Malaz Elgemiabby

Malaz Elgemiabby, the founder of the award-winning art and design firm ELMALAZ, was recognized in 2020 as one of Cleveland's Most Interesting People and Ohio top 5 emerging artists. She received multiple grants from Cleveland Foundation and CAC for her work with the Sudanese Community in Ohio and other marginalized groups. Previously, she held the position of SVP GR at SkyPower Global and, in 2022, established the Africa Access Group, focusing on Renewable Energy, Fintech, and Urbanism in East Africa and Sudan. Her dedication to community service is evident in her roles as a Professor at Kent State University in the US and as the General Manager of the Sudanese Business Women Development Center, the first women's business incubator in Sudan. Malaz holds a BA hons from London Metropolitan School of Architecture and MFA in Design studies from Virginia Commonwealth University. Her efforts in reshaping communities in Sudan and the US have garnered multiple accolades from local and international bodies. An author of several publications in the realm of urban and community engagement, she has recently been appointed as a board advisor for Future of Cities, a non-profit dedicated to fostering sustainable community practices in the US and globally. Alongside managing her thriving businesses, Malaz currently serves as a design Project Manager at the University of Iowa and pursuing a Phd in Mass Communication: Post Conflict Recovery for Sudan.