Sabine Schleidt
COO
Sabine Schleidt serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress (FMC) and The Congressional Study Groups, where she leads FMC’s outreach to key stakeholders, including Members of Congress, senior congressional staff, business leaders, foundations, embassy officials and diplomats. Together with the CEO, she runs FMC’s fundraising, oversees its programs and staff, works closely with its Board of Directors, guides its strategic planning, represents FMC at public events, and implements its mission through ongoing and new initiatives.
Since joining FMC in 2011, Ms. Schleidt has established the Congressional Study Groups on Europe, Korea, and India, and she has grown FMC’s Study Groups on Japan and Germany. She also created FMC’s Diplomatic Advisory Council, manages FMC’s Business Advisory Council, and coordinates bipartisan study tours overseas for congressional delegations that meet with heads of state, business executives, and parliamentary leaders.
Ms. Schleidt joined FMC after more than two decades with the International Management and Development Institute (IMDI), an international non-profit, educational institute that promoted dialogue on economic, trade, and security issues between U.S. and global leaders. She served as IMDI’s Executive Vice President, overseeing all aspects of the organization including program and policy development, fundraising, corporate and government relations, budgeting, staff development, and strategic planning.
During her professional career, Ms. Schleidt has developed and implemented policy discussions worldwide and has traveled abroad in bipartisan delegations with over 200 Members of Congress. She enjoys identifying critical and emerging issues and strongly believes in the value of ongoing dialogue among policymakers, opinion leaders, captains of industry, and other experts.
Ms. Schleidt was born and grew up near Frankfurt, Germany and later immigrated to the United States. She received her B.A. in International Relations and German Literature at the College of Wooster in Ohio, and her M.A. with distinction in International Affairs from American University in Washington, D.C. She is bilingual in English and German. She also served as a legislative representative for the National Board of the YWCA.