With more than two decades of dedicated service to statical field in her country and the region, Dr. Ola Awad has become a prominent figure in the fields of statistics, sustainable development, women empowerment, health, data stewardship, data science, modernization of statistics, poverty, labor, education, and child. As the President of the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) since 2009, Dr. Awad has spearheaded the successful execution of numerous statistical and leadership initiatives across various levels. Her groundbreaking leadership has not only garnered international recognition but also elevated her as the first woman from both developing countries and the Arab region to helm the International Association for Official Statistics (IAOS).
Dr. Awad's influence extends internationally; she contributed to several initiatives in data generation and utilization, and she has represented the Arab region in key such as the High-level Group for Partnership, Coordination, and Capacity-Building for Statistics for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (HLG-PCCB) since 2015, eventually assuming the role of Co-Chair from 2020 to 2023. Furthermore, she currently serves as Co-Chair for the Program Committee for the UN World Data Forum 2024 as a Co-Chair of the Advisory Board of the Augusta Victoria Hospital (AVH). As a Board Member for esteemed organizations like the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD) and Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century (PARIS21), she is also a Board member of the Harvard University for Data Science, a member of the Advisory Council for Gender-based Policy Institute and a member in ASPEN's Middle East Leadership Initiative. Additionally, Dr. Awad has coached as a consultant on leadership development for the Laos Statistics Bureau (LSB).
Within the Arab region, Dr. Awad holds significant roles in bodies such as the Board of Directors of the Statistical, Economic, and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC( and the International Advisory Committee of the Statistics Centre-Abu Dhabi (SCAD).
On a local level, she is actively engaged in various health and socio-economic institutions, occupying positions in prestigious organizations like the Yasser Arafat Foundation, the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute (MAS), and more. This demonstrates her commitment to fostering growth and development in her community. Dr. Awad's unwavering dedication to excellence and innovation shines through in her diverse roles and impactful contributions to numerous organizations dedicated to advancing the well-being of Palestinian society.
Dr. Awad’s core competencies include positive leadership, balanced macro and micro perspectives, respect, diversity, coaching and mentoring of staff, and excellence.
Dr. Awad holds a Doctorate of Business Administration from the University of Liverpool– UK, an MSc in Applied Statistics from Birzeit University, a Master's degree in Business Administration and Management from Boston University, and a BSc in Economics from Birzeit University.
