Jamal’s appointment comes after an extensive search to replace former Dean Cecilia Rouse, who is currently serving as Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers. She grew up in Ramallah, a Palestinian city in the central West Bank, and her appointment as SPIA Dean comes at a time of renewed focus on Palestinian lives, narratives, and scholarship with the latest iteration of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  

Jamal’s appointment comes after an extensive search to replace former Dean Cecilia Rouse, who is currently serving as Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers. She grew up in Ramallah, a Palestinian city in the central West Bank, and her appointment as SPIA Dean comes at a time of renewed focus on Palestinian lives, narratives, and scholarship with the latest iteration of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.