Ms. Shaymaa Reyad is a political researcher and team leader in the Policy Unit of the Egyptian Cabinet Information and Decision Support Center, a distinguished think tank in Egypt, whose primary mission is to support decision-makers on issues of economic, social, and political reform. Her goal is to connect citizen concerns and the actions of Egypt’s politicians and its national institutions. Her main focus is on youth empowerment, political participation for women, and civic engagement in the decision making process. Her long-term goal is to be a minister of Education in 2020. She received a Master’s degree in Political Science from Cairo University. During her fellowship year, Ms. Reyad will focus on public speaking, negotiation skills, use of new media, and qualitative methods in conducting social science research.