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Anera Announces Six New Members Join Board of Directors

WASHINGTON (Oct. 15, 2026) — Anera is pleased to announce the confirmation of six new members to its Board of Directors. These new leaders bring extensive expertise across international policy, development economics, global healthcare, law, and organizational governance to support Anera’s humanitarian and development mission.

“As the challenges facing vulnerable communities across Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan grow increasingly complex, skillful leadership is vital to Anera’s ability to navigate this environment. Each of our six new board members brings an extraordinary track record spanning diplomacy, healthcare access, law, conflict resolution, and organizational leadership. Their collective perspective and regional depth will be invaluable as we continue to safeguard our operations, expand sustainable development, and deliver life-saving relief where it is needed most,” said Anera Interim CEO Alicia Phillips Mandaville.

“The confirmation of these six new members strengthens the strategic depth and global perspective of our board,” said Anera Board of Directors Chair Joseph Saba. “Each brings proven leadership from the private, public, and non-profit spheres, offering critical insights as we navigate an increasingly demanding challenges. Their addition to the Board will fortify Anera’s ability to continue delivering life-saving relief and sustainable growth to the communities we serve.”

The newly confirmed members of the Board of Directors are:

  • Nigel Roberts: Roberts is Managing Partner at Strategies for Stability and was previously, Principal for the Lessons for Peace Program with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and the Overseas Development Institute. He is a former Chair of the UN Peace Building Fund Advisory Group, a Senior Research Associate at the Overseas Development Institute, and was a World Bank Research Fellow in Development Economics at Oxford University. Roberts holds an MPhil in Agricultural Economics from Reading University as well as a BA and MA in English Language & Literature from Oxford University.
  • Dr. Michele Dunne, Ph.D.: Dr. Dunne serves as Executive Director of the Franciscan Action Network and Vice-chairperson of the Middle East Democracy Center. Her extensive foreign policy background includes serving as Director and Senior Fellow of the Middle East Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Director of the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East at the Atlantic Council. She holds a Ph.D. in Arabic Language and Linguistics, an MA in Arab Studies, and a BS in Arabic Language from Georgetown University.
  • Dr. Raad Alkadiri, Ph.D., OBE: Dr. Alkadiri is the Founder and Managing Partner of 3TEN32 Associates, LLC, and a Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He previously served as Managing Director for Energy, Climate, & Resources at Eurasia Group and Senior Director at BCG’s Center for Energy Impact. Dr. Alkadiri holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from St. Antony’s College, University of Oxford, and earned an MA from the University of St. Andrews.
  • Ammar Qadan: Qadan is the Chief Value & Access Officer at Danaher Diagnostics and serves on the Board of Directors of California Life Sciences as well as the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine’s Access and Affordability Working Group. He previously served as Vice President of Global Market Access at Illumina, Inc. and Vice President and Global Product Team Lead for the PEGH20 Oncology Program at Halozyme Therapeutics. He holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of Jordan.
  • Kate Thompson: Thompson is Senior Advisor in the Office of the President at IREX, where she has also served as Interim CEO and Chair of the Board of Trustees. Her executive and board experience includes serving as Interim Co-CEO and Board Member at DT Institute, Chair of the Nature for Justice Board of Directors, and Principal at Deloitte Consulting. She holds a Master of Law & Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, an MBA from Pepperdine University, and a BA in Anthropology from the University of Arizona.
  • Sami Kattan, Esq.: Kattan is Principal & Counsel at 7K Investments LLC and was previously an Associate at Paul, Weiss LLP. He is a former member of the Anera Associate Board and served on the board of Columbia Law Students for Palestine. Kattan holds a JD from Columbia Law School, where he was named a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, an MBA in Real Estate from Columbia Business School, and a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University.

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For more information or to arrange an interview:

In Washington

Steven Fake
Senior Media Relations Officer
202.266.9719
[email protected]

About Anera
Since 1968, Anera has helped refugees and others hurt by conflicts in the Middle East live with dignity and purpose. Anera, which has no political or religious affiliation, works on the ground with partners in the West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem, Lebanon, and Jordan. We mobilize resources for immediate humanitarian relief and for sustainable health, education, and economic development efforts. Our staff are from the communities they serve, navigating the politics that constrict progress to get help where it’s needed most. We will keep building better lives until hope finds its way in the Middle East.