Dr. Ola Awad has dedicated over two decades to the field of statistics and economic development in Palestine and the ESCWA region, establishing herself as a prominent figure in various areas including sustainable development, women's empowerment, health, education, data stewardship, data science, modernization of statistics, poverty, labor, and child well-being. Since 2009, Dr. Awad has served as the President of the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS). Under her leadership, PCBS has become a leading national statistical organization recognized as a model institute of resilience and development.

Dr. Awad is an experienced development agent in Palestine and the Arab region. She has led numerous development initiatives at local, regional, and international levels, using evidence and practice to fulfill sustainable development goals. Her pioneering leadership has garnered international recognition, especially as the first woman from a developing country and the Arab region to be elected and serve as President of the International Association of Official Statistics (IAOS) for two consecutive terms. She has made significant contributions to various initiatives focused on data generation and utilization. Since 2015, she has represented the Arab region in key roles, including her position as Co-Chair of the High-Level Group for Partnership, Coordination, and Capacity-Building for Statistics for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (HLG-PCCB) from 2020 to 2023. Additionally, she served as Co-Chair for the Program Committee for the UN World Data Forum in 2022, which was held in Colombia, and for the upcoming 2024 and 2026 forums set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Dr. Awad plays a vital role in various international organizations and institutions due to her active global efforts. She serves on the Board of Data Science at Harvard University and is involved in ASPEN's Middle East Leadership Initiative. Additionally, she is a member of the Board of Directors for the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD) and the Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century (PARIS21). Furthermore, Dr. Awad has worked as a consultant on leadership development for the Laos Statistics Bureau (LSB) and several statistical offices around the world.

Dr. Awad has been elected as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Statistical, Economic, and Social Research and Training Center for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), which is a subsidiary of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) consisting of 57 Arab and Islamic countries. SESRIC focuses on three main areas: statistics, social and economic research, and capacity development. Additionally, she has been a member of the International Advisory Committee of the Statistics Centre in Abu Dhabi since 2016 and served as the Chair of the Forum of Euro-Mediterranean Statisticians from 2023 to 2024.

Dr. Awad is an active local development leader playing a vital role in spearheading development efforts in Palestine at the local level. She serves as the Co-Chair of the Advisory Board of Augusta Victoria Hospital and is the Vice President of the Arab Hospital Group. Additionally, Dr. Awad is a member of the Board of Directors of the Palestine Investment Fund and holds positions on the Board of Trustees at both Birzeit University and the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute (MAS). She is currently a role model for many young women in Palestine and the region, offering them relentless mentorship and support to help them grow personally and professionally.

Dr. Awad was born in Jerusalem in 1975. She is a mother of two children and holds a Doctorate in Business Administration from Liverpool University in the UK. Additionally, she has a Master of Science in Management from Boston University in the USA, a Master of Science in Applied Statistics from Birzeit University, and a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Birzeit University.