About Diwan Strategies
Diwan Strategies was founded to support organizations working in complex political, labor, and civic environments where credibility, judgment, and trust are essential.
With deep experience across the Middle East and North Africa, Diwan Strategies brings a nuanced understanding of labor rights, civic engagement, and donor-driven systems, paired with practical skills in strategy, writing, and program execution.
Founder
Diwan Strategies is led by Jeffrey Zimmer, a senior advisor with over 15 years of experience operating at the intersection of governance, labor dynamics, and institutional decision-making in complex environments.
Jeff has managed large, multi-country portfolios, advised senior government officials, organizational leaders, and boards, and worked across unionized and organizing-adjacent workplaces as a shop steward and contract negotiator. His experience spans U.S. foreign assistance, domestic organizing, international labor rights, and civil society programming, with a focus on helping institutions navigate moments of constraint, transition, and heightened accountability.
His work is grounded in political awareness and the lived reality of making difficult decisions in constrained environments, guided by a deliberate commitment to preserving dignity, trust, and institutional integrity.