Penn Washington Welcomes Amanda Catanzano as Visiting Scholar

Penn Washington is pleased to welcome Amanda Catanzano as a Visiting Scholar. During her appointment, Catanzano will direct Penn Washington’s Project on the Future of U.S. Foreign Assistance, an initiative designed to bring together experts from academia, U.S. and foreign governments, philanthropy, multilateral institutions, and the nonprofit sector to assess the future of American foreign assistance programs and institutions.

As part of the project, Catanzano will convene a series of private roundtables and expert discussions with University of Pennsylvania scholars and external practitioners to evaluate the operational, institutional, strategic, and policy challenges facing U.S. foreign assistance. These conversations will inform a series of white papers exploring options for how American development and humanitarian assistance should evolve amid tighter fiscal constraints, intensified global competition, and a more 
multipolar international system.

“At a time when the international landscape is becoming more complex, it is essential to examine how U.S. foreign assistance can continue to advance both American interests and broader global stability,” said Celeste Wallander, Executive Director of Penn Washington. “Amanda’s experience working across government and the humanitarian and development sectors will ensure this project produces practical recommendations grounded in both innovative policy proposals and operational realities.”

Catanzano brings more than two decades of experience spanning national security, humanitarian policy, development, diplomacy, and foreign assistance. She currently serves as a foreign policy advisor in the Office of President William J. Clinton.

Previously, Catanzano served as Vice President for Global Policy at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), where she led global policy and advocacy efforts informed by IRC’s humanitarian and refugee operations in more than 40 crisis-affected countries and U.S. resettlement communities. Throughout her career, she has testified before Congress on humanitarian crises and U.S. foreign assistance and has provided expert commentary to major media outlets including the BBC, NPR, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and the Financial Times.

Prior to her work at IRC, Catanzano held a series of senior U.S. government positions, including Director for Strategic Planning at the National Security Council, a member of the Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff, and Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of State. 

Catanzano will serve as a Visiting Scholar at Penn Washington beginning in September 2026. She will engage with Penn faculty, students, and policy practitioners in Washington and Philadelphia while producing research and recommendations aimed at informing the future of U.S. foreign assistance policy and institutions.

“One of Penn Washington’s greatest strengths is its ability to bring together scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and implementers who might not otherwise be in the same room,” said Daniel Schneiderman, Director of Global Policy Programs at Penn Washington. “Through Amanda’s leadership, this project will create a unique forum for bipartisan, candid discussions about the future of U.S. foreign assistance and generate insights that draw on expertise from across the policy, academic, and operational communities.”

About Penn Washington

Penn Washington serves as the University of Pennsylvania’s hub in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to connect the expertise, knowledge, and research of the University to the Washington policy community to facilitate fact-based solutions to the challenges plaguing the country and the world.