Deputy Assistant Secretary Thomas O. Melia

Biography

Thomas O. Melia
Deputy Assistant Secretary
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
Term of Appointment: August, 2010 to present

Thomas O. Melia joined the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) in August as Deputy Assistant Secretary. He brings to DRL more than 25 years of experience in promotion of democracy and human rights. His portfolio includes the Office of European Affairs, including Russia, the Office of Southern and Central Asian Affairs and the Office of International Labor, Business and Human Rights.

Mr. Melia comes to DRL from Freedom House where he was Deputy Executive Director for the last five years. For more than 12 years, Mr. Melia held senior posts at the National Democratic Institute. From 1998 to 2001, he was the Institute's Vice President for Programs. Earlier, he managed the Institute's programs in Central and Eastern Europe (1988 to 1993), in the Middle East (1993 to 1996), and directed programs in more than a dozen African countries. From 1986 to 1988, he was the Associate Director of the Free Trade Union Institute at the AFL-CIO. Prior to that, he worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative assistant to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

In addition, Mr. Melia has taught democracy and human rights courses at Georgetown University and Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International studies (SAIS) for more than 10 years. He has published a number of widely read articles democracy and human rights issues.