Mariam K. Ali has been in the development work focusing on community-based education and facilitating programs for more than 13 years particularly in the most conflict affected areas of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and Mindanao, as a whole. As the Project Officer of Notre Dame Foundation for Charitable Activities, Inc.  Women in Enterprise Development (NDFCAI-WED), she managed most of the USAID-funded education projects providing Alternative Learning System (ALS) for the out-of-school children and youth. In support of the assistance for the OSCYs, she also managed the NOKIA-funded project titled, Make a Connection : Nurturing Future Leaders in Mindanao. In addition, she was giving mediation and counseling programs for the Barangay Justice Advocates under the USAID-funded Barangay Justice Service System (BJSS) project. Currently, she works as the ARMM Coordinator of IFES providing technical assistance for Citizens Coalition for ARMM Electoral Reforms, Inc. (Citizens CARE) in implementing the USAID-funded project, Strengthening Election Process through Voters Education and Election Monitoring in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Project or SEPVEEM  ARMM Project since 2005 up to present. She graduated from Notre Dame University, Cotabato City with a degree of Bachelor of Arts Major in Economics in 1987. She is fluent in the local dialects of Maguindanaon and Tagalog.