Nilofar Sakhi

Nilofar Sakhi has 14 years of experience in management and leadership. She managed international organizations, education institutions and national local organization.  Before coming to George Mason University for her doctoral degree she was the Executive Director at the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) in Kabul. She was also adjunct assistant professor at American University of Afghanistan where she taught public policy making.

Sakhi has earned a strong record of success in initiating collaboration and management among national and international organizations, and she has actively participated in formulating policies on the national level in Afghanistan. Sakhi has spent over twelve years championing human rights and civil society in Afghanistan. She has been involved with governance, rights and democracy, transitional justice, and rule of law related activities.

Before she came to AUAF, Sakhi was the Country Director of Open Society Foundations- Afghanistan office. Prior to this she was a Senior Consultant to Rule of Law, Transitional Justice, Human Rights, and Women Rights at the Open Society Foundations (OSF) in Kabul, Afghanistan. 

In 2002, she founded the first women civil society organization “Women Activities & Social Services Association (WASSA)” in Herat, Afghanistan. She remained an Executive Director of WASSA for few years and currently entitled as chairperson of the organization.

Sakhi completed her second graduate program at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, D.C., becoming a Master of International Public Policy.

She has awarded Fulbright scholarship to study Peacebuilding and Organizational Leadership at Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia, receiving her first Master’s degree in Arts, Conflict Transformation, and Peacebuilding.  She has written articles on Presidential elections, democracy, governance and women rights.