BIOGRAPHY Andrea G. Bottner Director, Office of International Women's Issues Term of Appointment: 12/15/2006 to present

Andrea (“Andi”) Bottner, an attorney, political appointee, and expert in women’s issues, currently serves as the Director for the Office of International Women's Issues at the United States State Department. She is a strong voice for the administration on foreign policy issues related to the political, economic, and social advancement of women worldwide. She has addressed more than a dozen delegations on women’s rights issues in the Middle East, South America, and many European countries. Bottner has addressed numerous international organizations, including the Dead Sea Institute in Amman, Jordan, the International Center for Democratic Transition in Budapest, Hungary, the U.S.-Chile Government Joint Committee Meeting in Santiago, Chile, and the U.S. Embassies in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, La Paz, Bolivia and Warsaw, Poland.

Prior to her recruitment by the State Department, Bottner served as Principal Deputy Director and later as Acting Director, of the Office on Violence Against Women at the U.S. Department of Justice. During this time she managed a budget of $400 million and a staff of 30 attorneys, grant specialists, and policy experts. In this capacity, she traversed the United States visiting shelters, law enforcement agencies, and advocacy organizations, assessing and addressing violence against women issues. Consequently, she spearheaded a $15 million Presidential Initiative that established victim assistance centers in 15 communities across the United States.