Maya Kavaler is a Program Officer at International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN) where she provides programmatic and research support to the Innovative Peace Fund (IPF). Maya helps facilitate small and medium grants to support women-led organizations preventing and countering violent extremism, and promoting peace, resilience, equal rights, and pluralism (PREP).

She has international development experience through her work with Nathan Associates Inc., assisting major donor-funded projects, such as through USAID, DFID, and GIZ, that sought to improve trade and logistics in the Global South. Additionally, Maya has gained field-based experience in international development as a leader of BUILD: India, a student-run sustainable rural development organization implementing and managing projects in Tamil Nadu, India. Maya’s work with BUILD centered on health and sanitation, education, income generation, and women’s empowerment. During her undergraduate studies, she also interned with the Consortium on Gender, Security and Human Rights and the Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs.

Maya earned her MSc. with distinction at the London School of Economics in its inaugural Women, Peace and Security program. She holds a B.A. in Peace and Justice Studies and International Relations from Tufts University.