FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 16, 2020

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The National Democratic Institute (NDI) has announced that Deborah Ullmer has joined the Institute as the Senior Director for Latin America. No stranger to NDI, Ullmer has more than 20 years of experience as a leader on democracy assistance and human rights. Most recently, she served as Freedom House’s Director for Latin America and the Caribbean programs and as the chief of party for a USAID/Office of Transition Initiatives program in Nicaragua. 

“All of us at NDI are delighted to welcome Deborah back to NDI. She is a world-class expert on Latin America and in mobilizing democracy assistance effectively to support countries through the region,” said NDI President Derek Mitchell.

“It is an honor to be able to return to NDI to lead the incredible Latin America team at the Institute. I look forward to supporting democratic activists and leaders throughout the region in their efforts to advocate for social and political reforms,” said Ullmer.

Ullmer previously served at NDI from 1996 through 2018, working initially on Latin America programs, and later serving as deputy director for the Institute’s Southern and East Africa programs. Ullmer has spent much of her career in the field with NDI, including in Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras and Nicaragua. Ullmer also organized joint NDI/Carter Center international observation missions for presidential elections in the Palestinian Authority in 2005 and the Dominican Republic in 2000. She has worked as a legislative assistant in the office of Ohio Congressman David Hobson. 

Ullmer earned a B.A. in Political Science and Modern Languages from Seton Hall University, and took graduate courses in Latin American Studies at the American University’s School of International Service. She is pursuing an Executive Master’s degree in International Peace and Conflict Resolution at the American University’s School of International Service. 

Read her full bio here.