Dr. Rokeya Akhter serves as the Executive Director of SAIST since 2020. Besides, she works as a National Individual Consultant, Gender Specialist, SACP Project, Ministry of Agriculture & IFAD. She achieved her PhD from the University of Dhaka in 2017. She also acquired her BSS and MSS in Sociology from the University of Dhaka in 1996 and 1997, respectively. She has numerous research and publications. Notably, Culture of Arbitrariness in Madrassa, published online on July 1, 2016, in Volume 1, issue 1, of SAJSS, South Asian Journal of Social Science, a peer-reviewed journal. She led the need assessment for SBCC strategy for Nutrition Specific Behaviour Changes in 2019. Also, in the same year, she coordinated with the research consultancy firm for the Baseline study for Leadership to Ensure Adequate Nutrition (LEAN Project). Before this, In 2017, her research paper, Rise of Agro Industries, Changes in Food Systems and the Making of a Culinary Culture in Bangladesh that got selected and presented at the Annual Conference of the Association for South Asian Studies held on 19 March 2017, in Sheraton Hotel, Toronto, Canada. In 2015, as the manager of the program WRGE, she Provided due guidance for the Baseline Study of the She Can Project for the safety of women and girls in the cities under Action Aid Bangladesh.

In 2013, she Assisted with data management for a survey on electoral governance and accountability during election campaigns among the candidates for City corporation election, working with The Asia Foundation. In Nov 2012 Conducted an international assessment on Adolescents Empowerment program SAMBAD in Nepal which was the replication of Shonglap, funded by Stromme Foundation Asia; In 2007, she assisted an International Evaluation Team for an annual program evaluation (including gender audit of partner’s program) of Steps Towards Development. She accomplished many professional certificates, some of them are following: 2019 – Nutrition Sensitive Training from both NNS and BIRTAN. Also, in 2019 she was acquired Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. Level 1 Test, Code- xiOzoGy3OG, IPC  May 2014. Participated People Against Violence in Elections and BRIDGE showcase facilitated by BRIDGE, Building Resources in Democratic, Governance, and Elections. November  2012, she Participated in the women leadership workshop conducted by Born Global, Norway. In 2011,Leadership and Team building Workshop and Training with SF Srilanka project field visits at Negambo, Hambantota and Colombo, Sri Lanka. In 2010,   Advanced Training on "Impact Oriented Project Planning & Monitoring a three    days training organized by Karl Kubel Institute for Development Education held at KKID, Mankarai, Coimbatore. In 2008, International Women’s Network Conference on Solidarity for Women's Rights organized by the Local Government of Trento Province of Italy. In  2007,3 days workshop on Gender in Policies: National and International Perspectives, conducted by Women and Gender Studies Department, University of Dhaka. In 2006,    7 days course on Facilitation for Gender Equality, conducted by Steps Towards Development. Moreover, she is the General Member, Association for Asian Studies, Ann Arbor, MI, Washington. she is the Editing Member, Global Dialogue (Bengali Version), Journal of International Sociological Association. She acts as an analyst in the Core Committee of Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) for food insecurity in Bangladesh under FAO.