Mikey Muhanna is a cultural strategist and public educator working at the intersection of media, education, and policy.
He is the Founder and Executive Director of afikra | عفكرة, a platform for cultural production and public learning rooted in the Arab world. Over the past decade, he has built afikra into a respected organization with a presence in 30 cities, a global community of 200,000+, and a media library featuring over 500 interviews and podcasts that have been viewed over 20 million times globally.
Mikey’s work spans strategic advisory, institutional storytelling, public program design, and cross-sector convening. He has collaborated with governments, universities, museums, and tech platforms—contributing to initiatives that aim to shape cultural discourse and public understanding in the Arab World.
Previous partners include: Netflix, TED, Google Arts & Culture, the UAE Ministry of Culture, Harvard, NYU Abu Dhabi, Northwestern University, Qatar Foundation, Qatar Museums, Islamic Arts Biennal, the Ministry of Culture in Saudia Arabia and others.
Earlier in his career, Mikey worked in finance, actuarial consulting, and public policy—leading pension and healthcare reform projects in the Levant and East Africa. He began his professional journey as a Teach For America corps member in post-Katrina New Orleans.
Earlier in his career, Mikey spent over a decade working in quantitative investment research at Morgan Stanley, actuarial consulting at PwC, and leading one of the top actaurial consulting firm East Africa and the Middle East. Mikey began his professional journey as a Teach For America corps member in post-Katrina New Orleans.
He holds a degree in Economics and Jazz from Duke University, is an Associate of the Society of Actuaries, and completed executive education at Harvard Kennedy School. He currently advises cultural organizations and serves as a moderator and keynote speaker at institutions and conferences around the world.
Testimonials from Partners, Press, & Community:
“Mikey brings credibility and clarity to every conversation. He understands both institutional needs and audience dynamics.”
— Cultural Advisor, Regional Foundation
“A clear communicator with a deep understanding of cultural work across sectors.”
— Festival Director
“Consistently well-prepared, collaborative, and effective.”
— Public Programming Lead, Global University
“Mikey and his team are broad in scope, deep in research, and rooted in community. A rare and needed voice in this space.”
— Regional Cultural Curator
“He’s one of the best moderators I’ve ever worked with. Smart, warm, funny, and sharp.”
— Conference Director
“There are no content providers putting out material like Mikey & Afikra: broad, thoughtful, rooted in research and community, and always engaging.”
— Media Partner
“Afikra should be at the top of the list for anyone working in the cultural, creative, or policy space related to the SWANA region.”
— Regional Biennale Director
“Working with Mikey and his team is seamless. They bring direct access to valuable networks and move projects forward effectively.”
— University Program Director
“Mikey’s approach to curating dynamic conversations that challenge perspectives and deepen understanding made him an ideal collaborator.”
— Regional Cultural Curator
“Mikey has built a scaffold that harnesses curiosity in pursuit of understanding the past and present.”
— The New Arab
“When people see the Afikra logo, they know to expect quality content that is intelligent, engaging, and grounded.”
— Arab News
Other Media Coverage Includes:The National, Arab News, The New Arab, Foreign Policy, Raseef22
Mikey Muhanna 