Associate Professor Mary Ana McGlasson is a global education and humanitarian leader with over two decades of experience designing and scaling equitable programs across more than 30 countries. She is a systems thinker, movement builder, and respected voice in international development, with deep expertise in crisis leadership, education equity, and cross-sector collaboration.
Mary Ana serves as the Director of the Centre for Humanitarian Leadership, an award-winning partnership between Save the Children and Deakin University. Under her leadership, CHL has become a world-leading institute for humanitarian education, delivering multilingual, digitally accessible programs to over 20,000 learners in 90+ countries. She spearheaded innovative academic programs, such as the Crisis Leadership Program and the Graduate Certificate in Humanitarian Leadership—the only university-accredited program in Australia delivered entirely in French.
Mary Ana’s leadership is grounded in real-world experience. She has held senior global roles in Syria, South Sudan, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, and beyond—establishing humanitarian programs from the ground up, managing portfolios exceeding $35 million, and negotiating complex stakeholder environments with courage and clarity. Her work has influenced major donor policy, secured significant bilateral and multilateral funding, and helped position local leaders at the centre of crisis response.
Mary Ana holds dual master’s degrees in Public Policy (Princeton University) and Nursing (University of Washington). A sought-after speaker, media contributor, and published academic, she is known for her authenticity, strategic vision, and deep commitment to social justice.
