Ola Issa

Ola joined Right to Play in September 2026 as Country Director in Palestine, bringing over 16 years of experience in education, international development, and humanitarian programming. Prior to joining Right To Play, she held senior leadership roles with Welthungerhilfe and DVV International, where she led country programs, partnerships, and organizational development and worked closely with civil society, government institutions, international organizations, and donors.

Ola holds a master’s degree in Pedagogy and in Curriculum and Teaching English as a Foreign Language and is currently pursuing a PhD in Educational Development at Birzeit University. She is interested in how learning can remain meaningful in contexts affected by crisis and conflict. Outside of work, Ola enjoys traveling, meeting new people, and exploring architecture. She is fascinated by the histories of words and places, and by exploring new languages.