Elana Banin is a strategic policy advisor with 15 years of experience working across global institutions to strengthen resilience, equity, and innovation. Her work focuses on aligning capital, evidence, and technology to improve outcomes for families and communities, particularly in times of disruption, from conflict and pandemics to the rise of frontier technologies.
She has led policy and research initiatives at the International Rescue Committee, UNICEF, and PATH to expand access to education, health, and protection services across the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Her current work explores the intersection of emerging technologies—such as AI and biotechnology—with human development, national security, and global governance.
She currently serves as a Senior Advisor for AI for Good Foundation, consults with the World Bank’s Climate Investment Funds, and is the founder of the MENA2050 Gender Working Group. She holds a master’s degree in Security and Diplomacy Studies from Tel Aviv University and previously served as a Research Fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies.