[2] She is best known for her critique of power dynamics in the humanitarian aid system and promotion of cash assistance.
Born in Somalia to mother Fatima Jibrell and a father who was a Somali military officer and diplomat, her family moved to Washington when Degan Ali was nine years old.
[2] After initially working as the Vice Director,[4] she became Executive Director of Adeso (African Development Solutions)[5] where she has been at the forefront of advocacy efforts to provide more funding to local humanitarian organizations,[3][6][7] and to use more cash assistance.
[8] After speaking about the lack of localisation at the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit, Ali became the founder of the Network for Empowered Aid Response.
[12] In 2021, at the Global Steering Group Impact Summit she warned of colonial attitudes and how they influence international aid spending.