Dana Al Marashi

Dana Al Marashi is the head of the UAE Embassy’s Cultural Diplomacy Department. In this capacity, she manages the Embassy’s outreach, philanthropic, cultural initiatives, and programming to promote understanding of the UAE within the United States, as well as enhance appreciation of the culture and heritage of the United Arab Emirates.

Under Ms. Al Marashi’s direction, the Department organizes and facilitates events, visits and institutional partnerships with UAE and US organizations. She’s managed US exhibitions, sports diplomacy exchange programs and several delegations to and from the UAE, including a two year tour of contemporary Emirati art, which visited seven cities around the country. In each
city, Ms. Al Marashi developed programs for Emirati artists and their US counterparts that highlighted shared values between the two countries. The sports diplomacy programs initiated by the UAE embassy in Washington, DC under the guidance of Ms. Al Marashi brought together Emirati athletes and their US counterparts to include all women’s soccer and ice hockey teams.

Ms. Al Marashi has on several occasions led Emirati volunteer efforts that aided US cities with their reconstruction efforts following natural disasters from Joplin, Missouri to New York, Houston, Texas and Florida.

Prior to her appointment, Ms. Al Marashi was responsible for corporate communications and social investment activities for BP in the Middle East. She was tasked with ensuring there was a comprehensive communications and social investment plan in place to ensure BP’s reputation remained robust in the Middle Eastern region. She played a key role in developing BP’s youth leadership initiatives for its Middle Eastern operations.

She holds a master’s degree in French and Management studies from the University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom.