Paula Jon Dobriansky (born September 14, 1955, in Alexandria, Virginia) is an American diplomat, public official, and foreign policy expert with a distinguished career spanning multiple U.S. presidential administrations. She is the daughter of Lev Dobriansky, a prominent anti-communist activist and founder of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, and grew up in a family deeply involved in Cold War-era politics and advocacy. Dobriansky earned a B.A. in international politics summa cum laude from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, followed by an M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard University, specializing in Soviet political-military affairs, with expertise in Central and Eastern European issues, the former Soviet Union, trans-Atlantic relations, and political-military affairs. Her government service includes senior roles across five U.S. presidential administrations, most notably as Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs (2001-2009) under President George W. Bush, overseeing international programs on human rights, women's issues, democracy promotion, and global health. In 2007, she was also appointed as the President's Special Envoy to Northern Ireland. Earlier positions included roles in the Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Clinton administrations, such as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Democracy and Director of European and Soviet Affairs at the National Security Council. Following her government service, she transitioned to the private sector, serving as Senior Vice President and Global Head of Government and Regulatory Affairs at Thomson Reuters (2010-2012) and holding other advisory and board roles while continuing to influence foreign policy through think tanks and advisory positions.