   I consider myself a student of communications, refugees and politics. I am the eldest of six children and grew up between Northern Virginia and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We traveled back a forth a lot as my mom\'s entire family is based in Malaysia. I\'ve also visited Palestine every year for the past ten years. 

Most of my adult life has been dedicated to my family, school and my work/passion for Palestinian refugees. After undergrad at Columbia I moved to Jerusalem to work with the UN for two years, before returning to CU for my MA. I\'ve since returned to Jerusalem and am with the UN on a short term contract.
 
I love to organize in my community. I serve as an Advisory Board member and Senior Strategic Advisor to LEAP, the Learning for the Empowerment and Advancement of Palestinians program. While in grad school I founded the Muslim Commons, the first Muslim graduate student group of its kind at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs. Dayana was also a founding member of the Columbia University Students for Justice in Palestine. As an undergrad I was the Religious Life Chair of the Columbia University Muslim Student Association and was an Organizing Committee member of the Muslim Protagonist Writers Symposium.