Ms. Maryah Al-Dafa

Ms. Maryah Al-Dafa is the Vice President for Development and Strategic Planning at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), where she leads the university’s strategy direction, institutional planning and performance, partnerships, communications and external engagement initiatives. 

With nearly two decades of experience within the Qatar Foundation ecosystem, she has played a pivotal role in shaping major initiatives across education, research, policy and international collaboration. 

At Hamad bin Khalifa University, Ms. Maryah has expanded her portfolio beyond strategy and planning to include advancement, external relations, communications and HBKU Press, helping position the university as a key national and global academic partner. 

Known for her ability to identify strategic opportunities across complex organizations, she brings together ideas, stakeholders, and initiatives into cohesive strategies that drive institutional growth and innovation. 

She also leads the Partnerships Office at Hamad bin Khalifa University, where she develops and cultivates strategic collaborations with industry, government entities, non-governmental organizations and community partners across Qatar and internationally. Through this work, she strengthens the role of HBKU within national development priorities and global academic networks, while representing the university on several national committees. 

Ms. Maryah began her career with Qatar Foundation in 2007 as a Research Assistant at RAND, a global policy think tank that operated in Qatar for a decade. In 2010, she joined the Qatar Foundation President’s Office as Senior Projects Director, where she oversaw the development and execution of numerous strategic initiatives, including the establishment and advancement of several centers, schools, and academic institutions within Qatar Foundation. Her leadership and versatility led her to serve as Acting Communications Director for Qatar Foundation between November 2014 and June 2015. 

Throughout her career, Ms. Maryah has worked at the intersection of strategy, policy, and institutional development. She served on the Joint Advisory Board of Northwestern University in Qatar for several years and, from 2018 to 2019, she was seconded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she led the strategic revamp of the Doha Forum, strengthening its global profile as a platform for international dialogue. She later served as Executive Director of the Office of the Vice Chair and CEO of Qatar Foundation, where she spearheaded the Qatar Foundation Strategy Refresh, launched in March 2021. 

Ms. Maryah holds a Master’s degree in International Politics from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, and a Bachelor’s degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.