Omayma El Ella is the Program Manager for the Just and Inclusive Society program at Democracy Fund, an independent foundation working to ensure that our political system is able to withstand new challenges and deliver on its promise to the American people.
Omayma supports the Just and Inclusive Society Program in its mission to protect communities targeted and marginalized by structural injustice and hate. Omayma supports strategy development and grantmaking, and provides expertise and guidance to grantees and more. Currently she manages portfolios related to power-building in BAMEMSA (Black, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, South Asian) communities, and weakening the influence of authoritarian narratives in faith communities and beyond.
Omayma joins us from the UK and was the senior lead on Muslim leadership development and public engagement grantmaking at the Aziz Foundation, a philanthropic organization based in London. She has over 8 years’ experience in advocacy, policy, organizational development, and research relating to international humanitarian aid and development, conflict sensitivity, civil society space, and facilitating trainings and knowledge-share. She has predominantly worked in the UK Muslim civil society space, engaging in, amongst other things, global advocacy efforts concerning counter-terrorism measures and its impact on aid, and strengthening Muslim civic engagement. Her humanitarian and advocacy work have taken her to Sri Lanka, Libya, Lebanon, the Central African Republic, and Bosnia.
Omayma holds an M.A from the School of Oriental and African Studies in Near and Middle Eastern Studies, and has a B.A in War Studies from Kings College London.