Program Coordinator Legal Services

SOUDABA WAHABZADA

ad5dxs@r.postjobfree.com +1-332-***-****

**** ****** ***, ********, *** York, NY 11373

Summary

A motivated individual with outstanding achievements including Academic Excellence and Scholastic Awards, President’s High Honor Awards, Summa Cum Laude graduate, Valedictorian, and Fulbrighter. I am dedicated to pursuing an advanced legal education to enhance the provision of legal services and reinforce the foundation of the legal system in Afghanistan. Skills

• Legal counseling and client interview

• Legal research and writing

• Drafting legal memos

• Citation in MLA, APA, Chicago, and Oscola

• Data Analysis using SPSS and Excel

• Map making using QGIS

• Freelance translation (Persian-English-Persian)

• Developing logic models, concept notes

Experience

Marxe School of Public and

International Affairs / CUNY

Program Specialist

12/2023 – Present

Cordaid Afghanistan

Program Coordinator

01/2021 - 11/2021

• Developing partnerships with third-party organizations involved with Marxe School and its professional programs, to enhance synergistic collaboration and programs’ reach.

• Coordinating activities and operations of the unit and analyzing the feasibility, potential impact, and alignment of the new programs and projects with the institution’s core competencies.

• Monitoring program initiatives and performance metrics, crafting proposals, and providing the basis for informed strategic planning.

• Coordinated and managed donor-funded projects on Lobby & Advocacy and Inclusive Peace and justice including planning, budgeting, implementing, monitoring, and reporting.

• Organized and led donor coordination meetings, highlighting areas for enhancing access to justice and sustainable peace in local communities.

• Drafted project concepts and budget proposals and developed quarterly, impact-based, and project completion reports. Cordaid Afghanistan

Project Coordinator

07/2020 - 12/2020

• Developed strategies and established partnerships on initiatives aimed at women’s social, economic, and political empowerment.

• Organized lobby and advocacy meetings with government officials, civil society, and international stakeholders on women’s meaningful participation in Afghanistan’s peace negotiations. United Nations Assistance Mission in

Afghanistan (UNAMA) Afghanistan

Peace and Reconciliation Associate

06/2019 - 07/2020

• Supported the design and implementation of local initiatives to enhance the participation of underrepresented groups in decision-making, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding efforts.

• Provided performance reviews and fast facts for UNAMA field offices.

• Involved in the assessment and development of strategies for the Women, Peace, and Security agenda.

The Asia Foundation Afghanistan

Legal Consultant

01/2018 - 06/2019

• Assisted in drafting legal writing and legal ethics in practice books included in the former government’s Higher Education curriculum.

• Developed strategies for implementing legal education and legal aid programs and coordinated Penal Code commentary sessions.

• Drafted guidelines and provided legal services to marginalized groups, particularly women, via the Foundation’s legal clinics. Ministry of Public Works Afghanistan

Administrative Officer

09/2016 - 12/2017

• Provided administrative support to the procurement department, including monitoring and updating the Task Management System.

• Supported the Ministry's Contractual Project Management System and briefed supervisors on the Ministry's project management cycle.

• Performed project assessment and progress measures and developed analysis reports based on the findings.

Green Life Empowerment Organization

Afghanistan

Project Assistant

07/2015 - 09/2016

• Assisted the team in developing proposals for donor funding.

• Developed strategies and action plans for the planned projects.

• Presented the organization's mission to stakeholders. Intern

04/2015 – 07/2015

Volunteer Experience

Association for Public Policy Analysis

and Management

Member, 04/2023 – Present

Women Core Group for Peace

Founder and Mentor

08/2020 – Present

Young Leadership Development

Initiative

Mentor, 08/2017-Present

Global Shapers Community-Kabul

Hub

Global Shaper, 03/2019-Present

Champs Peer Mentor, Office of the

Student Affairs, AUAF

Work Study, 08/2018 - 12/2018

• Participating in policy analysis and policy research seminars and briefings.

• Conduct research to assist in discussions encouraging policy recommendations.

• Mentoring women peacebuilders in their efforts to promote social peace and harmony in Afghanistan.

• Guiding and assisting the group in applying and attending capacity-building and academic programs.

• Assisting girls inside Afghanistan seeking educational and employment opportunities abroad.

• Organizing mentoring sessions and sharing resources on building English language skills.

• Developing & implementing capacity-building projects in Afghanistan and providing updates on ongoing projects

(challenges and progress) to the leadership of the Hub.

• Mentoring new members on the global shapers

community’s mandate.

• Supported students’ familiarization with university policies and encouraged collaboration as a team.

US Embassy Scholars Program,

AUAF

Mentor, 01/2018 - 12/2018

Gender Studies Club, AUAF

Vice President, 02/2016 – 04/2016

• Served as a liaison between the students and various volunteer opportunities to strengthen links between the university and their community.

• Outlined areas for academic improvement, offered guidance on learning techniques, and organized capacity- building workshops and training.

• Arranged meetings with the professors to strengthen the professor-student relationship in academic pursuits.

• Participated in the weekly sessions, organized the events, and developed discussion topics.

• Delivered sessions on gender-related issues and women's empowerment.

Education

Baruch College, the City University of New York (CUNY) 2022 – 2023, Master of Public Administration (Policy Analysis and Evaluation) American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) Kabul

2015 – 2018, Bachelor of Law (L.L.B)

Accomplishments

• Fulbright Scholar (2022 – 2024)

• Highest Distinction, 4.0 GPA (Baruch College, 2023)

• Marxe Dean's Excellence Award (Baruch College, 2023)

• The Hagedorn Scholars Award (Baruch College, 2022)

• Valedictorian (AUAF Graduating Class of 2019)

• Summa Cum Laude (AUAF, 2018)

• Six President’s High Honor Awards for Outstanding Scholastic Achievement (AUAF, 2015-2018)

• Departmental Award for Excellence (Law Student Association, AUAF)

• Top-Three Essay Award (British Embassy Kabul)

• Performance Award (Nuremberg Court-Germany)

• Performance Award (WTO and Gujrat Law School)

• Certificate of Participation (Max Plank Institute-Building Legal Expertise)

• Two appreciation certificates, Scholars Mentoring Program (U.S. Embassy Kabul)

• Appreciation Certificate, Work Study (Office of Student Affairs, AUAF)

• Performance Certificate, Women in Conflict Fellowship 1325 (Beyond Borders Organization, Scotland)

• Co-author of Legal Writing 1 & 2 and Legal Ethics in Practice Books, (The Asia Foundation)

• US Embassy fully funded scholarship for LL.B. degree at AUAF Training

03/01/20 - 12/31/21, Young Leaders Forum, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Afghanistan 02/10/20 - 02/16/20, Youth Waging Peace Workshop on Preventing Violent Extremism, Sri Lanka 12/01/19 - 12/07/19, Women in Conflict Fellowship on UNSCR 1325, Scotland 02/07/18 - 02/13/18, Gujrat International Moot Court Competition, International Trade Law, India 06/25/16 - 06/30/16, Nuremberg Moot Court Competition on International Humanitarian Law, Germany References

Available upon request

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