Mona Ghander

Mona Ghander is a strategic philanthropy and international development professional with over 20 years of experience advancing education, workforce development, and youth empowerment across the Arab region. As Senior Vice President of Innovative Solutions and Strategic Partnerships at the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation (AGF), she oversees the Foundation’s Learning-to-Earning portfolio, driving innovative learning models that connect education to employment and economic opportunity.

Her work focuses on building strategic partnerships among government entities, academic institutions, private sector organizations, and development partners to strengthen education-to-employment ecosystems in the UAE and across the region. Furthermore, she supports AGF’s regional expansion by adapting and scaling successful models, ensuring programs respond to labour market needs and create meaningful pathways for youth.

Prior to joining AGF, Mona served as Program Manager at the Drosos Foundation, Economist at the Office of the Minister of Trade and Industry in Egypt, and held research affiliations with several academic and policy institutions. She holds a BA and MA from The American University in Cairo and a Postgraduate Diploma in Philanthropic Management and Development from Loyalist College, Canada.