Paul Watzlavick
Paul Watzlavick is currently the Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation and the Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability at the U.S. Department of State. Mr. Watzlavick leads U.S. efforts to prevent, impede and, where possible roll back the spread of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, their delivery systems, destabilizing advanced conventional weapons, as well as related materials and technologies.
Mr. Watzlavick most recently has been serving as Foreign Policy Advisor to the U.S. Army Chief of Staff at the Pentagon. Previous assignments include State Department Chair at National Intelligence University – where he was also a Professor of Practice and led the Strategic Planning Team – and Director of Analysis for the Middle East and North Africa in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research.
Mr. Watzlavick’s overseas postings include Poland, Colombia, the Philippines, Chile, Japan, Iraq, and Kenya. Positions include Chief of Political-Military Affairs, Press Attaché, Counselor for Public Affairs, and Acting Deputy Chief of Mission. His other Washington assignments were as Special Assistant to the Secretary of State and Deputy Director in the office of Near Eastern Affairs. Mr. Watzlavick is the recipient of numerous State Department Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards and the Director of National Intelligence’s Exceptional Service Award. He is a graduate of the National Security Executive Leadership Seminar.
Before joining the Foreign Service, Mr. Watzlavick worked in Texas state and local government and consulted on federal environmental programs. He started his career as a photojournalist in Latin America. Mr. Watzlavick has an undergraduate degree in Zoology from the University of Texas, along with graduate degrees in Public Policy from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and National Security Strategy from the Marine Corps University War College.
Originally from Texas, Mr. Watzlavick is married to a retired Foreign Service Specialist, and they have two children in college.