Wafa Dinaro is the Executive Director for the New Economy Initiative (NEI), a project of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. In this role, Dinaro leads the program and grantmaking activities for entrepreneurship-based donors of the Community Foundation and cultivates public support for inclusive entrepreneurship and small business development-related initiatives.
Before her current role, Dinaro directed economic development for Wayne County, which included the oversight and execution of its economic development initiatives.
Dinaro has held various other positions in the private and public sectors over the years and is seasoned at developing partnerships between business and government. Her professional background includes project management, community development, strategic planning, and communication. Dinaro’s experience also includes diplomatic work, where she led operations for the Department of Defense while assigned to Defense Attaché Offices in U.S. Embassies worldwide.
Dinaro earned a master’s degree in Public Policy from Georgetown University and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Communications from the University of Michigan.