Maelee Blancaflor focuses her research on global cultures with an East Asia-Pacific regional emphasis. She worked at the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), where she devised social media strategies for American Spaces abroad, advised on rebranding the second largest public diplomacy program, strengthened ECA's monitoring and evaluation processes, and developed an agency-wide policy adopted by the Secretary's Policy Planning Staff. She holds a Master of Public Diplomacy from the University of Southern California, where she participated in the World Expo 2025 Maymester.