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Who is
Zuzana Palovic?
Dr Palovic is a five-time published author, scholar, business consultant, public speaker and CEE expert, with a specialization in international migration and knowledge transfer.
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Zuzana is also the founder and co-director of Global Slovakia. An NGO dedicated to building bridges with Slovakia's vast international Diaspora. She is a frequent contributor in domestic and international media, covering subjects such as migration, Slovak citizenship, Diaspora relations and current affairs.
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Alongside her One Slovak Family colleagues she has spearheaded a change in the Slovak Citizenship Act (effective as of April 2022).
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Zuzana was privileged to be a part of the presidential delegation to the United States, on the 100th anniversary of establishment of Czechoslovakia. She travelled with the President of Slovakia and presented her research in Chicago before leaders of the cultural, business and diplomatic communities.
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Dr Palovic is Vice-President of the newly formed MySlovensko political party and is running as a candidate in the June 2024 European Parliament Elections.
Work Experience
Nov 2020 - Present
Co-Founder
Slavic Essence is the first Slavic brand that seeks to unite Slavic cultures by unveiling and celebrating their shared ancient roots. We bring Slavic designs and wisdom to the world in their original strength, simplicity and depth. Our products harness the best of Slavic heritage in its irresistibly playful expression, joyful colors and natural goodness.
Jan 2018 - Present
Founder and Co-Director
Dr Palovic is the founder and president of Global Slovakia, a not-for-profit that seeks to globally promote Slovakia through multiple avenues and platforms. Global Slovakia has published 15 books, hosted 50 webinars, created an online academy featuring 15 courses and lead week-long heritage experiences for Slovak descendants in the ancestral homeland.
Jan 2018 - Present
East-West Gateway
Co-Founder
Dr Palovic is the co-director of East-West Gateway, a not-for-profit organisation that seeks to help bridge the social, cultural and economic ties between Eastern and Western Europe, by identifying points of convergence. East-West Gateway has helped to co facilitate innovation/trade missions between CEE and the international community, in addition to participating in a national branding campaign.
Jan 2016 - Present
Central Eastern European Expert
Freelance Consultant
Dr Palovic is a Central Eastern European expert, with strong specialized knowledge of Slovakia. Born behind the Iron Curtain, her family fled the Communist regime as political refugees before becoming naturalized citizens in Canada. Dr Palovic's professional expertise into the East-West context, builds upon her personal and professional insights into the region, including her extensive academic research in CEE. She leverages this know-how, alongside her fluency in the Slovak language, in her freelance consultancy work, to the benefit of private, public and governmental stake-holders.
Jan 2016 - Present
International Migration Expert
Freelance Consultant
Dr Palovic's academic specialisation in international migration and knowledge, builds upon her personal experience of working, studying and living in 9 countries, across 4 continents. Her first point of contact with international migration, occurred before the age of 5 years, when her family fled the communist regime, living in the refugee camps of Vienna, Austria before becoming landed immigrants and naturalised citizens to Canada. Dr Palovic leverages her soft and hard know-how in her migration consulting, ranging from input on research projects to producing social commentary and speech writing for senior government officials on the same topic.
Education
Jan 2013 - Jan 2018
PhD Researcher in Migration
Dr Palovic's research meets at an intersection of several academic fields, including business management, international migration, as well as the psychology of learning. Her work explores how the experience of corporal mobility, between developing and mature markets, contributes to accelerate learning and multi-faceted knowledge acquisition. Furthermore, her research documents knowledge re-distribution through the process of return migration, investigating the effects of knowledge transfer into a post-communist, transition economy, as a case study. Thereby challenging the brain drain debate, towards one of brain training and brain circulation.
2013-2017
University Of Surrey
Zuzana was the recipient of the prestigious, fully-funded, Faculty Scholarship at the University of Surrey UK, where she worked under the supervision of Professor Allan M. Williams. A leading scholar in the field of 'International Migration and Knowledge', and the author of numerous top ranking scholarly articles and books on the same phenomenon. In addition to conducting in-depth fieldwork and research, Zuzana also taught and graded undergraduate and master's level classes on a range of academic topics.
2010 - 2012
University Of Amsterdam
Zuzana graduated cum laude in her Master's of Science program at the University of Amsterdam, home to IMISCOE, one of the world's leading migration institutes. For her Master's thesis she explored brain circulation made possible through return migration flows, under the supervision of Harvard scholar, Dr Martha Montero-Sieburth.
2002 - 2006
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
Zuzana graduated with Academic Honours from Southern Illinois University, where she completed her undergrad education on a NCAA Division 1 full-athletic scholarship in the sport of tennis. Zuzana balanced the responsibilities of life as a student-athlete, alongside active community service. She frequently conducted interviews in the local media, on behalf of the team, as well as the student athletic representation. In her senior year, she was made team captain.