Mr. AbdulSalam Medeni is a regional expert in institutional development and civil society, with more than twenty years of experience in capacity building, institutional reform, civic participation, and education. He currently serves as Advisor to the President of the Kurdistan Region on Institutional Development, where he provides guidance on institutionalizing and developing government offices, participates in the President’s Board of Advisors meetings, and represents the Presidency in the Educational Reform Task Force established in 2021.

He previously served as Chief Executive Director of Rwanga Foundation (2015–2024), where he led the organization’s overall strategy, managed daily operations, chaired Board of Directors meetings, and served as the legal and external representative of the Foundation. He also worked as Advisor for Civil Society and Youth Affairs at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government and as Director General and Board Member at the Department of Coordination and Follow Up within the Prime Minister’s Office.

He has extensive international experience through his work with the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Iraq and Sudan, where he served in senior program management and training roles focused on organizational development, leadership, advocacy, and electoral participation. He has trained thousands of activists and civil society leaders both inside and outside Iraq.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Mosul and is fluent in Kurdish and Arabic, with strong proficiency in English and conversational Turkish. He is recognized as a leading trainer in leadership, strategic planning, team building, and civic engagement in the region.