Bruna Santos is a geopolitical strategist and policy leader based in Washington, DC. Her work examines how political fragmentation, geoeconomic competition, and institutional capacity are transforming governments, markets, and international cooperation.
She is Director of the Brazil Program at the Inter-American Dialogue, where she leads analysis and high-level engagement on Brazil’s domestic transformation, global role, and relationship with the United States.
She previously served as Director of the Brazil Institute at the Wilson Center and as Vice President and Innovation Director of Brazil’s National School of Public Administration, bringing together experience in international policy, institutional leadership, and government innovation.
Earlier in her career, Santos worked in China as a market analyst. She is an Eisenhower Fellow and holds a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University.
This trajectory across Brazil, China, and the United States informs a perspective that connects emerging powers, advanced economies, and the institutions operating between them.
Her analysis focuses on four connected themes: geopolitical fragmentation; geoeconomics and economic security; democratic resilience and state capacity; and the strategic choices facing Brazil, the Americas, and other middle powers. Across these areas, her work asks not only how power is changing, but which institutions and partnerships can translate strategy into durable outcomes.
Santos writes and speaks for policy, business, media, and general audiences. Her approach combines comparative analysis with clear public communication, translating complex political and economic shifts into the questions decision-makers need to confront.
