Alex Munoz is a graduate of New York University’s MS in Global Studies from the Center of Global Affairs (2013). Upon graduating, he worked for NYU’s Center for Global Affairs as the Iraq Country Director for NYU’s partnership with the University of Duhok from 2013-2017, which focused on peacebuilding research, conflict transformation, and civic engagement. During the time that he resided in Duhok, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, he led several initiatives that supported the large displaced refugee communities from Syria and the Ninewa province.
Alex has displayed an extraordinary commitment to supporting displaced youth in the region. He has worked closely for several years with faculty and students at the University of Duhok, as well as with displaced youth who were seeking higher education opportunities that had been denied to them because violence in their communities. Alex consistently advocated on their behalf with local and international actors in the belief that higher education could serve as a meaningful connection point between displaced and host communities.
He established the first blended-learning joint certificate in PeaceBuilding for the residents of the Domiz Camp for Syrian refugees, aimed at enhancing their employment opportunities with international and local NGOs. He was also responsible for the community-based Peace Education program, conducted by CGA and the University of Duhok, conducting over 200 peace education workshops for 400 youth aimed at reducing tensions in local communities. He currently works as the Assistant Director of Community Engagement at GreenThumb, the NYC Parks and Recreation division responsible for NYC community gardens, where he regularly relies on the conflict resolution skills he practiced at NYU. He is also co-founder and co-director of Youth Speak, an Iraq-based non-profit focused on youth activism, women’s empowerment, and LGBTQ support.
Prior to studying at NYU, he served four years in the US Army, deploying to both Iraq and Afghanistan, where his responsibilities included intelligence analysis and coordinating with USAID representatives and local villages in support of area development projects.