Mendelson's studies and professional work have been focused on democracy and human rights internationally. Her research covers topics on civil society, historical memory, public opinion and politics in Russia, and issues surrounding Human trafficking.
From May 2010 to May 2014, Mendelson served as deputy assistant administrator, responsible for Democracy, Human Rights and Governance in the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). She was also the agency lead on addressing the problem of human trafficking.
She has served as an expert speaker on international relations, testified before Congress and appeared on National Public Radio, the BBC World Service, and CNN.
When President Obama tapped her to become ambassador, she was the Senior Adviser and Director of the Human Rights Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C., a position she had held since 2014.
As a researcher, Mendelson is contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals[8] (SDGs). Her work with Carnegie Mellon's Heinz College is contributing significantly to Goal 16; Peace Justice and Strong Institutions, and Goal 4; Quality Education. Mendelson also serves as a co-chair of CMU's Sustainability Initiative.
Mendelson is the author and co-author of over 70 publications.
In addition to her scholarly publications, Mendelson has published in the Washington Post,[9] the Globe and Mail (Canada), Foreign Affairs, and Survival. She is the author of Changing Course: Ideas, Politics and the Soviet Withdrawal from Afghanistan (Princeton University Press, 1998) and co-editor of The Power and Limits of NGOs: Transnational Networks and Post-Communist Societies (Columbia University Press, 2002).
