Our Team

The Hon. S. Enders Wimbush

Founder and President

S. Enders Wimbush founded StrateVarious in 2012, following a long career in strategy, national security consulting, and strategic communications. From 2010–2012, he served as a governor of the U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors, building on his experience as Director of Radio Liberty from 1987–1993. Mr. Wimbush has held senior executive positions with the German Marshall Fund of the United States and Hudson Institute, where he managed foreign policy portfolios. At Booz Allen Hamilton and Science Applications International Corporation (1996–2004), Mr. Wimbush directed projects to study future security environments for a variety of private sector companies and government institutions. An expert in Eurasian cultures and politics, he founded and directed the Society for Central Asian Studies in Oxford, England and served as senior analyst of Soviet affairs at the Rand Corporation. 

Mr. Wimbush has lived and worked in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. He is the author, co-author, or editor of eight books, numerous articles, and dozens of policy studies. His ideas have appeared frequently in professional, policy, and popular media, including The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, The Christian Science Monitor, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, The Weekly Standard, The National Interest, The American Interest, Journal of Commerce, Global Affairs, and Survival.

Elizabeth Portale has three decades of experience in international affairs, having lived and worked in China, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Washington, DC. As Vice President of an international media company with operations in 21 countries, she played an instrumental role in devising and implementing strategies across Eurasia, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia. She also has extensive program management and supervisory experience in research, writing, contracts, finance, communications, and technology. At StrateVarious, Ms. Portale directs projects and business operations. She holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BA from Princeton University.

Stephanie D. Papa

Vice President

Stephanie Papa is an accomplished leader in research management, program design, and strategic planning. From 2020 to 2024, she served as Executive Director of the Andrew W. Marshall Foundation, where she played a critical role in establishing the foundation as a public-facing entity, managed a diverse portfolio of programs and initiatives, and translated strategic visions into actionable plans and outcomes. Ms. Papa’s earlier career includes positions at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and SAIC (formerly Scitor Corporation), where she held roles in program and research administration, interdisciplinary research team management, and strategic analysis. At Johns Hopkins SAIS, Stephanie was a key contributor to the creation of the Diplomatic Capacity Index, the National Security Scholars and Practitioners Program, and the America in the World Consortium. At SAIC, she served as an assistant to the founding director of the Office of Net Assessment at the U.S. Department of Defense. She holds an MA in International Relations from Johns Hopkins SAIS and a BA in Anthropology from Washington University in St. Louis.