Alicia Contreras-Donello

Alicia Contreras-Donello is a proud first- generation Latina, daughter of Mexican immigrants, who was born and raised in Aurora, Illinois. As a Foreign Service Officer at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), she has spent her last 16 years implementing U.S. Government policies and strategies, coordinating foreign development assistance, and leveraging private investment to achieve development goals. She has served in El Salvador, Afghanistan, Tanzania, Pakistan, and Washington, D.C. Furthermore, Alicia was featured in Women in Foreign Policy for her work as a Latina in the U.S. Government. She was named a 2020 Latinx Next Generation National Security & Foreign Policy Leader by New America and the Diversity in National Security Network. Her leadership and expertise in furthering U.S. foreign affairs and her passion for strengthening diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility as Communications Chair of the Hispanic/Latino Employee Council of Foreign Affairs Agencies (HECFAA), as an International Career Advancement Program (ICAP) alum, an ICAP Fellowship Advisory Board member, an Agency mentor and a volunteer/ally with the Gender and Sexual Minorities Employee Resource Group, have been critical to successful U.S. Government foreign policy implementation and in supporting future leaders.

Alicia received two undergraduate degrees, one in Marketing with an emphasis in business management and another in Spanish, and a Master’s of Business Administration from Western Illinois University. She serves as a Board Member on Western Illinois University's College of Business and Technology Advisory Board and is a published author in the "Real Stories from Real Diplomats - Experiences of Women Serving at U.S. Embassies Around the World". She is also a mother and wife and enjoys spending time with her large extended family (she has 69 first cousins!) and her friends.