Maitha AlMemari graduated from New York University in Abu Dhabi with a BA in Social Research and Public Policy, and minors in Legal Studies and Political Science. She has recently completed a Masters of Public Policy at the University of Oxford, and is currently a Rhodes Scholar pursuing the MSc in Comparative International Education at the University of Oxford. Maitha’s interests lie in education, intercultural engagement, and public policy. She has completed internships at the Crown Prince Court – Office of Strategic Affairs, the UAE Permanent Mission to the UN, the Education and Human Resource Council, and Palmwood, a design firm developed as a collaboration between IDEO and the UAE government.
During her time at NYU, Maitha’s research focused on understanding how Emirati youth make decisions about higher education. A passionate public servant, Maitha used her summer project as an opportunity to explore new policy tools to positively transform government practices in her home country, the UAE.
A firm believer in the importance of learning from her peers, Maitha enjoys mentoring and teaching a group of female high school students about leadership and female empowerment, as part of the Girls Education Network. During her first year at Oxford, Maitha helped organize an experiential learning event for high school students at Oxford to learn more about public service and its impact on their community. An advocate for intercultural engagement, she spoke at TEDxNYUAD, where she addressed stereotypes many have about Emiratis and specifically about the Abaya, a traditional Emirati female clothing.