Elizabeth Pelletreau

Elizabeth Pelletreau is a professorial lecturer at the Institute for African Studies at the George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs. The Institute serves as a center for research, scholarly discussion, and debate on issues relevant to Africa. In Spring 2026, she will co-teach “Africa: Challenges and Prospects.” A diplomat, lawyer, teacher, and mentor, Elizabeth brings over two decades of Africa expertise and foreign policy leadership to the classroom.

Prior to joining GW, Elizabeth was a career member of the Senior Foreign Service at the U.S. Department of State. Over the course of a 20+ year career, Elizabeth worked extensively on African Affairs, including periods serving as acting Ambassador in Djibouti and Lesotho, as well as earlier tours in Tanzania, Cameroon, and Armenia. When based in Washington, Elizabeth helped design and implement Africa-wide policy, serving as acting Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, and in the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. A strong proponent of private sector-driven growth, earlier in her career Elizabeth helped design and launch the Prosper Africa and Power Africa initiatives. Firmly committed to mentorship and staff development, Elizabeth also taught several courses at the Foreign Service Institute, the U.S. government’s primary training institute for diplomats and foreign affairs professionals.

Before her diplomatic career, Elizabeth worked as an attorney and was board chair of the Chicago Law Foundation, a nonprofit organization supporting students to explore careers in public service and public interest law. She holds a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School, an M.S. in National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University, Eisenhower School, and a B.A. in Political Science from Reed College.