Sayyeda Mirza-Jafri

Sayyeda Mirza-Jafri

Biography

Sayyeda Mirza-Jafri is currently a Strategic Philanthropy Consultant and works with foundations, individual philanthropists and NGO’s across the United States. Ms. Mirza-Jafri was the Project Manager for One Nation- with Liberty and Justice for All (ON) for 3 and a half years, a philanthropic collaborative aimed at reframing perceptions of Islam and Muslims in America. This project, housed at the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA), focuses on multimedia, strategic communications, policy and civic engagement initiatives. Prior to One Nation Ms. Mirza-Jafri was engaged in developing a Middle East and North African leadership program for the EastWest Institute (EWI). Prior to EWI, she served as Program Associate for the Bridging Leadership Program at the Synergos Institute. Additional endeavors include foreign policy work experience at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). At the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) she focused on the Middle East and North Africa. Furthermore, her background in international economic development, specifically microfinance, working for the Grameen Bank/Trust in Bangladesh and India are also to be noted. Mrs. Mirza-Jafri was born and raised in the United States and graduated cum laude from New York University (NYU) with a BA in International Politics and Middle East Studies. Her honors thesis focused on Islamic reformist feminist thought in Iran. She obtained a Masters degree in International Political Economy (PWE MSc) from the London School of Economics with a concentration on issues of economic development, investment and political barriers in developing countries to growth (specifically in the Middle East and North Africa). Her language skills at various levels include: Arabic, Bengali, Hindi, Persian, Spanish, Urdu and French.