Mara Kronenfeld

As the Executive Director of United Nations Relief and Work Agency, USA National Committee (UNRWA USA), Mara Kronenfeld leads the strategic vision, operations, and fundraising efforts of the nonprofit organization that supports the humanitarian and human development work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Middle East. Passionate about advancing the rights, dignity, and opportunities of Palestine refugees and promoting a peaceful and prosperous future for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, she leads a team in educating the American public about the plight of Palestinian refugees and raises funds for UNRWA’s critical programs.

Having focused most of her career on international development, Kronenfeld has over 15 years of experience designing, implementing, and leading youth development programming in the MENA region. She has extensive leadership experience in youth development with a strong focus on program design and development, organizational capacity strengthening, and multi-sectoral partnership cultivation and collaboration.

Kronenfeld previously served as Regional Director of MENA and Eurasia programs at the International Youth Foundation where she worked for over a decade. She earlier held positions at AMIDEAST and the American University in Cairo. At AMIDEAST, she managed corporate, foundation, and individual fundraising efforts and managed the Fulbright scholarship program for students from the MENA region. Kronenfeld was a U.S. Fulbright grantee to Syria herself between 2001 and 2003 and while in Syria, managed a U.S. State Department-funded teacher training project and UNRWA’s English Language Club for Palestinian vocational students.

Kronenfeld holds a master's degree in Near Eastern Studies from New York University and a bachelor's degree in Anthropology from Stanford University.