Maureen McLaughlin became Director of the International Affairs Office in the Office of the U.S. Secretary of Education in August 2010 where she is responsible for leading ED's international activities to strengthen U.S. education and advance U.S. international priorities. Throughout her career-domestically as well as internationally--Maureen has been interested in ways to provide educational access and success for all.
Before returning to ED, Maureen worked eight years at the World Bank supporting education reform and modernization in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Turkey. In 2002, Maureen was a New Zealand Public Policy Fellow, identifying an opportunity gap in college access and suggesting ways to close it.
Maureen was Acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education at the beginning of two new Presidential administrations (1993 and 2001), Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning and Innovation from 1993 to 2002, and Director, Postsecondary Education Division, Planning and Evaluation Service (1988-1992). In these positions, Maureen was a leader shaping and implementing many policy initiatives, including creation of direct student loans, income contingent repayment, and creation of GEAR-UP. Maureen was awarded the two highest awards for government service, the Distinguished Presidential Rank Award (1998) and Meritorious Presidential Rank Award (1996). In the 1980s, Maureen was also an analyst at the U.S. Congressional Budget Office.
Maureen holds a Master of Public Policy from University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts from Boston College, majoring in Economics and graduating Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa.