Dr. Ronald U. Mendoza is the Undersecretary for Strategic Management at the Department of Education, where he leads policy, planning, and monitoring and evaluation. With over 25 years of expertise in governance, economic development, and institutional reform, he has made significant contributions to public administration.

Previously, Dr. Mendoza served as Dean and Professor of Economics at the Ateneo School of Government (2016–2022). From 2020 to 2022, he also led PARTICIPATE, a USAID project aimed at fostering citizen engagement in governance and strengthening democratic institutions. Following this, he was Regional Director for Southeast Asia at IDInsight, a global advisory and research organization that uses data-driven approaches to enhance public sector effectiveness.

From 2011 to 2015, Dr. Mendoza held dual roles as Associate Professor of Economics at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) and Executive Director of the AIM Rizalino S. Navarro Policy Center for Competitiveness. His research work includes partnerships with UNICEF, UNDP, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, and the Economist Intelligence Unit, focusing on evidence-based solutions for socio-economic challenges. In 2021, he was appointed to the UN Committee of Experts on Public Administration (CEPA) by the United Nations Economic and Social Council. His scholarly impact was further recognized in the AD Scientific Index, where he was named among the Philippines’ top 100 scientists in 2022–2024 based on citation metrics.

Dr. Mendoza’s academic background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Economics (Honors) from Ateneo de Manila University, a Master’s in Public Administration in International Development from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Economics from Fordham University. His career exemplifies a commitment to advancing data-driven governance and economic policy in the Philippines and beyond.