Aya Dowara

About

Aya Dowara is a film producer and cultural advisor. She was previously the Cultural Specialist at the US Embassy in Cairo's Public Affairs Office, managing the Embassy’s portfolios of film, entrepreneurship, sports, gender, urban development and youth-focused programs. She also previously worked as the American Center Outreach Coordinator at the Embassy. She formerly served on the US Embassy Social Media Team, where she was trained by Darren Krape, Senior Social Media Specialist of the US Department of State.

Before joining the U.S. Embassy, Aya worked as a Program Assistant from 2009 to 2010 on the Human Rights Capacity Building Project in Egypt, which was a United Nations Development Program in the Media and Civil Society sector. She also worked as a journalist at Sharm Time Business Magazine and Youm El Sabea Newspaper for two years. In February 2009, Aya interned at the US Congress in the legislative office of Congressman John Boozman.

Aya is an active member of the civil society and development field. She co-founded Qestas, an organization for peace, development, and human rights, in the aftermath of the 2011 revolution. Qestas works on a wide range of activities and youth capacity building programs, especially in the fields of decentralization, governance, women’s empowerment, and human rights for children. She continued her experience in civil society when she worked as a part-time researcher with Save the Children Egypt on a skills analysis study aimed at improving opportunities for Syrian refugees living in Egypt.

Aya holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from the Faculty of Economics and Political Science program of Cairo University, as well as an English Section and a Master's degree in Euro Mediterranean Studies.