Joelle Awwad is the Head of Policy Campaigns and Programs for Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey at Meta. In her role, Joelle leads Meta’s policy campaigning strategy across the region and is responsible for partnerships and programmatic engagements aimed at advancing Meta’s policy agenda. Her work aims to engage the community and showcase Meta’s role in unlocking the socio-economic potential of technology, with a focus on advancing digital literacy, building tech capacity and driving innovation. Currently, a large part of her remit is to advocate for and unpack the value of open-source innovation and AI across Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey.
Throughout her career, Joelle has worked with private and public institutions on corporate strategies, national development, and investment plans. She has held roles as an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company and as an investment banker with Morgan Stanley.
A strong advocate for equitable access to technology, Joelle is passionate about empowering people and communities through technology and innovation, driving social and economic impact across the region.
Joelle earned her MBA from Harvard Business School and her B.E. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, with minors in Engineering Management and Mathematics, from the American University of Beirut.