The Forbes School of Business at Ashford University has announced that Roya Mahboob will join the School’s Board of Advisors.

Mahboob defied the odds and found success as a technology entrepreneur in Afghanistan, a country where women rarely work outside of the home. She is the founder and CEO of the Afghan Citadel Software Company, a full-service software development company where a majority of the employees are women. In 2012, Mahboob launched the Women’s Annex, an online platform for women and girls to share their stories and earn income from their work. The following year, she was named to TIME magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in the world because of her work in creating the Women’s Annex, and because of her efforts to build internet classrooms in Afghan high schools.

Mahboob is also a board member and president of the Digital Citizen Fund, a non-profit organization focused on digital literacy to empower women and children in developing countries. She sits on the Advisory Board of The Resolution Project and the Global Thinkers Forum. She is also a member of the Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards’ Class of 2014 and the World Economic Forum Young Global Leaders’ Class of 2015. Last year, she was named to the Michael Dukakis Leadership Fellow Program.

Mahboob has worked with the Forbes School of Business previously. In 2015, she was one of the guest presenters for the Forbes School of Business Distinguished Speaker Series, sharing her inspiring story with Forbes students. Also last year, Mahboob took part in the Forbes Women’s Summit, where the Forbes School of Business served as the official education partner. As part of that sponsorship, the Forbes School of Business filmed a series of topical videos at the Summit, including an “Equality & Diversity” video that featured Mahboob. Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AnsR-UP1IQ.

“Roya Mahboob brings such a unique background to the Forbes School of Business Board of Advisors,” said Dr. Richard Pattenaude, Ashford University president and CEO. “The way she has used her entrepreneurial skills to help others will resonate with our students. She has demonstrated how business knowledge can potentially change the world.”

As a member of the Advisory Board for the Forbes School of Business at Ashford University, Mahboob will provide support and counsel, serve as an advocate for the school, and help advance the University’s mission and interests.

About Ashford University

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