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jessica bedoya 220x220 - Jessica Bedoya

Jessica Bedoya

Chief of Staff & Chief Strategy Officer, Inter-American Development Bank

Bio Current as of September 15, 2022

Jessica L. Bedoya is the Chief of Staff and Chief Strategy Officer at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). She is the primary adviser to the President on institutional strategy and investment policy, while leading the Bank’s operations. She has directed a whole-of-institution analysis of the region’s economic and social landscape and options for long-term, inclusive growth; the current and potential role of the IDB in the public and private sectors, including with an updated business model and expanded financial offerings; and strategies to enhance delivery of development results. Ms. Bedoya has extensive leadership experience in international affairs and policymaking and a track record of successfully coordinating with the private sector across Latin America and the Caribbean. Prior to joining IDB, she spent 15 years in the U.S. government, most recently serving as Managing Director for the Western Hemisphere and Senior Advisor to the CEO of the International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). At DFC, she led strategic business development in Latin America and the Caribbean and identified finance and investment opportunities of up to $1 billion in agriculture, infrastructure and technology. To advance development-policy priorities, Ms. Bedoya worked closely with senior U.S. and foreign government officials, coordinated with domestic and multilateral development finance institutions, and expanded DFC’s private-sector co-financing partners. From 2018 to 2020, Ms. Bedoya served as the Deputy Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the National Security Council (NSC), where she created and directed U.S. policy priorities in Latin America and the Caribbean. Ms. Bedoya strengthened bilateral relationships by increasing the U.S. presence in the region and expanding economic growth opportunities. In addition, she advised the National Security Advisor and led the execution of América Crece (Growth in the Americas), which catalyzed private-sector investment in Latin America and the Caribbean. Ms. Bedoya previously served in the foreign policy and U.S. intelligence communities, informing, advancing and implementing policies across the Western Hemisphere. She mobilized international support for key initiatives by working with leaders from governments and the private sector. Additionally, she worked at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia, and has worked in Haiti and the Eastern Caribbean. Ms. Bedoya holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Politics and International Economics from the George Washington University, a Master of Arts in World Politics from the Catholic University of America and studied political science at the Sorbonne in Paris. She speaks English, Spanish and French, and is mom to a son named Julian.