Shawanesh Underwood serves as a Member of the Secretary's Office of Policy Planning since July 2019. Her responsibilities include providing relevant, timely analysis and recommendations on foreign policy for the European region. Previously, Shawanesh served as a Press and Public Outreach Officer in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs (EUR) from August 2018 through July 2019. In this role, Shawanesh managed the Central Europe portfolio, where she developed press strategies for Bureau leadership to communicate and advance U.S. foreign policy to European and U.S. domestic audiences. Before joining EUR, Shawanesh served as a Foreign Affairs Officer in the Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP), Foreign Affairs Officer in Bureau of Oceans, International Environment, and Scientific Affairs, and Public Affairs Specialist in U.S. Embassy London. Shawanesh is a Civil Service Officer who joined the Department in 2009.
