Reem El-Radi, Executive Director

Reem El-Radi, Ph.D., is the Founder and Executive Director of Oaknna Foundation, a women-led nonprofit expanding access to education, professional development, mentorship, and sustainable livelihood opportunities for youth, women, refugees, displaced people, and people with disabilities in Sudan and the diaspora.

A Sudanese American and former asylee from Sudan, Reem’s commitment to this work is deeply personal. Her leadership is guided by a human-centered and feminist philosophy that recognizes dignity as a right and values people’s voices, lived experiences, knowledge, and agency. She believes that individuals and communities should not be defined by displacement, disability, gender, or circumstance, but supported in shaping their own futures.

This philosophy guides Oaknna’s work. Its programs connect displaced Sudanese youth and professionals with mentorship, career preparation, digital learning, and employment pathways; create skills-building and livelihood opportunities for blind and visually impaired artists; and support women in strengthening their confidence, direction, and ability to pursue their personal, educational, and professional goals. Rather than treating communities as passive recipients of assistance, Oaknna works with them as partners whose perspectives and priorities should inform the programs intended to serve them.

Reem holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development from the University of Minnesota, with a specialization in Human Development and Adult Education. Her doctoral research, The Resettlement Experiences of Southern Sudanese Women Refugees in Minnesota, centered women’s voices and examined the cultural, educational, social, and employment barriers that shaped their resettlement experiences.

Before founding Oaknna Foundation, Reem spent fifteen years in higher education, teaching organizational behavior, diversity, equity and inclusion, interpersonal communication, leadership, and adult education. Her teaching emphasized critical reflection, service, and the practical application of learning to strengthen individuals and communities.

Through Oaknna, Reem works alongside volunteers, mentors, partners, and community members to translate ideas into responsive programs and tangible opportunities. She views leadership as a responsibility to listen, build trust, challenge inequitable systems, and create pathways through which people can move forward with dignity, confidence, and greater independence.