Dr. Dena Assaf is the United Nations resident coordinator for the United Arab Emirates and the deputy commissioner-general of the United Nations at Expo 2020.  

Dr. Assaf has worked with the United Nations for over 20 years in various senior management positions and advisory roles at both UN headquarters, supporting the Arab region, and in-country offices.  She has worked with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), United Nations Department of Peace Keeping (UN DPKO), and United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG).   

As the regional director for the Arab States at UN Women, Dr. Assaf promoted gender equality and the empowerment of women in the Arab region and spearheaded a new regional strategy to strengthen the economic, political, and social rights of women in the region. Prior to joining the United Nations Dr. Assaf played a leadership role in establishing the national development planning process in Palestine and led the formulation of the first few national development plans for Palestine. She has held academic positions and advisory roles in civil society.   

Dr. Assaf is an engineer with degrees in architecture, urban design, and urban planning. She is an artist in her own right and believes that all creative communities play an important role in advancing development and human rights in our societies.  

She is a Palestinian and American, and is fluent in both English and Arabic.