Founder & CEO
Subject matter expert in inclusive governance, gender equity and inclusion, and institutional excellence across MENA.
With over 22 years of experience across government, privet sector, international organisations, and local civil society sectors, Mai Eleimat has led more than 200 national and regional projects advancing inclusive governance, institutional reform, and gender equality. As Founder and CEO of Edmaaj, she drives transformative initiatives that strengthen public systems, empower communities, and promote evidence-based decision-making across the MENA region.
She previously served as Senior Advisor and Head of the Open Government Unit at Jordan’s Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation for five years, where she led national transparency and citizen participation reforms. Currently, she serves as an Advisor to the World Bank on gender, GBV/SEA, and social risk management since 2021.
She is an active board member of several high-level advisory bodies, including the World Bank Group’s Expert Advisory Council on Citizen Engagement (since 2019), the Global CSO Coalition on Human Rights and Counterterrorism (since 2017), and the Women Professionals and Business Association – Jordan (since 2025). She also serves as an advisory board member of the Refugee, Displaced and Forced Migration Studies Centre (RDFMSC) at Yarmouk University and the Women’s Studies Centre at the University of Jordan.
Mai holds a Master’s in Major Programme Management from the University of Oxford and is pursuing a PhD in Development Studies at the University of Sussex. She is also certified by the International Labour Organization in gender auditing and by the World Bank in Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) standards and assessments.
“At Edmaaj, we lead with integrity, inclusion, and knowledge. Every project is a partnership for transformation and development to empower institutions and communities to build systems that are just, responsive, and sustainable.”
Mai Eleimat