Joyce Ajlouny joined AFSC as general secretary in 2017. A Quaker leader who is committed to help bring peace and justice to oppressed and vulnerable communities globally, Joyce brings to AFSC a depth of experience in international development and relief, education and 30 years of non-profit management. Under her leadership AFSC is entering its second century with a bold strategic revisioning and planning initiative that set organizational goals for the next decade (2020-2030).

A Palestinian American, Joyce started her career working in international development in Palestine, focusing on minority and refugee rights, gender equality, economic development, and humanitarian support. She served as the country director for Palestine and Israel with Oxfam-Great Britain, chaired the Association of International Development Agencies there and took on leadership roles at the UNDP and UNFPA.  Prior to joining AFSC, Joyce served as the director of the Ramallah Friends School, a leading K-12 Quaker school in Palestine, for 13 years, where she led a diverse staff to transform the school academically, physically and financially.

Joyce holds a master’s degree in Organizational Management and Development from Fielding Graduate University in California. While based in Philadelphia, Joyce’s home is in Bethesda, Maryland, where she lives with her husband.  They have three adult children.