Chama Mechtaly is a participant in the 2024 Executive Leadership Program and the co-founder of the Emma Lazarus Institute for Liberty and Tolerance. Mechtaly is a policy advisor, entrepreneur, activist, and artist, known for her intersectional and interdisciplinary approach to peacebuilding, Jewish inclusion, and Arab-Israeli integration in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Born into a Muslim-Jewish family in Morocco, Mechtaly has dedicated her career to creating safe spaces for dialogue and bridging the gaps between Muslim and Jewish narratives, as well as Eastern and Western values.

Since the advent of the Abraham Accords, Mechtaly has advised numerous governmental and nongovernmental organizations on regional integration and Israeli-Arab relations. Based in New York and Dubai, her work has been featured in international media, including a feature documentary film by Asharq News. As a visual artist, she has exhibited her work in four continents, including twice at the Jerusalem Biennale. Mechtaly is currently a WIn fellow at the Atlantic Council and a convener at the Israel Policy Forum. In 2023, she was featured in the Middle East Policy Council’s 40 under 40 list.