It is with deep sorrow that we mourn the passing of Dr. Laila El Baradei, who left us suddenly in a tragic car accident on April 18, 2025. For me, and for many friends, “the one constant about Egypt” was Laila El Baradei. Known affectionately as “the Egyptian Diva of Public Administration”, Laila embodied thoughtful leadership, quiet strength, and a deep, enduring commitment to public service and social justice. She was attentive and smart, always generous with her smile, time, and knowledge, and grounded in a rare kindness that made every encounter feel reassuring and warm.

Laila served as a Professor and Chair at the Department of Public Policy and Administration at the American University in Cairo (AUC), where she shaped and inspired generations of students and young policy professionals. She led AUC’s Public Policy Hub with unmatched dedication, building a space where policy met practice and young voices were empowered to engage in real-world governance.

Her impact reached far beyond Egypt. Laila was a proud member of Pi Alpha Alpha, a global honor society for public affairs and administration, and she held leadership roles within the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration (IASIA). In 2024, she became the first Egyptian and Arab scholar to receive the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA)’s International Public Administration Award—a milestone that recognized not just her academic excellence but her deep moral clarity and unwavering commitment to the public good.

She also played a key role on global platforms, contributing to the United Nations Committee of Experts on Public Administration (CEPA) and supporting the UN Public Service Awards. In each of these arenas, she brought with her a unique voice: clear, principled, and deeply grounded in the lived realities of the Arab region.

At the Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship at the American University of Beirut, we were fortunate to call Laila a close collaborator and kindred spirit. Her work resonated with our mission to bridge academia and activism, and her presence in our network was both intellectually enriching and deeply personal.

Personally, I was deeply honored by Laila’s friendship and touched by her warm, thoughtful appreciation of my novel, “Laila, or the Meaning of Being Out of Place”, which I had dedicated to my own mentor and mother, my other brilliant Laila. Her kindness in receiving the book and the way she reflected on it created a moment of connection that felt both intimate and profound.

I know I will miss her sharp wit, her unwavering moral compass, and the luminous clarity of her vision. Our WhatsApp exchanges filled with thoughtful reflections, playful teasing, and our shared exasperation over the complex challenges facing our Arab countries, were a source of constant intellectual stimulation and heartfelt companionship.

I will miss the sense of camaraderie we shared in international events and at the United Nations Public Service Forum, where Laila’s radiance, both intellectual and human, shone effortlessly. From Azerbaijan to Korea, we were often the two familiar Arab women’s voices in the room. Few could command attention with such quiet authority. Laila had a rare gift: she bridged the highest standards of professionalism with an authenticity that made every woman of the South feel deeply seen and incredibly proud.

My heart and prayers go out to Dr. Laila’s immediate family, especially her brother Mohammad, and to her larger family at the American University in Cairo and beyond. Her legacy will live on through the students she mentored, the colleagues she empowered, the policies she helped shape, and the countless lives she touched.

Rest in peace, dear Laila. You have left us too soon, but your light, your smile, and your legacy will endure.

Lamia El Moubayed

President, Institute of Finance Basil Fuleihan
Vice-chair, United Nations Committee of Experts on Public Administration
Non-resident Senior International Fellow, Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship, American University of Beirut