Dr Maryam Mattar is Director General of the Community Development Authority (CDA), a newly launched Dubai government authority that takes responsibility for setting up and developing frameworks for social development. She is also the founder and Executive Director of two non-profit civil associations: UAE Down’s Syndrome Association and UAE Genetic Diseases Association. She has also initiated several national community outreach programmes such as UAE Free of Thalassemia by 2012 and established a number of wellness centres. She received the Arab Women’s Pioneer Award for Health Innovation 2019.