Shandana Khan

Ms. Shandana Khan, Chief Executive Officer, Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN) has over eighteen years of extensive grassroots and policy level experience in rural development, mainly in the Rural Support Programmes. Her strengths are in project management, their design and social assessment. Her work at the RSPN has involved undertaking policy advocacy with donors as well as with the highest levels of government and associated institutions (e.g. the National Reconstruction Bureau and the Devolution Trust for Community Empowerment). She contributed strategic insights and inputs into the Pakistan Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, the Local Government Ordinance 2001, gender mainstreaming policies, and inclusion of social mobilisation in government programmes at all levels. She has been an advocate for meaningful, result-oriented partnerships between the poor communities and the government and private sector.Shandana Khan is a strong team player and leader, managing a team of over 100 multidisciplinary professionals at RSPN. She has a social sciences background, with a Masters degree in the Social and Political Sciences from Pembroke College, University of Cambridge as well as a Masters in International Public Policy from the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University. She has widely traveled and comfortable in multi-cultural settings. She is fluent in English, Urdu and Pushto and functional in French.