Jerusalem Philanthropic Initiatives Appoints Dr. Haneen Mgadlh as Director of Leadership Development and Strategy

Dr. Haneen Mgadlh has been appointed as Director of Leadership Development and Strategy for Jerusalem Philanthropic Initiatives as of March 1. Wielding her longtime experience as a social entrepreneur and activist in Jerusalem and across the region, Dr. Mgadlh will work closely with JPI Executive Director Chaya Gilboa and the JPI team to develop and deepen leadership capacity; build on and expand the impact of the Jerusalem Model; and lead strategic processes and initiatives for the future of JPI’s work in Jerusalem.

Dr. Mgadlh’s activism focuses on her broad network of connections in different communities in Israel in general and in Jerusalem in specific. “There is much untapped potential and talent that can be leveraged for shared action that will have lasting influence in Jerusalem, between different communities she said. “After working as a volunteer leader to develop the Jerusalem Model and build on Jerusalem’s diversity as the key competitive advantage of the city, I am eager to take on this new role and expand the impact of JPI even further.”

Haneen was born in Baqa Al Garbiya, grew up in Haifa, and has lived in Jerusalem since arriving to complete her education. She’s earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Master’s of Arts in Nonprofit Management, a teaching certificate in Psychology and Sociology, and a Doctorate of Social Work, all from the Hebrew University. She is a graduate of the Mandel School for Leadership in Education and has won several prestigious regional and international awards for social entrepreneurship.

Dr. Mgadlh is a frequent speaker and presenter in academic and social justice forums. She is a Lecturer at the Al-Qasemi College of Education, one of the founders of Salametcom, an organization working to promote volunteerism among Palestinians in Israel.

Dr. Mgadlh previously served as the Jerusalem Foundation’s coordinator of Program Development where she led programs in education, health, welfare and more in east Jerusalem. She also was the Director of Ata’a Center for Civil Rights in Jerusalem and a Social Worker at Alyn Jerusalem Hospital for Pediatric and Adolescent Rehabilitation.