After the fall of the Taliban in 2001, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) recruited Laila Ayoubi to be part of the mission for the reconstruction of Afghanistan. She started her career as a diplomat, specifically as the First Secretary in the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan. Working in Pakistan at that particular time was both challenging and rewarding. The Taliban had just fallen, and more than two million Afghan refugees were living in Pakistan. Afghanistan, however, was still consumed in lawlessness. In addition to opium and human trafficking, there were frequent bombings. The creation of an arms culture on the borders between Afghanistan and Pakistan also became a major issue. As a woman coming from the United States, her decision to serve the Afghan Embassy was daring. But the situation was beneficial for her because other embassies at the time were not active inside Afghanistan, and many of them, which were located in Pakistan, managed their affairs through the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad. Thus, she was given a rare opportunity to learn, experience, and perform beyond the requirements that are typical of other embassies around the world.

From 2003 to 2006, while working as a diplomat for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Islamabad, Pakistan, Laila was in charge of students and cultural affairs. Her contributions included negotiations with the donor countries’ diplomats for the renewal of countless out-of-date scholarships for students in Afghanistan and aiding many Afghan students who desired to enter a university in Pakistan. Serving for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was a great experience because she witnessed the role of politics in a special region and at a unique time—Afghanistan and Pakistan shortly after the attacks of September 11th. In addition to her regular duties, she had the opportunity to attend numerous conferences, seminars, workshops, and speeches. She also attended many meetings and press conferences held for internationally known dignitaries including the Afghan former President Karzai and the Pakistani former President Musharraf, and wrote political reports based on the editorial pages of Pakistani popular newspapers. 

Moreover, Laila assisted Afghan diplomats attending the Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry’s Institute of Diplomacy, and she served as the liaison between the Embassy of Afghanistan and the Pakistan Foreign Ministry’s Institute of Diplomacy, where she met and listened to diplomats from different countries.

She has always been interested in working for her homeland of Afghanistan because she wishes to use her education, experience, and knowledge for the benefit of others. Looking back, this interest has been reinforced and put into practice by her employment as a diplomat for the Afghan government, National Advisor for UN Development Program (UNDP), and as an extension faculty and project manager for Washington State University in Kabul.

Laila has a Ph.D. in International Relations from Preston University, where she studied the exodus of the millions of Afghan refugees during the Soviet Invasion.  Her dissertation, “Education for Afghan Refugee Girls in Pakistan/Home School for Afghan Refugee Girls,” was concerned with how the closing of schools for girls in Afghanistan and in the refugee camps in Pakistan during the Taliban’s reign evoked emotions around the world, leading many international educational organizations to extend helping hands.

She has two Master’s degrees. The first is from Indiana University in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, with a focus on the History of Islam. Her second Master’s degree is in Community Psychology from Martin University. Additionally, she has two Bachelor degrees, the first in English, where she graduated summa cum laude, and the second in Journalism and French Language.

From 2006 to 2007, she served as a UNDP National Advisor and Acting Director for the Department of the Training Programs Design and Delivery at the Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Her achievements included: (1) Designing a training manual specifically for the Deputy Governors, which was used successfully by the Deputy Governors at the Civil Service Institute. It was designed according to the identified Civil Service needs, consistent with agreed standards for service delivery in accordance with the Training and Development Department’s overall strategic plan; and (2) Establishing and maintaining relations with all stakeholders including USAID, UNDP, and the Asia Foundation.

Then, from 2007 to 2008, she served as a project manager and faculty member at Washington State University Extension in Kabul, which was supporting the capacity building of Afghan universities and other higher education institutions. Her job included mentoring graduate students. Specifically, she worked closely with students who were developing research papers to be presented in WSU in Seattle, Washington. She served twice as acting Chief of Party in the absence of her supervisor.

She has always been interested using her education, experience, and knowledge for the benefit of others. Looking back, this interest has been reinforced and put into practice by her employment as a diplomat for the Afghan government, National Advisor for UNDP, and as an extension faculty and project manager for Washington State University in Kabul.

In the United States, Laila has taught courses in English literature, French Language, Middle Eastern politics and history, World History, History of Fine Arts, the history of Afghanistan, Women in Modern Afghanistan, Women’s Rights, World Literature, English Composition, the Art of Autobiography and Biography, and Islamic Studies. The places where she has taught include Martin University, University of Indianapolis, Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis, and Butler University.

She is a recipient of the “International Women’s Award,” awarded in May 2006 in Karachi, Pakistan, for distinguished performance as a woman diplomat working in a difficult and dangerous time in Pakistan and in Afghanistan. 

She speaks English, French, Farsi, Pashto, and reads the Holy Qur’an in Arabic.

She recently penned her first novel titled, Niki’s Honor.  The novel tells the story of honor killing culture practices and familial impact as the innocent victim seeks to protect those closest to her. Niki’s Honor became a best seller on Amazon when first published.

Currently, Laila is teaching Global Women at Butler University, French at the University of Indianapolis, and maintains different speaking engagements at several universities, high schools, book clubs, and organizations interested in women’s issues. She is also an active member of the Delta Kappa Gamma International Society of women educators, and the International Writer’s Association.