Dr. Xenias joined the U.S. Department of Commerce in 1994 as a Presidential Management Fellow. She is currently a senior international trade specialist and Global Team Leader in the New York office of the U.S. Commercial Service of the Department. Dr. Xenias is the recipient of multiple awards from the Department’s highest ranking officials for leadership and innovation including The Lawrence Payne Memorial Award, The Bronze Honor Award, the Director General’s Excellence Award, the Charles Meisner Award, and both the ITA Bronze Medal and the Timothy Hauser Award for Outstanding Performance in Support of the United States Historic Partner Country Status and President Obama’s Visit to the 2016 Hannover Fair.
She holds a doctorate in political science with a minor in economics from Columbia University Graduate School of Arts & Sciences where Kenneth Waltz chaired her dissertation defense committee. Dr. Xenias’ dissertation, A Structural Theory of Currency Unions and Monetary Alliances, analyzes the conditions under which nations may join currency unions and has been published by Columbia University.
Dr. Xenias also holds a Master of Philosophy from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs specializing in international economic policy, a Certificate from Columbia’s Institute on Europe, and a Bachelor’s Degree cum laude from Barnard College of Columbia University.