The American Swiss Foundation's mailing address has been updated. Please save the following address for all future correspondence:
American Swiss Foundation, c/o Marcum LLP, 730 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017.
AMERICAN SWISS FOUNDATION Staff
Staff
Dr. Vanessa Beary was appointed executive director of the American Swiss Foundation in 2023. Dr. Beary, who participated in the 2016 Young Leaders Conference hosted by Syngenta in Basel, began working for the Foundation in 2018.
As executive director, Dr. Beary works together with the Foundation’s Co-Chairs, Robert J. Giuffra, Jr., and Markus U. Diethelm, and the Foundation’s Board of Directors to strengthen the longstanding friendship between the United States and Switzerland.
Dr. Beary's background is in international education, development, and diplomacy. Before joining the Foundation, she served as a Senior Advisor for Youth Entrepreneurship in the Office of Commercial and Business Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and as an Adjunct Professor at American University’s Kogod School of Business. She began her career working for the U.S. Department of Defense and received the Outstanding Civilian Service Award, the third highest public honor that the Army can grant to a civilian, for her work in Iraq.
Dr. Beary holds an Ed.D. from Harvard University, an M.Phil. from the University of Cambridge, and a B.A. with honors from Brown University. She currently serves on the Board of the Harvard Alumni Association.
Director of operations and development
Stephanie brings over a decade of experience in fundraising and constituent engagement to her role as Director of Operations and Development at the American Swiss Foundation. In this capacity, she provides strategic direction, oversight, coordination, and priority setting in resource development and constituent engagement, while managing the day-to-day operations of the ASF.
Before joining ASF, Stephanie served as the Assistant Director of Donor Relations at Harvard University, where she led initiatives to enhance donor engagement and drive fundraising success for the Harvard Graduate School of Design.
Stephanie’s dedication to fostering cross-cultural connections aligns seamlessly with the ASF’s mission and she draws upon her extensive experience to advance the critical work of the American Swiss Foundation.
Stephanie holds a master’s degree in business from the University of Rhode Island and a B.A. from Bates College.
Manager of Programs and communications
Sarah serves as the Programs & Communications Manager, where she manages the development and expectation of strategic communication efforts and key programs aimed at enhancing Swiss-American relations. Previously, Sarah worked in event marketing at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where she led the management of event technology platforms and played a pivotal role in shaping the audience strategy for the Chamber’s flagship events.
Sarah holds an MA in Global Affairs & Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management and a BA in International Affairs from Sweet Briar College, reflecting her strong dedication to international relations.
Bella supports communications & marketing, event coordination, membership & development, and fundraising. She assists with writing and publications, including social media, invitations, press releases, annual reports, and the weekly newsletter. Before joining the American Swiss Foundation, Bella interned for the Bureau of Legislative Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.
Bella holds an M.A. from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a B.A. from Bowdoin College.