Michelle Giuda

{{Short description|American government official (born 1985)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| image = Michelle Giuda, IBAB Member.jpg

| caption = Official portrait of Giuda in 2024

| office = Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs

| status = Acting

| president = Donald Trump

| term_start = February 12, 2019

| term_end = March 3, 2020

| predecessor = Heather Nauert (Acting)

| successor = Ulrich Brechbuhl (Acting)

| office2 = 1st Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs

| president2 = Donald Trump

| term_start2 = May 28, 2019

| term_end2 = March 3, 2020

| predecessor2 = Position Established

| successor2 = Aaron Ringel

| office3 = 30th Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs

| president3 = Donald Trump

| term_start3 = February 3, 2018

| term_end3 = May 28, 2019

| predecessor3 = John Kirby

| successor3 = Position Abolished

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|2|18}}

| birth_place = San Juan Capistrano, California, U.S.

| birthname = Michelle Mai Selesky

| nationality = American

| party =

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| children =

| alma_mater = University of California, Los Angeles (BA)
George Washington University (MPS)

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Michelle Selesky Giuda (born Michelle Mai Selesky; February 18, 1985){{cite web| url=http://uclabruins.com/sports/2013/4/17/208191061| title=Michelle Selesky| year=2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910075428/http://www.uclabruins.com/ViewArticle.dbml?CONTENT_ID=766675&DB_OEM_ID=30500&ATCLID=208191061|archive-date=September 10, 2015| publisher=UCLA|url-status=live}} is an American businessperson and former government official.

As of 2021, she serves on the advisory board for USAGM and the current CEO of the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue. She was Executive Vice President of Geopolitical Strategy and Risk at the Weber Shandwick public affairs firm.{{cite web| url=https://www.prweek.com/article/1677556/michelle-giuda-rejoins-weber-shandwick-evp-geopolitical-strategy-risk| title=Michelle Giuda rejoins Weber Shandwick as EVP of geopolitical strategy, risk| first=Diana| last=Bradley| date=March 18, 2020| website=PRWeek.com}} She has served as United States Assistant Secretary of State and acting Under Secretary of State, where she led the largest restructuring of the U.S. State Department in 20 years.{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/state-department-to-take-a-step-into-the-digital-age-in-effort-to-counter-disinformation/2019/04/12/c333bd8c-1b46-44d9-a2be-83aa0c8e9114_story.html| title=State Department to take a step into the digital age in effort to counter disinformation | first=Carol| last=Morello| date=April 12, 2019| newspaper=The Washington Post}} She is an NCAA gymnastics champion.

Early life and education

Giuda was born Michelle Mai Selesky in San Juan Capistrano, California, on February 18, 1985. Her mother had fled Vietnam days before the Fall of Saigon in April 1975.{{cite web|title=Michelle Giuda: Member Spotlight|url=https://www.ellevatenetwork.com/member-spotlights/190|access-date=April 25, 2018|publisher=Ellevate Network}} Her father served in the U.S. military during the Vietnam War.

Giuda graduated from Aliso Niguel High School in Aliso Viejo in 2003, then graduated with honors from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. In 2008, Giuda earned a Master of Professional Studies in political management from George Washington University.{{cite web|url=http://uclabruins.com/news/2009/4/29/207899487.aspx?path=gym|title=Bruin Gymnastics Alumna Enjoying Successful Political Career|publisher=UCLA Athletics|date=April 29, 2009|access-date=April 25, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150911160658/http://www.uclabruins.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=30500&ATCLID=207899487|archive-date=September 11, 2015|url-status=live}}

=Gymnastics career=

In 2000, Giuda won the California high school state championship in floor exercise and placed second in the all-around competition. She competed one year in high school, then exclusively trained and competed at the Club level. She trained at the National Gymnastics Training Center in Aliso Viejo, California.

At UCLA, Giuda was a four-year gymnast, twice serving as a team captain. She was a member of the 2004 UCLA National Championship team and a four-time NACGC academic All-American. She earned All-Pac-10 honors on vault. Her teammates included Olympians Kristen Maloney, Jamie Dantzscher, Mohini Bhardwaj, Kate Richardson, Tasha Schwikert, and Yvonne Tousek.

In 2009, Giuda was featured in a UCLA television advertising campaign highlighting student-athletes.{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx4zUWq9QVI |title=UCLA advertising campaign feat. Michelle Selesky|website=UCLA YouTube |date=2 September 2009 |language=en-US |access-date=October 3, 2018}}

Professional career

She worked for five years as a senior member of former Speaker Newt Gingrich's communication team including time as the National Deputy Press Secretary for his 2012 presidential campaign.

PR News named her one of the 30 Under 30 Rising Stars in 2015.{{Cite web|title=PR News' 30 Under 30|url=https://www.prnewsonline.com/awards/risingstars2015_guida|access-date=October 20, 2018|website=PR News|date=9 December 2015 |language=en-US}}

File:Secretary Pompeo Listens as Assistant Secretary Giuda Delivers Closing Remarks (48406093276).jpg Michael R. Pompeo at a reception supporting the U.S. Pavilion at Expo 2020 at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on July 29, 2019.|left]]In 2018, Giuda was the Senior Vice President for Global Corporate Communications for Weber Shandwick, the youngest member of their 21-person Global Leadership Team. That year, the Asian American Business Development Center named her one of the "Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business."{{cite web|title=Michelle Giuda Named Top 50 in American Business|url=http://outstanding50award.com/michelle-giuda/|access-date=July 22, 2018|archive-date=November 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211111173302/https://outstanding50award.com/michelle-giuda/|url-status=dead}}

Giuda was sworn in as United States Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs February 3, 2018.{{cite web| url=https://www.holmesreport.com/latest/article/michelle-giuda-exits-weber-shandwick-for-white-house-gig| title=Michelle Giuda Leaves Weber Shandwick For State Department Role| first=Diana| last=Marszalek| date=January 25, 2018| website=holmesreport.com}} On February 12, 2019, she was appointed the acting Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.{{Cite web |url=https://twitter.com/StateDept/status/1095464548860116992 |title=U.S. State Department |last=United States Department of State |website=Twitter |language=en-US |access-date=February 12, 2019}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/277879.htm |title=Giuda, Michelle S. |last=United States Department of State |website=U.S. Department of State |language=en-US |access-date=2021-01-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190207120650/https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/277879.htm |archive-date=2019-02-07 |url-status=dead}}{{Cite web |url=https://twitter.com/UnderSecPD |title=United States Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Twitter account |last=United States Department of State |website=Twitter |language=en-US |access-date=2021-01-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022210130/https://twitter.com/UnderSecPD |archive-date=2019-10-22 |url-status=dead}} As acting Under Secretary, on May 28, 2019, Giuda merged the Bureau of Public Affairs and the Bureau of International Information Programs to form the Bureau of Global Public Affairs, and assumed the newly-formed position of Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs.{{cite web |url=https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/timeline/2010-2019 |title=Administrative Timeline of the Department of State |publisher=United States Department of State |accessdate=2021-08-25}}{{cite web |url=https://2017-2021.state.gov/people/michelle-s-giuda/index.html |title=Michelle S. Giuda |publisher=United States Department of State |accessdate=2021-08-25}} She remained as acting Under Secretary until March 3, 2020, when Ulrich Brechbuhl took on the duties under delegation of authority.{{Cite web |url=https://2017-2021.state.gov/biographies/t-ulrich-brechbuhl/index.html |title=T. Ulrich Brechbuhl |website=2017-2021.state.gov |access-date=2021-01-26}}

In March 2020, Giuda became Executive Vice President of Geopolitical Strategy and Risk at Weber Shandwick.

Giuda joined the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue in 2022 first as director, and then became its CEO.{{Cite web |title=Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue Names Michelle Giuda as Director |url=https://techdiplomacy.org/news/krach-institute-for-tech-diplomacy-at-purdue-names-michelle-giuda-as-director/ |access-date=2023-12-23 |website=Tech Diplomacy |language=en}}

In 2023, Giuda was nominated by President Biden{{Cite web |last=House |first=The White |date=2022-12-05 |title=President Biden Announces Key Nominee |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/12/05/president-biden-announces-key-nominee-6/ |access-date=2023-12-28 |website=The White House |language=en-US}} to serve on the bipartisan International Broadcasting Advisory Board of the U.S. Agency for Global Media which was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate.{{Cite web |title=USAGM |url=https://www.usagm.gov/2023/12/07/senate-confirms-bipartisan-usagm-international-broadcasting-advisory-board-ibab/ |access-date=2023-12-23 |website=USAGM |language=en-US}}

References

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