Anera Leadership and Subject Matter Experts
We are proud of our team of experienced professionals based in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan and the U.S. All of our staff members in our country-of-operations offices are from the communities they serve. They know what the conditions are and they are dedicated to bringing about positive change.
Senior Leadership
Sean Carroll
Anera President & CEO
As president & CEO of Anera, and CEO of Anera Ventures, LLC, Sean leads a staff of 150 in Lebanon, Palestine (West Bank, Gaza, E. Jerusalem), Jordan and the U.S., delivering well over $100 million of humanitarian and development assistance annually to refugees and vulnerable communities in the Middle East. Sean oversees a wide range of programs, from distribution of in-kind medicines and other medical and humanitarian relief; to building community infrastructure in water, sanitation, education, sports and health; to revenue-generating agriculture and other economic growth programs, including career-accelerating tech upskilling, that improve thousands of families’ lives.
Before joining Anera, Sean worked in several international development and policy roles in Washington, DC, Europe and the Middle East, including Creative Associates International, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Club of Madrid, the US Congress, the UN’s World Food Programme and the National Democratic Institute (NDI). For three years he served the Obama Administration as chief of staff and COO at USAID, with 9,500 staff and 84 missions around the world, and a $1.7 billion operating budget. Sean also served for six years as program director for the Club of Madrid, a leadership alliance of 106 former presidents and prime ministers.
Sean’s connection to Palestine and the region began more than 25 years ago when he worked as chief of mission for NDI in the West Bank and Gaza, and lived in East Jerusalem, where his twin children were born.
Sean’s career in international affairs began as he earned a Bachelor’s in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and worked at GU’s Center for Immigration Policy and Refugee Assistance (CIPRA). He holds a master’s in international public policy from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Sean serves on several boards, including as chairman of Creative Frontiers; treasurer of the Partnership for Quality Medical Donations (PQMD); and member of Takreem’s Selection Board.
Samar El Yassir
Lebanon and Jordan Country Director
Since 2011, Samar has been Anera’s director, responsible for all of Anera’s Lebanon operations including education and sports programs for vulnerable adolescents, health and relief access for impoverished families, and sustainable community development in refugee camps.
Samar is an experienced development professional who has worked in Lebanon in the field of social development for more than 20 years. Prior to joining Anera, she was country representative for Diakonia, working with civil society organizations to promote human rights, democracy, gender equality, and peace and conflict transformation. She also has managed programs in Lebanon for UNRWA and IMPACT and consulted with several organizations dealing in strategic planning and development.
The Beirut native is a graduate of American University of Beirut and has a post-graduate diploma from the University of London’s Institute of Child Health. She has written numerous publications on disabilitiesand other health issues.
Derek Madsen
Chief Development Officer
Anera’s first chief development officer, Derek Madsen, comes from a background in social impact leadership. He brings many years of experience in strategy creation, organizational and resource development, and persuasive communication to the new role.
He has built his career in organizations and movements that respond to needs and create opportunity – especially for our friends and neighbors who have been systematically excluded and oppressed.
Most recently, he spent five years at CommonBond Communities, where he led the expansion of fundraising and impact investing activities, equipping the organization to better serve communities throughout the upper midwest. Prior to that he served in leadership roles at the YMCA in Minnesota. He earned a master’s degree in nonprofit management at Hamline University.
Alicia Phillips Mandaville
Chief Operating Officer
Based in Washington, D.C., Alicia is Anera's first chief operating officer. She is responsible for all Anera’s operations, including country operations, and systems for decision-making, performance management, and program implementation.
Alicia comes to Anera from the United States Millennium Challenge (MCC) Corporation where she was the assistant secretary equivalent for policy and evaluation, overseeing core decision making processes for a multi billion-dollar investment portfolio designed to align investments in economic growth and democracy. Previously, she was senior vice president for global programs at IREX, and also vice president at InterAction and at Amida Technology Solutions. Prior to that, Alicia spent more than 15 years in the public and international non-profit sectors, including MCC, the US State Department, and the National Democratic Institute.
Jamie Morgan
Chief Financial Officer
At Anera, Jamie provides financial oversight for a $200 million organization with more than 150 global staff supporting operations in Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan. As chief financial officer, he is a critical member of the organization’s senior executive team, with a focus on operational and financial excellence, ensuring effective delivery of Anera’s mission.
Jamie brings a wealth of experience from his 13 years in the chief executive officer, chief operating officer and chief financial officer roles at Physicians for Peace, a global nonprofit dedicated to transforming lives through medical education. At Physicians for Peace, Jamie successfully led strategic transformations, enhanced financial systems, and transitioned the organization to a more sustainable model.
Khaled Rajab
Acting Palestine Country Director
Khaled is an international governance and development expert with over two decades of experience leading humanitarian, reform, and institutional strengthening programs across the Middle East, North Africa, Asia and Europe. He currently serves as Anera’s acting country director in Palestine, providing strategic leadership for the organization’s operations and emergency response, including complex humanitarian logistics and reconstruction efforts in Gaza. Prior to this role, Khaled served as Anera’s deputy director of operations, overseeing strategic planning, finance integration and supply chain systems.
His career spans senior leadership and advisory positions with USAID, the government of Canada, Enabel Belgium, and UN agencies, where he managed and evaluated multi-million-dollar portfolios in governance, local service delivery and social inclusion.
Internationally, Khaled has directed and evaluated programs in more than 15 countries, including Jordan, Iraq, Tunisia, Lebanon, Malaysia, the Philippines and Zimbabwe. He holds a Ph.D. in governance and policy analysis from Maastricht University and master’s degrees in urban planning and environmental engineering from the Johns Hopkins University in the US.
Other Leadership
Nadia Al Shadhir
Director of Development
Nadia joined Anera in June 2024 as senior advisor for the Gulf States, bringing more than 13 years of experience in forging private and public partnerships across the United Nations and international nonprofit sectors. In October 2025, she was appointed Anera's director of development, continuing to advance the organization’s mission through strategic engagement and partnership-building across the region.
Her work has focused on mobilizing resources for a range of critical causes, including education for children in conflict-affected areas of the Middle East, women and youth empowerment, livelihood development, support for marginalized communities, and the delivery of essential services during humanitarian crises, particularly for Syrian, Iraqi and Palestinian refugees throughout the Levant.
Prior to her transition into the humanitarian and development sector, she held strategic and technology-focused positions at ABN AMRO, UBS and Standard Chartered Bank in both London and Dubai.
Based in Dubai for the past 17 years, Nadia holds an MSc in mathematics and information systems from the London School of Economics and a BSc in the same subject from King’s College London.
Jainelle Blenhyne-Gaillard
Deputy Director of Annual and Planned Giving
Jainelle leads Anera’s mid-level giving program, the Leadership Circle, and its planned giving program, the Legacy Society. In her role, she oversees donor engagement across the full lifecycle. She also is the staff liaison for the Anera Associate Board, a group of young professionals passionate about the organization's mission.
Before her tenure at Anera, Jainelle served as development manager at Planned Parenthood Keystone, managing donor data for 60,000+ records, leading gift processing and reconciliation, and supporting donor engagement and events across 27 counties. Earlier, Jainelle was a development associate and alumni association coordinator at Mary McDowell Friends School. She also held development and membership roles at the Brooklyn Museum and Harlem Children’s Zone.
Jainelle is a proud graduate of Bowdoin College, where she earned a bachelor's in sociology with a concentration in government and legal studies.
Jackelyne Briseño
Director of Digital Fundraising
In her role as director of digital fundraising at Anera, Jacky leads multifaceted campaigns that mobilize global support for refugees and vulnerable populations affected by conflict, displacement, and poverty. Before joining Anera in 2022, she led the Office of Alumni Relations at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU), where she delivered record-breaking student and alumni giving campaigns and drove a major expansion of digital reach and engagement. She holds a master's in history and political thought with a concentration in Political science, and a bachelor's in English and political science from TAMIU.
Ashleigh Burgess
Deputy Director of Business Development
Ashleigh has worked in international development at mission-driven organizations over her 15 year career, beginning with Peace Corps service in Senegal. With a background spanning operations, program direction, and business development, she has secured multi-million-dollar funding from institutional, philanthropic, corporate, and family donors for projects across Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. Prior to joining Anera, Ashleigh worked on business development, technical advisory, and program direction at ACDI/VOCA, Chemonics International, and Trees for the Future. Ashleigh has experience designing, delivering, and managing complex programs and funding across many technical sectors, including livelihoods, community development, economic growth, agriculture, climate, WASH, education, and humanitarian relief.
Ashleigh loves learning languages and is a fluent French speaker, as well as being fluent in two African languages. She is learning Spanish and Arabic. She studied at Michigan State University, where she received her bachelors' degrees (International Relations and French) and her master’s degree (Community Sustainability).
Liz Demarest
Vice President of Communications
Liz has led Anera’s communications team since 2007, overseeing a staff of 12 and directing comprehensive strategies that build awareness, support fundraising and strengthen the organization’s brand.
Prior to Anera, she held communications and public affairs roles with the International Committee of the Red Cross, USAID’s Micronutrient Program and the Peace Corps. She began her career in human resources and refugee services and holds a BA in Russian Studies from Oberlin College.
Yazdan El-Amawi
Gaza Branch Director
Yazdan El-Amawi serves as Anera’s Gaza branch director, bringing more than 28 years of experience in the humanitarian and development sectors across Gaza. He has led major programs funded by USAID, including the Improve Livelihoods and Enhance Economic Development (ILEED) program and the Gaza Household WASH (GHW) program, both of which he directed as chief of party. He has also held senior leadership roles with CARE, Save the Children, Mercy Corps, Global Communities and Medical Aid for Palestinians.
Throughout his career, Yazdan has managed large-scale initiatives in civil society and governance, livelihoods, health, water and sanitation, education and emergency response. Known for his ability to lead teams and deliver results under challenging, complex and rapidly evolving operational landscape, he is a respected figure in Gaza's humanitarian and development community. Yazdan's experience spans a wide range of donors, including USAID, DFID, BMZ, ECHO, the Ford Foundation, and others.
Yazdan holds an MBA from the University of Northern Virginia and a bachelor’s degree in communications from Marquette University.
Nisreen Khalaf
Senior Director of Product Donations
Nisreen Khalaf has been with Anera since 2015 managing the medical donations program. Her knowledge of the Middle East region and her 15 years of experience in managing projects/programs in Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Yemen, Libya, Egypt and Palestine have played an important role in increasing the number and value of shipments going to Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan. Under Nisreen's direction, the number of shipments Anera is distributing has doubled.
Tatiana Lapsh
Global Human Resources Director
Tatiana has over a decade of experience leading human resources initiatives across the Middle East, Gulf countries, and Africa. She has a proven track record in strategic human resources management, policy development, and fostering cross-cultural collaboration. Tatiana excels in aligning HR strategies with organizational goals, driving employee engagement, and building strong relationships with stakeholders. She has extensive experience in the INGO sector, most recently serving as the regional HR director for MENA and Europe at Mercy Corps.
A passionate advocate for gender diversity and inclusion, Tatiana has been instrumental in driving initiatives that promote equal opportunities and foster a supportive environment for all employees. Tatiana holds a master's in business administration with a concentration in human resources from NYIT in Amman, Jordan, and a bachelor's degree in sociology and psychology of leadership from Jordan University.
Skylar Lawrence
Senior Director for Philanthropy
Skylar serves as senior director for philanthropy and has been with Anera since 2015. She is a member of the operational leadership team and provides strategic leadership and direction for all fundraising activities, ensuring the organization’s philanthropic efforts effectively advance Anera’s mission.
A seasoned fundraising leader with deep international experience, Skylar has worked at the intersection of international development, conflict mediation and humanitarian response. She is deeply committed to identifying innovative solutions to the global challenges facing refugees and other vulnerable and marginalized communities. Skylar holds a master's in peace and justice (MAPJ) from the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies and has traveled extensively throughout conflict-affected regions, grounding her leadership in both academic expertise and on-the-ground experience.
Kamil Madanat
Senior Director of Business Development
Kamil Madanat has more than 25 years of experience designing and managing multimillion-dollar programs across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. His expertise spans economic growth, agriculture, health, education and humanitarian assistance.
As Anera’s senior director of business development, Kamil identifies new funding opportunities, diversifies revenue, forges partnerships and manages donor relationships. Previously, he served as senior director of development at HelpAge USA, leading fundraising for global emergency responses, and as director of partnerships and business development at Heifer International, where he helped raise more than $100 million from bilateral and multilateral donors to support smallholder farmers. He also worked as a senior manager at Improving Economies for Stronger Communities, managing large-scale programs.
Kamil has extensive experience living in the Middle East, where he served as director of the European Information Center in Amman, facilitating trade and investment between Jordan and the European Union. He holds a bachelor’s degree in administrative sciences from Southern Illinois University.
Sulieman Mleahat
Education Program Director
Sulieman has been Anera’s education program manager in Palestine since 2010. During his tenure at Anera, he has overseen the renovation or construction of 10% of Palestine’s preschools (208 schools in total); training of 973 preschool teachers; development and distribution of 20,000+ children’s reading packs; training of 15,501 parents; and improved the care and education for 32,311 preschool children. Sulieman also successfully spearheaded the creation of the first national curriculum for preschools in Palestine.
Sulieman always says, “Schools should be ready for children, not just children ready for schools!”
Fidah Mousa
Deputy Country Director of Programs (Palestine)
Fidah brings more than three decades of experience in international development, with deep expertise managing U.S. government–funded grants, including MEPI and USAID. Her career includes senior roles with ENABEL, Belgium’s development agency, and work with AMIDEAST on programs supported by the U.S. government, the Ford Foundation, and the Open Society Institute.
For more than 25 years, she has partnered closely with the Palestinian Ministry of Education and civil society organizations across the West Bank and Gaza, leading professional development and community engagement efforts rooted in holistic, school-centered improvement.
Fidah is also deeply committed to community-driven development. She serves on the executive board of Dalia, a Palestinian NGO advancing community-controlled grantmaking, and previously served on the board of Volunteers for Al-Bireh. She also co-led the organizing committee for the Palestine 5K, supporting youth and community initiatives.
Jad Sakr
Deputy Director of Programs (Lebanon)
Jad Sakr is an international development and humanitarian leader with over 18 years of experience across the Middle East, Africa and beyond. Since mid-2025, Jad has served as Anera's deputy country director in Lebanon, shaping program strategy and delivery.
For the four years before joining Anera, Jad served as chief of party for USAID’s DAWERR Activity at ECODIT Lebanon, leading strategy, operations, stakeholder engagement and crisis adaptations. In 2020, he served as interim country director for Save the Children International in Lebanon, overseeing the national COVID-19 and Beirut blast responses. Prior to that role,, he served as director of program operations at Save in Lebanon, managing a large multisectoral portfolio and driving organizational restructuring.
Jad has held senior humanitarian and development roles across multiple contexts, including Manica office response lead in Mozambique and team leader for Save the Children's Libya Crisis in Tunisia. For three years, he was country manager for ARK Lebanon, overseeing a variety of programs. Earlier, he served with the ICRC as head of the sub-delegation in Sudan, head of office in Mosul, and detention delegate. He also worked as an election observer with the National Democratic Institute and a freelance trainer supporting civil society and governance initiatives.
Rand Salman
Health Program Director (Palestine)
Rand Salman is a medical doctor specializing in community medicine with a subspecialty in epidemiology. She leads Anera’s health portfolio, overseeing programs that strengthen community health systems and expand access to quality care across Palestine.
Before joining Anera, Rand served as executive director of the Palestinian National Institute of Public Health (PNIPH), working under the leadership of the prime minister and the minister of health. She previously directed the PNIPH during its management by the World Health Organization, guiding national efforts in evidence-based research, policy development, and multisectoral collaboration. Her work supported core public health functions, including surveillance, health promotion, applied research, capacity building and advocacy.
Rand has also led and supported public health programs funded by USAID, UN agencies, and international NGOs, contributing to system-strengthening initiatives in both Palestine and Jordan. Her expertise spans health policy and strategy development, quality assurance, sustainability planning, monitoring and evaluation, and service delivery improvement.
Throughout her career, Rand has played a key role in shaping national health priorities and advancing public health infrastructure. She brings a multidisciplinary, systems-oriented approach to her leadership at Anera, ensuring programs respond effectively to community needs and evolving health challenges.
Nourhan Shuqman
Head of Programs (Jordan)
Nourhan Shuqman is the deputy country director for programs at Anera Jordan, with over 25 years of experience leading high-impact humanitarian and development initiatives. She provides strategic oversight across multi-sector programs in education, livelihoods, youth empowerment, environmental sustainability, and food security, ensuring strong results, accountability, and alignment with donor and national priorities.
Nourhan has worked extensively with UN agencies and major bilateral and multilateral donors, including PRM, SIDA, SDC, the European Union, and is known for her collaborative leadership and strengths in program management, risk mitigation, compliance, and MEAL, delivering sustainable, community-centered impact across Jordan.
Shanna Todd
International Grants Director
Shanna L. Todd is Anera’s International Grants Director with more than 15 years of experience leading complex, multi-donor portfolios across fragile, conflict-affected, and transitional settings. She brings deep expertise in grant management, regulatory compliance, and operational delivery for major bilateral, multilateral, and philanthropic donors, including USAID, the U.S. Department of State, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the European Union, Qatar-based donors, the Dutch government, JICA, and private foundations.
Shanna has held senior leadership and advisory roles with leading international development organizations, providing strategic oversight across the full project lifecycle—from start-up and procurement through implementation, monitoring, and closeout. Her work spans the Middle East, Africa, Southeast and Central Asia, and Eastern Europe, with extensive experience supporting education, stabilization, economic recovery, and governance programs in highly complex operating environments such as Syria, Yemen, Libya, Ukraine, and West Bank/Gaza.
Known for her solutions-oriented approach, Shanna specializes in strengthening grant systems, mitigating risk, ensuring donor compliance, and building the capacity of global teams and partners. She has led large, multi-partner grant portfolios, overseen high-value budgets, and served as a trusted representative with donor counterparts on compliance, financial stewardship, and adaptive management.
Shanna holds a Bachelor of Science in International Business and Marketing and has contributed thought leadership on education, conflict, and resilience through international panels and research initiatives.
Dima Zayat
Lebanon Deputy Country Director - Operations
Dima oversees all of Anera’s program operations in Lebanon, including non-formal basic education, vocational skills training, solid waste management, sports for development and health. Dima began her tenure at Anera in 2010 as a health program manager responsible for all health-related projects in Lebanon, including the medical donations program and health education activities as well as emergency and aid distributions. In light of the massive displacement of refugees from Syria, Dima co-led the first nationwide situational assessment of Palestinian Refugees from Syria.
Before joining Anera, Dima worked as a registered nurse and public health worker for nine years. In recognition of her contribution to the field of community health in Lebanon, Dima was inducted into the Gamma Delta Chapter of the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health in 2017. Dima holds a BS in nursing and a master's in public health from the American University of Beirut.
Subject Matter Experts
Anera's subject matter experts are from the communities we serve and have excellent networks of contacts in Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan. They can offer unique insights into their areas of expertise and the challenges facing refugees and vulnerable communities in the region. If you would like to connect with them, please email Steve Fake.
AGRICULTURE
Naser Qadous
Palestine Agricultural Programs Manager
During Naser’s 20-year tenure with Anera he has overseen a diverse range of projects, including agricultural land reclamation, construction and rehabilitation of greenhouses, farmer training, and capacity-building of cooperatives. In recent years, he has managed two important water reuse projects, one in the farming communities outside of Jenin and the other in the city of Ramallah. These projects make cleaned wastewater available for agricultural and municipal needs, preserving scarce potable water for household consumption.
Ibrahim Najjar
Gaza Project Coordinator and Agronomist
A trained agronomist, Ibrahim has been leading Anera's agricultural work in Gaza since 2017. He coordinates greenhouse work, planting of crops, reclaiming land for farming, hydroponic gardening, and urban agriculture interventions. Ibrahim came to Anera with a background in agricultural experimentation and vegetable grafting. He helped in the establishment of 200+ greenhouses all over Gaza, each produced three tons of vegetables. He graduated from Al-Azahar University in 2011 with a an agronomy and environment degree. Before joining Anera, he worked for five years at Park, a Gaza agricultural organization.
EDUCATION
Suad Lubbad
Program Officer (Palestine)
Currently, Suad helps manage Anera's mother and child health clinics and psychosocial support activities for children. Prior to the war, Suad served as program officer with Anera’s Farms to Fosool project, which provided a nourishing, well-balanced meal every day to 1,200 preschoolers in Gaza. Suad also worked with Anera for several years as trainer in our early childhood development program. From 2000-2010, she was an administrative manager at Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children in Gaza City. She has a strong background in human development and early childhood, holding a master's and PhD. Suad’s personal mission is to help encourage young Palestinian children to grow, learn and develop the skills they will need to build their future.
Sulieman Mleahat
Education Program Director
Sarah Hachem
Education and Livelihood Program Manager (Lebanon)
Sarah brings extensive experience driving large-scale education, livelihood, and workforce development programs, with a strong focus on adolescents and youth. As the Education & Livelihood Program Manager at Anera, she oversees a $27M+ multi-year portfolio dedicated to equipping young people with the skills and opportunities they need to succeed in the job market.
She currently leads Anera’s Youth Learning to Earning Program with UNICEF, advancing innovative solutions that blend education with market-driven livelihood pathways. With a Master’s in Public Health and a proven track record in strategic leadership, Sarah specializes in market-based livelihood interventions that effectively bridge the gap between job seekers and employers through business linkage strategies, entrepreneurship, vocational training, and advanced skills development programs.
ENVIRONMENT
Naser Qadous
Palestine Agricultural Programs Manager
HEALTH
Muhammad Atieh
Regional Project Officer for Medical Donations
Muhammed manages Anera’s relationships with local implementing health partners and oversee the donor-to-clinic supply chain that delivers medicine and supplies to communities across the West Bank. With more than ten years experience working for Anera, he has first-hand knowledge of the health needs and issues facing disadvantaged communities. He came to Anera with a background in pharmacology.
Mostafa Elghosain
Gaza Medical Donation Program Manager
Mostafa joined Anera in 2002 as Anera’s warehouse manager and currently oversees the medical donation program in Gaza. He earned his B.Sc in Pharmacy from Adamson College, Philippines and his MA in Public Health at Al Quds University, Gaza. Mostafa coordinates and facilitates the safe passage and reception of all shipments sent to Anera’s Gaza distribution center and works with local partners to assess the humanitarian and emergency relief needs of poor and vulnerable communities in Gaza.
Karim El Ferkh
Lebanon Health Program Manager
As a public health professional and epidemiologist, Karim has overseen Anera's health programs in Lebanon since 2023. Previously, he served as a senior public health consultant for the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, where he worked to strengthen health systems to advance universal health coverage. Karim is also the health sector coordinator for the Beirut and Mount Lebanon governorate. He has researched communicable and non-communicable diseases and taught epidemiology and statistics courses at the University of Edinburgh and Lebanese American University. Karim has a master's degree in epidemiology from the American University of Beirut and completed extensive doctoral-level research in population health sciences at the University of Edinburgh.
Rima Kamal
Product Donations Officer (Lebanon)
Rima is the Medical Donations Program Coordinator at Anera Lebanon. A licensed pharmacist with a Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Manufacturing Policies, she brings over nine years of combined experience across community pharmacy and humanitarian health programs. She leads the coordination, compliance, and distribution of in-kind medical and product donations across Lebanon. Her work includes donor engagement, regulatory approvals, supply chain oversight, and coordination with the Ministry of Public Health and local healthcare partners. Rima plays a key role in ensuring access to essential and life-saving treatments, including targeted therapies for rare diseases, while strengthening health system preparedness and emergency response.
Ahmad Najjar
Gaza Medical Donation Program Coordinator
Ahmad manages Anera’s relationships with local implementing health partners and oversees the donor-to-clinic supply chain that delivers medicine and supplies across Gaza. With nine years experience working for Anera, Ahmad has first-hand knowledge of the immense health needs and issues facing Gaza communities. He came to Anera with a background in pharmacology and uses his knowledge to assess the quality and types of medicines Anera disperses. Anera’s medical donations program delivers donated medicine, health supplies and equipment to refugee and vulnerable communities in Palestine and Lebanon.
Rand Salman
Health Program Director (Palestine)
Lubna Iskander Zraiq
Health Program Manager
Lubna has 26 years of experience in health, education, disability and gender inclusion, partnerships and child rights. She has a bachelor's degree in pharmacy from the University of Jordan and a master's degree in International Cooperation and Development (MICAD) from Bethlehem University in cooperation with Pavia University. In the past, she has worked at Save the Children, the Ministry of Planning & Administrative Development, An-Najah University and Abu Dees University. She speaks English, Arabic, French and German.
REFUGEE ISSUES
Mahmoud Abdullah
Lebanon Bekaa Area Manager
Mahmoud is a passionate humanitarian with diverse experience with refugees all over the region and Eastern Europe. With a background in communications and protection, he also works on Anera's program development and implementation, including basic literacy and numeracy education and vocational training, as well as solid waste management projects implemented in the Bekaa area.
WATER
Sami Matar
Gaza Project Coordinator
Sami has been part of the Anera team in the Gaza office as a project coordinator since 2010. He has over 18 years of technical and project management experience, including in WASH programs, water well construction, water desalination unit installations, and preschool and medical center construction and rehabilitation. Sami frequently contributes to the design of Anera's projects and works closely with our donors throughout project implementation.
During emergencies, he helps formulate Anera's safe response plans. He also supports local partners to ensure smooth implementation of Anera's interventions and to respond to the urgent needs of the most vulnerable communities.