Ala Ali has over seventeen years of experience working in the field of civil society in Iraq including Kurdistan Region, and has substantial experience managing and administering programmes funded by UN agencies and other international donors. Ala is a specialist in conflict analysis studies, peacebuilding strategies and organizational democracy. She has been a member of the Iraqi al-Amal Association since 1995, and was elected to the board of trustees in 2008 and 2012. In addition to her work as a national consultant at UN Development Program-Iraq, Ala has served as Iraq Program Coordinator with the Olof Palme International Center, Senior Regional Program Officer with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), Peacebuilding Consultant with the UN Development Program, and Country Manager of Women in Technology with the Institute of International Education. Ala holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and MBA and Master of Arts in Conflict Transformation from the Eastern Mennonite University-Center for Justice and Peace.VA-USA.