Dec 2006

Master of Science, Diplomacy

Oakland University London, United Kingdom

Bachelor of Science, Political Science and European Studies May 2005

LANGUAGES

Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, Montenegrin – native speaker

Macedonian, Bulgarian, Slovenian - advanced

Italian, French – intermediate

TRAINING & CERTIFICATION

Executive Assistant specialized Diploma, Global EduLink UK CPD, IAP accredited Apr 2020

Etiquette Consultant, IAP Career College Nov 2019

Diploma in Legal studies, Alison Education Academia July 2019

International Law, International Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian

Law; UCLouvain June 2019

Religion, Conflict, and Peace; Harvard University Mar 2018

Terrorism & Counterterrorism; Universiteit Leiden Nov 2016

Global Diplomacy - Diplomacy in the Modern World; University of London Aug 2016

Islam through its Scriptures; Harvard University Jul 2016

Policy Analysis and Management; Delft University of Technology Mar 2016

Central Challenges of the USA National Security; Harvard University Apr 2015

Terrorism & Counterterrorism; Georgetown University Dec 2014

War for the Greater Middle East; Boston University Nov 2014

EURODAC, EUPOL CEPOL & COPPS – advanced fingerprint training Jan 2008, Jun 2010

TRAINING SEMINARS FOR DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR PERSONNEL

IN THE BALKAN REGION and the EU, Brussels Sep 2009

LECTURES

•30 October – 2 November 2018 Security Forum – “Transnational Security Threats: Regional and National Contribution to the Regional Security”; Ohrid, Macedonia, keynote speaker: “Understanding the Macedonia Name Dispute” and “Macedonia towards NATO”

•18-21 June 2018 Working Conference “Southeast Europe ONE”, keynote speaker “WB6 – security challenges and where we are going”; “How to be a partner to the US – America first + Europe first = no one alone”, Garmisch Partnekirshen, Germany

•Diplomatic academy in Zagreb, Republic of Croatia, Academic year 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 - Lecturer on: 1. Consular Affairs and Diplomacy - The Consular Dimension of Diplomacy, The Transformation of Consular Affairs: The United States' Experience; 2. Diplomatic Protocol – Protocol and Etiquette, Dress code importance, introduction and instruction – “What not to wear, what not to say, what not to do”

•Consular affairs and biometrics - The transnational circulation of methods for identifying people – implementation of biometrics; from Juan Vucetich, a Croatian-Argentine anthropologist and police official who pioneered the practical use of fingerprinting

•Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, Ankara, 2 April – 7 May 2008, student, and lecturer on 1. Peace building and conflict resolution; 2. Diplomatic Protocol – Protocol and Etiquette, Dress code importance, introduction, and instruction – “What not to wear, what not to say, what not to do”

•12/2010 Working Conference Lecture: “The Western Balkans – From a Security Consumer to a Security Provider”, Belgrade, Republic of Serbia

•6-8 March 2011 Working Conference – “Department of State - “Counter Corruption - Counter Corruption Best Practices for Europe, lecture: Increased Effectiveness through Interagency and Multi-Sectorial Approaches “, Zagreb, Republic of Croatia;

•25 May 2011 Round table, Energy Security: Global and Regional Challenges and Macedonian Perspectives – Lecture on “Energy Security as an aspect of National Security in South east Europe”

•15-17 June 2011 GEORGE C. MARSHALL CENTER, FOUNDER OF Association for South East Europe Security – founder of MCAASEES, Garmisch Partnekirshen, Germany

•12-14 October 2011 Organizer and lecturer Regional Conference – “ISAF, Afghanistan 200*-****-**** – the Role and capabilities of SEE countries”, Zagreb

PUBLICATIONS

“Cyprus issue – Possible Settlement and The Day After” Feb 2017

GCM European Center for Security Studies

“Shuttle Diplomacy – US Mediation – case study on Bosnia and Herzegovina,

Dayton agreement”, Publications Office of the EU, MFA Republic of Croatia official magazine and

Per Concordiam, Apr 2014

“Is Syria becoming a Bosnia”, Master’s Degree Thesis published by MFA Republic of Croatia official magazine; Apr 2014

“Theory and Practice of Diplomacy”, article for Diplomatic Academy Vienna and Zagreb Dec 2012

“Transatlantic Relations and The Role of New Democracies”, Skopje and

Croatian Military Academy Petar Zrinski Magazine June 2011

“Concept of Jihad”, Skopje, Military Academy General Apostolski Mar 2011

“US – Republic of Turkey relations”, Croatian MFA Newspaper Apr 2010

“Political Behavior” Casopis Bezbednost, Serbia Jun 2010

“Transformation of NATO” Croatian Military Newspaper - hrvatskivojnik.hr Jan 2009

“Timeline of the Kosovo Conflict” Publications Office of the EU, MFA, GCM Publications Jan 2008 “US – Saudi Arabia – From the Honeymoon to the Painful Divorce” Sep 2007

GCM European Center for Security Studies

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