Executive Director of Women for Afghan Women

Dr. Susan Aryan Antolin (‘06) is an accomplished Afghan American leader with extensive experience in research, business, nonprofit management, program development, and organizational innovation. The daughter of Afghan refugees, she brings a lifelong commitment to advancing gender equality and expanding opportunity for underrepresented women and girls. 

In September 2024, Dr. Antolin was appointed Executive Director of Women for Afghan Women (WAW), one of the world’s largest NGO focused on Afghan women and girls, which has served more than 1.2 million women and girls across Afghanistan and the United States. In this role, she guides programs that provide safety, education, mental health support, advocacy, and humanitarian aid to families facing extraordinary challenges, and she leads strategic efforts to strengthen the organization’s impact and reach.

Previously, at the 30 Birds Foundation, she developed initiatives supporting resettled Afghan communities in Canada and championed educational programs for girls in Afghanistan. 

She is also a proud graduate of the Academy of Our Lady of Peace (OLP), where she spent nearly a decade as a teacher and administrator, and later co-founded Advancing Girls, a platform offering research-driven resources for mentors worldwide. Her experience also includes serving as a portfolio manager at the Fund for the City of New York.

Dr. Antolin holds a doctorate from New York University (NYU), where her research explored organizational culture, the future of work, and expanding opportunities for girls of color. In 2024, she received NYU Steinhardt’s inaugural Visionary Award for her leadership and global impact.

She holds a doctorate in Education, Leadership, and Education from NYU, a master’s degree in Education, Curriculum, and Instruction from the University of San Diego, and a bachelor’s degree from UCLA.