Cierra Saylor-Lipscomb
George Washington University
Watermelon Strategies, LLC.
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Work Experience
Founder/Chief Strategist
Watermelon Strategies, LLC.
June 2024 - Present
Hiring Manager
• Leads a strategic consulting and advisory firm delivering executive guidance across leadership development, public policy, global affairs, executive communications, and brand and culture strategy. • Builds and scales thought leadership platforms including The Slice (weekly global briefing), The Melon Brief (policy and strategy newsletter), and Melon Minutes (short-form civic insights), advancing strategic insight and civic literacy. • Designs and executes business development strategies that align leadership vision, operational performance, and sustainable long-term growth grounded in transformational and legacy leadership principles.
Foreign Service Officer (U.S. Diplomat)
U.S. Department of State
September 2018 - May 2024
Interviewer
• Orchestrated the inaugural U.S.-Eastern Caribbean Roundtable on Citizenship by Investment, negotiating directly with five Prime Ministers to advance financial security priorities and adopt Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing (AML / ATF) standards. • Directed the high-stakes repatriation of 5,000+ U.S. citizens, coordinating land and air logistics across multiple jurisdictions while maintaining a 24/7 crisis communication network and interagency alignment. • Led as White House coordinator at the Summit of the Americas, managing interagency logistics and stakeholder alignment for a flagship presidential initiative. • Managed $150,000+ Ambassador’s Fund grants, implementing KPIs, overseeing project execution, and expanding program reach cultural preservation areas and underrepresented communities. • Supervised and trained diverse teams of 12+ employees, created a training database for 200+ staff, and improved mid- and senior-level hiring compliance with EEO standards by 80%.
Study Coordinator
American Institute for Foreign Study
September 2014 - August 2016
• Directed cross-border program delivery for U.S. students in the U.K., ensuring safe travel, cultural integration, and student success.
Development Project Administrator
Educational Testing Services
May 2013 - September 2014
• Drove corporate strategy initiatives, leading youth safety programs and operational improvements that increased efficiency by 65%.
Education
George Washington University
Master's degree, Security Policy Studies
Program: Elliott School of International Affairs Degree: Security Policy, Intelligence, and Conflict Resolution Activities and societies: Graduate Ambassador, Gold Key Program
Richmond University - The American International University in London
Bachelor of Arts - BA, International Relations and Psychology