About Anera's Staff
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 disabilities and 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
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 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.
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.
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.