The Charlottesville Area Community Foundation (Community Foundation) is pleased to welcome Joumana Altallal as our Senior Communications Manager. Joumana will expand the visibility of the organization to meaningfully engage the region’s diverse audiences and work strategically to develop and maintain effective and innovative communications that reflect organizational values and goals.
“We are excited Joumana has joined our team and will be sharing her expertise, passions, and lived experiences to advance the work of the Community Foundation,” Brennan Gould, president and CEO of the Community Foundation, said.
Joumana most recently worked as the Program Lead on the Trauma and Violent Conflict team for Beyond Conflict and brings extensive experience in project management, research, communications, and a strong passion for social impact and equity.
“I am delighted to be embarking on this journey with the Community Foundation, where I will focus on building communications strategies that engage and center community voices, grow impact, and foster meaningful connections,” Joumana said. “I can’t wait to share the stories, successes, and partnerships that make the work of the Community Foundation possible.”
Joumana holds a B.A. from the University of Virginia and a Master of Fine Arts in Poetry from the University of Michigan’s Helen Zell Writers’ Program, where she received a fellowship to conduct qualitative research in Najaf for her thesis on gender-based violence following the American invasion of Iraq.
Joumana is currently at work on her first book about her family’s journey coming to the U.S. from Iraq. She spends her free time rummaging around bookshops, visiting local art exhibits, and eating copious amounts of gelato.