Dr. Yleem Poblete, Ph.D.

Dr. Yleem D.S. Poblete is a seasoned professional with over three decades of experience in the foreign affairs and national security arena, primarily in U.S. government service, developing policy, and spearheading efforts on virtually every regional and functional matter. She has held the highest levels of security clearances, including Special Access Program/Special Access Required.

A strategic thinker, problem-solver, and skilled negotiator, Yleem is an executive with a proven record of success in mission-driven settings, working with America’s allies and partners, including at international forums, and with elected officials and private sector representatives to achieve desired results.

Dr. Poblete is called upon to provide expert testimony for cases in U.S. Federal courts and strategic advice for a variety of clients via the Poblete Analysis Group LLC, She and the PAG team have been contracted to work on U.S. government projects and have provided in-depth analysis and policy recommendations for senior Members of Congress and their staff.

Her last government post was as Assistant Secretary of State for Verification and Compliance, serving as the lead Presidential appointee for the United States on arms control, nonproliferation, and disarmament treaties and executive agreements, and the principal policy community representative with the interagency and intelligence community on verification and compliance. She led an expansive team of civilian, military, intelligence, technical, scientific, and policy experts in the Bureau; oversaw activities at two U.S. missions; and reformed and managed programs to identify and fund the development of technologies and methods to enhance U.S. monitoring and detection capabilities. Her tenure was marked with many firsts and notable successes for the U.S. in her areas of responsibility, including conventional, nuclear, radiological, chemical, and biological weapons, activities in the undersea and outer space domains, and diplomatic efforts concerning missile defense and strategic security and deterrence.

She served in the Senior Executive Service at the Department of State before her unanimous confirmation by the Senate; on the National Security Council Agency Action and Landing teams for the 2016 presidential pre-transition and transition; and as an advisor to the National Security group of the Policy Implementation team for the presidential transition.

As Chief of Staff and Staff Director of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, Dr. Poblete worked with leadership and committee members to develop the policy and oversight agenda and lead the development, drafting, and negotiations on consequential legislation across regions and issues, securing their enactment into law and subsequent implementation. She managed a multi-million dollar annual Committee budget, reconfiguring accounts to maximize efficiency and impact with reduced funding. National Journal identified her as one of the “14 Top Women on the Hill for 2011” and one of a handful of minorities in the House and Senate senior staff leadership.

During her tenure on the Committee, she also served as Minority Chief of Staff and Staff Director; Staff Director of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia; Staff Director and Deputy Staff Director/Professional Staff Member, Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights; and as Professional Staff Member, Subcommittee on International Economic Policy and Trade. While on the staff of the Subcommittee on Africa, she was a policy advisor to the Vice Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere and the Co-Chairman of the Congressional Inter-American Terrorism Task Force.

Dr. Poblete has worked in academia, at think tanks, an international financial institution, and the White House.

She serves on the Board of Advisors of educational and foreign policy advocacy organizations, is a guest lecturer at universities, and a presenter at foreign policy conferences and panel discussions. Dr. Poblete has been interviewed by the U.S. and foreign media on international developments and has been published in The Wall Street Journal, The National Interest, The Hill, The Washington Times, The Times of Israel, and World Affairs Journal, among others.

Yleem pursued her education while working full-time. She earned a Ph.D. with dual regional concentrations in the Middle East and Western Hemisphere from The Catholic University of America; pursued national security studies at Georgetown University; and as a recipient of the Albert Pick International Relations scholarship, earned a Master of Arts in International Relations (also with dual regional concentrations) and Communications from the University of Miami (Florida). In less than two years, on full scholarship, Yleem earned a Bachelor of Arts, Magna Cum Laude, in International Relations from St. Thomas University (Miami, Florida).

She is a native Spanish speaker with professional proficiency and has basic competency in French. Yleem and her husband Jason are members of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Rhodes, and Malta and are active in other charitable organizations and activities.

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A sampling of Recent Presentations, Articles & Publications

• “Challenges to Security in Space: Space Reliance in an Era of Competition and Expansion,” quoted, Defense Intelligence Agency (2022).
• “Space Traffic Management in the New Space Age,” quoted, United States Air Force, Strategic Studies Quarterly (May 2020).
• “International Law and Security in Outer Space: Now and Tomorrow,” quoted, American Journal of International Law, Emory University (May 17, 2019).
• Remarks on Recent Russian Space Activities of Concern, Conference on Disarmament, Geneva, Switzerland (May 7, 2019).
• Statement by Assistant Secretary Poblete at the Conference on Disarmament, Geneva, Switzerland (Mar. 19, 2019).
• The US Criticizes Russia as Serial Violator of Arms Control Treaties, Voice of America (Mar. 19, 2019).
• Russia’s Concerning Behavior in Space, Remarks at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (Aug. 17, 2018).
• Space Force talk drawing attention to the need for international norms, quoted, Space News (Aug. 15, 2018).
• Assistant Secretary Poblete Addresses the Conference on Disarmament, Geneva, Switzerland (Aug. 14, 2018).