Iman has ten years of professional experience in the nonprofit sector. She completed her Master’s degree in Youth Development Leadership from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in the U.S, and she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in English from the Islamic University of Gaza in Palestine. Iman has a profound role in youth development and employment as well as income generating activities. Currently, Iman is a member of the “Youth Council for Development” in Gaza, which helps youth engage in community activities. After she completed her Master’s degree, she addressed unemployment in Gaza by leading her own USAID-funded initiative to help graduates gain Information Technology skills to win jobs online. While working under European Union projects, she helped 160 female-head of families create and develop their own businesses. She worked for Mercy Corps, a global humanitarian organization, as a Program Officer in youth employment, where she managed different youth employment and livelihood programs such as internship programs, micro-grants for entrepreneurs, freelancing job opportunities, and graduate capacity building and training programs. During the last war on Gaza in 2014, Iman helped displaced families source food and non-food items, and she contributed to cash assistance and workforce projects for affected persons. In addition, she was a board member in a community-based organization for environment and community development. Iman has a strong passion for helping those in need, and for economic development activities, especially those related to youth.
Host Organization: Microsoft
Role at Host Organization: Iman will support the Program Management function and the wider Affordable Access Initiatives team to evolve global project engagements, partnerships, processes, tools, research, and thought leadership.