A graduate of Maxwell School’s international relations program, Lili Dalton is making impact on U.S. foreign policy through diligent research, analysis, and an extensive knowledge of history, politics, and culture.

Lili Dalton '16 BA (IR) applies the knowledge and skills she gained as a student to her work as a program officer at the United States Department of State for the Overseas Advisory Council (OSAC).

As a member of the team managing the West Africa portfolio for the Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS), Dalton helps build security information sharing networks between the U.S. government and U.S. private industry, NGOs, and academia operating abroad.

Previously, Dalton worked for the Policy and Planning Division in the same Bureau, which serves to create a safe working environment for conducting U.S. foreign policy, both at home and abroad.

While earning her bachelor’s degree in international relations, Dalton learned about history, politics, and culture through her coursework. Classes such as Model U.N. and United States Foreign Policy in the Middle East were especially influential to her because she learned to be an active learner and skillful writer. “Strong writing and public speaking skills are crucial for success no matter what career path students pursue,” says Dalton.

Prior to joining the State Department, Dalton worked for Business Executives for National Security, a nonprofit organization where she conducted research and analysis about how public-private partnerships can be utilized to enhance security at local, state, and national levels. “Creating networked or horizontal security plans is becoming more established within communities as our nation begins to experience more small-scale and ad hoc threats,” explains Dalton.