Amman Cornerstone Conference
Speaker Highlights

Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl is an Omar and Azmeralda Alfi Professor of Law at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Professor Abou El Fadl is recognized as a leading authority in Islamic law in the United States and Europe, and is a 2005 Carnegie Scholar in Islamic studies. At UCLA, he teaches Islamic law, Middle Eastern Investment Law, Immigration Law and courses related to human rights and terrorism. He lends his expertise to various human rights organizations, such as Human Rights Watch and the Lawyer's Committee for Human Rights. Professor Abou El Fadl serves as an expert witness in international litigation involving Middle Eastern law, and in cases involving immigration law and political asylum claims. He trained in Islamic legal sciences in Egypt , Kuwait and the United States, receiving his B.A. from Yale, a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from Princeton University. Prior to UCLA, he taught at the University of Texas at Austin, Yale Law School and Princeton University. Professor Abou El Fadl's books include: Conference of the Books: The Search for Beauty in Islam (2001); Rebellion in Islamic Law (2001); Speaking in God's Name: Islamic Law, Authority and Women (2001); and And God Knows the Soldiers: The Authoritative and Authoritarian in Islamic Discourse (2nd ed. revised and expanded, 2001). He will address the conference on Islam, Democracy and Modernization.

Laila Abu Hassan is Chairperson of the Physics Department at the University of Jordan where she also serves as Associate Professor. She holds a B.S. from the University of Jordan, an M.S. from the American University of Beirut and a Ph.D. from the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom. During the past five years, Dr. Abu Hassan has been involved in Nanoscience and its applications. She has collaborated on several research papers in professional international journals and holds three patents. As Head of the Physics Department, she introduced digital media and software as teaching tools. She has also introduced Material Sciences and Technologies as a new field of study at the university. Dr. Abu Hassan will address the conference on Arab Women: Myths, Misperceptions & Realities.

Reem Abu Hassan is a Founding Member and President of IWF Jordan, as well as a member of IWF's Leadership Foundation Board of Directors. She is a human rights and judicial reform attorney in Jordan. She is currently the Director of the Jordan branch of the Arab Center for the Development of the Rule of Law and Integrity - a regional non-profit corporation devoted to building Arab expertise in the area of judicial reform, civic participation and freedom of expression. She is a consultant to the Jordanian Judicial Institute and is the Head of the Directorate for family affairs in Jordan 's Ministry of Justice. She is a founding member of the Arab Women's Legal Network, and is Vice President for the Jordanian Society for Protecting Victims of Family Violence. Additionally, she serves on the board of Partners for Democratic change. Since 1992, Ms. Abu Hassan has been involved in issues related to women and children in Jordan, she served on the Legislative Review Committee of the National Committee for Women - chaired by H.R.H. Princess Basma from 1993 until 2000. She headed the Working Group on Legal Issues of the Family Protection Project in Jordan from 2000 until 2003 and, as the Coordinator for the Family Empowerment Program at the National Council for Family Affairs (NCFA). Ms. Abu Hassan is the author of the Jordan country report in “Women's Rights in the Middle East and North Africa , Citizenship and Justice”, published by Freedom House in 2005. She is also the co-author of an article on honor crimes in Jordan, appearing in “Honour: Crimes, Paradigms and Violence against Women”. She will address the conference at its Opening Session.

Enas Abu Shasheih is the Entrepreneurship Theme Coordinator for NetCorps Jordan . She obtained her B.A. with honors in Computer Science from Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT). She is serving on the Developing Youth Parliament Strategy Committee for the Ministry of Political Development. Abu Shasheih is a founding and current member of the Dream Aim Reach Target (DART) group at PSUT. DART is an Entrepreneurship Club that encourages and supports university students in becoming entrepreneurs in the business and social development sectors. She will address the conference on The Future of the Arab World.

Marjorie A. Adams is President of Adams & Associates, the founder of Leadership International - an executive educational program designed to address the leadership challenges facing women as they prepare and assume management responsibilities in corporations and other organizations that are intercultural and global in scope - and advisor to the United States – Jordan Business Alliance. During 2006, Ms. Adams was selected as a Next Generation Fellow of the American Assembly which is a nonpartisan initiative called “The Next Generation Project:  U.S. Global Policy and the Future of International Institutions” funded by the Ford Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation.  The American Assembly was founded by Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1950 as one of the United States ' first nonpartisan, national public affairs forums.  Ms. Adams served as president of the National US-Arab Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC) based in Washington, D.C. from October 2001 through September 2003. Ms. Adams has extensive experience in the development and management of commercial and promotional projects working with major U.S. corporations. Additionally, she advises international leaders, CEOs and decision-makers on global reputation building, political and commercial strategy, trade and investment promotion, managing issues and developing initiatives to meet key objectives.  Prior to establishing Adams & Associates, she served as a staff assistant to The Honorable Lloyd Bentsen, United States Senator ( Texas) in Washington, D.C. in the early 1980s before relocating to Cairo, Egypt to work for a privately held US-Egyptian joint venture company.  She was later appointed the marketing manager of the Dubai Free Trade Zone and Promotion Board, United Arab Emirates and has continued to work closely with decision-makers in the U.A.E. She will be addressing the conference at the Luncheon Programme on Building Bridges – Breaking Walls: A Look to the Future.
Dr. Leila Ahmed has been serving as a Victor S. Thomas Professor of Divinity at Harvard Divinity School (HDS) since 2003. She came to HDS in 1999 as the first professor of women's studies in religion. Dr. Ahmed is an acclaimed author, her most recent book being A Border Passage, a memoir describing her multicultural upbringing and adult life as an expatriate immigrant to the west. Her other publications include the books - Women and Gender in Islam: The Historical Roots of a Modern Debate and Edward William Lane: A Study of His Life and Work and of British Ideas of the Middle East in the Nineteenth Century , as well as many articles, among them "Arab Culture and Writing Women's Bodies" and "Between Two Worlds: The Formation of a Turn of the Century Egyptian Feminist." Prior to her appointment at Harvard Divinity School , she was professor of women's studies and Near Eastern studies at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. While at the University of Massachusetts, she was director of the women's studies program from 1992 to 1995, and director of the Near Eastern studies program from 1991 to 1992. She holds a B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge. Dr. Ahmed will address the conference at its Opening Session on Arab Women: Myths, Misperceptions & Realities.

Suhair Al-Ali is Minister of Planning and International Cooperation in the cabinet of Prime Minister Marouf Bakheet and formerly served in this position in the cabinet of Prime Minister Adnan Badran. Prior to her ministerial appointment, Mrs. Al-Ali held the positions of General Manager and Country Officer of Citigroup in Jordan since 1996, and General Manager of the Saudi American Bank Representative Office in New York since 1993. She holds a Master's Degree in Development Economics and a Bachelor's of Science degree from Georgetown University in the U.S. Mrs. Al-Ali has served, by appointment of His Majesty King Abdullah II, has served as a member on two royal committees – His Majesty's Economic Consultative Council and the “Jordan First” Campaign Committee. Mrs. Al-Ali is founding member of the Jordanian American Business Association and of IWF – Jordan. She will moderate the luncheon programme on Building Bridges – Break Walls A Look to the Future.

Reem Badran serves as the CEO and Board Member of the Kuwaiti Jordanian Holding Company which focuses on investments in industry, infrastructure, services and tourism. From 1999 until early 2005, she served as a CEO of the Jordan Investment Board, the leading government establishment specializing in attracting foreign investments. Badran holds Masters' Degrees of International Economics & Middle Eastern Studies from John Hopkins University in Washington , D.C. Badran is the head of the Investment Committee for the Arab Economic Council-Arab League. She is also a board member of the Higher Education Council, the Dead Sea Touristic and Real Estate Investment Company, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Society of Fine Arts, and a member of IWF Jordan. She will address the conference at the Luncheon Programme on Building Bridges – Breaking Walls: A Look to the Future.

 

The Honorable Barbara Barrett is CEO of Triple Creek Ranch in Montana, Chairman of the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, and Director of Raytheon, Exponent, Aerospace Corporations and the Mayo Clinic. She is Senior Adviser to the United States for the 61 st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, a member of the U.S. Afghan Women's Council and the Smithsonian Institution's National Board. Mrs. Barrett was founding Chairman of the Board of Valley Bank of Arizona. In the 1980's she became Vice Chairman of the United States Civil Aeronautics Board where she negotiated aviation agreements with Great Britain, China, Poland, Ireland, Peru, the Philippines, Jamaica and many other countries. Later, she was the first woman Deputy Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration. She was President and CEO of the American Management Association and taught leadership at Harvard where she now serves on the Senior Advisory Board of the Institute of Politics. Mrs. Barrett served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Thunderbird School of Global Management. She earned her B.A., M.A. and Law degrees at Arizona State University and is an instrument rated pilot, and the first civilian woman to land in an F/A-18 Hornet on an aircraft carrier. She is the Past President of the International Women's Forum, and a member of the Arizona and Montana Women's Forums. She will moderate the session on Education, Culture and Competitiveness.

 

Mohamad Al Bashir is a trainee lawyer at the International Business Legal Associates (IBLAW). He graduated from the University of Jordan Law School where he ranked 3 rd in his graduating class and among the top 1% in the National Competence Exam for Law Graduates. He will pursue a Master's of Law Degree in September 2007 at the Georgetown University, USA. Al Bashir will address the conference on The Future of the Arab World.

Samia Bishara is the Manager of the Queen Rania Family & Child Center and a social planner and researcher with extensive experience in the planning and management of family counseling, domestic violence, child development and teen programs. Bishara has a solid background in planning and organizing training and advocacy workshops with diverse groups in the community on social issues throughout Jordan. Prior to joining the Center, Mrs. Bishara was Director of the Family Center in East Jerusalem . This center provided psycho-social services for domestic violence victims. She also managed a family daycare project in Jerusalem and worked as a psycho-social counselor for teenage boarding schools. Mrs. Bishara spent 5 years (1996-2000) as a Supervisor for social work at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem . Mrs. Bishara earned her Master's Degree in Social Work at the School of Social Work in the Hebrew University, Jerusalem and her B.S. at the School of Social Work at Haifa University. She will receive IWF members at the Queen Rania Family & Child Center.
Gay Cook is the Managing Director of the Center for Women's Health Research at the Fitzsimons academic medical center at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. The Center focuses on vital research in women's health, emphasizing cardiovascular disease, and training the next generation of scientists in the study of women's health. Before joining the center, Cook was Vice President of Executive Operations and Planning at Metropolitan State College of Denver, one of the United States' largest public urban baccalaureate institutions, and a member of the President's Cabinet. Her service in higher education was preceded by a distinguished career in the newspaper industry. Cook was Managing Editor and Executive Committee member of The Denver Post, one of the nation's major metropolitan dailies. Her journalism career included reporting stints in Washington and Springfield, Illinois. She is the recipient of many of journalism's most prestigious local, regional and national awards for her work as a reporter and editor. Cook is a member of the Colorado Women's Forum, President of the International Women's Forum and a past director of the International Women's Forum Leadership Foundation. She will address the conference at its Opening Session.  

Deedee Corradini is Senior Vice President, Corporate Development, at Prudential Utah Real Estate, and is a Distinguished Senior Fellow in Urban Studies at The Richard W. Riley Institute of Government, Politics and Public Leadership at Furman University. Corradini is also President of Women's Ski Jumping USA. Prior to that, Corradini was elected the first female mayor of Salt Lake City in November of 1991, taking office in January 1992. She was re-elected in November of 1995 and served until 2000. Mayor Corradini was instrumental in bringing the 2002 Winter Olympic Games to Salt Lake City, and spent her eight years in office preparing the city to host the games. Mayor Corradini served as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, only the 3rd woman to hold this position in its over 70 year history. She has held a number of community service posts and positions on a number of Boards of Directors and Trustees including Utah Power & Light Co., Intermountain Health Care, Inc., and the Utah Symphony. Prior to becoming Mayor, Ms. Corradini ran a government relations consulting firm, representing corporate interests in Washington, D.C. She also worked in federal and state government, working for two Congressmen in the United States House of Representatives and for former Governor of Utah, Calvin L. Rampton. She holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from the University of Utah. She will moderate the session on Faith, Identity & Co-Existence.

Dr. Katerina Dalacoura is a Lecturer in International Relations at the London School of Economics (LSE) and Political Science. Her teaching at LSE has centered on the International Relations of the Middle East , International Relations Theory and the Ethics of War. Before taking her present post at LSE, Dr. Dalacoura earned a Bachelor's degree in History from King's College, London and an M.S. and Ph.D. in International Relations from the London School of Economics. After graduation, she worked at the University of Essex as Teaching Fellow in 1995-96, and at the International Institute for Strategic Studies as Research Associate in 1998-99. Dr. Dalacoura's main research interest, for a number of years, has been human rights in the Middle East. She has particularly focused on the relationship between political Islam and human rights and democracy issues. She has published two books: Islam, Liberalism and Human Rights: Implications for International Relations (London: I.B. Tauris, 1998, revised edition 2003); and Engagement or Coercion? Weighing Western Human Rights Policies Towards Turkey , Iran and Egypt ( London: Chatham House, 2003). She has also published a number of articles and chapters in edited books. She is currently working on a project on ‘Islamist Terrorism and the Democratic Deficit in the Middle East ', which investigates the alleged causal connection between the lack of democracy and the emergence of Islamist extremism in the region. She also works on Western democracy promotion in the Middle East after September 11th. She will address the conference at the opening session on Arab Women: Myths, Misperceptions & Realities.
   
Raghida Dergham is Columnist and Senior Diplomatic Correspondent for the London-based Al Hayat, the leading independent Arabic daily, since 1989. She writes a regular weekly strategic column on International Political Affairs. Ms. Dergham is also a Political Analyst for NBC, MSNBC and the Arab satellite LBC. She is a Contributing Editor for LA Times Syndicate Global Viewpoint and has contributed to: The New York Times , The Washington Post, The International Herald Tribune and Newsweek Magazine. A Lebanese-born American Citizen, Ms. Dergham is a member of The Council on Foreign Relations, and was co-chair of the Council's 1997 conference: "In the National Interest: Does Diversity Make a Difference?” As one of the few women political commentators, Ms. Dergham has been a frequent guest on PBS's "Charlie Rose” and "The News Hour", CNN, FOX, ABC, CBS, Canada's CBC, Al-Jazeera as well as a radio guest on NPR and the BBC. She serves on the Board of the International Women's Media Foundation, and has served on the Advisory Council of Princeton University's Institute for Transregional Studies of the contemporary Middle East , North Africa and Central Asia. She was also a member of the Women's Foreign Policy Group. Ms. Dergham is in SUNY's Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Alumna and received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters in 2003. In addition to covering the crucial American-Soviet Summits in the 1980s and the 27th Congress of the Soviet Communist Party, Ms. Dergham has done exclusive Interviews with over 20 Statesmen including: Jordan's King Abdullah II and the late King Hussein; Pakistan's President Parviz Musharref, Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak; Palestinian Presidents Mahmoud Abbas and Yasser Arafat; Iraq's Jalal Talabani, Yemen's President Abdallah Saleh; Sudan's President Omar Al-Bashir; Russia's President Boris Yeltsin, and Lebanon's PM Fouad Siniora. She has also conducted exclusive interviews with over 50 Foreign Ministers. She will moderate the Luncheon Programme on Grey Areas: The Complexity of Relationships East to West.
H.E. Huseyin Diriöz has served as the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan since 2004. His education includes a B.A. in International Relations from Ankara University and a Master's Degree in International Relations from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Prior to becoming Ambassador, he was the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister-Counselor at the Turkish Embassy in Washington , D.C. , Head of the Department at NATO, and Special Advisor to the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A lauded diplomat and international affairs practitioner, Ambassador Diriöz will address the conference during the luncheon programme on Grey Areas: The Complexity of Relationships East to West.
Samia Hamza Al Farra is currently the Principal of the Amman Baccalaureate School . Ms. Al Farra's educational background includes a B.S. in Biology from Beirut University in Lebanon, a Master's of Science Education from Trenton State College – U.S.A., and she is currently an Ed.D. candidate at the University of Bath in the U.K. Ms. Al Farra has been active in international education, speaking widely on the subject. She believes that her work will encourage others to view Internationalism in a similar way that she does - as a frame of mind, a content, a skill, an attitude and a value. She would like to see people move beyond tolerance to commitment, respect and appreciation for humanity. She will be addressing the conference on Education, Culture & Competitiveness.
Reham M. Haddad is Director of the Madaba Mosaic School.  Prior to becoming Director, she taught for 10 years at the school in the subjects of History of Art, Technical Excavations, Technical Restoration & Conservation and Industrial Management & Safety Methods.  Haddad obtained her B.A. and M.A. in Archeology from the University of Jordan.  She will receive IWF members at the Madaba Institute of Mosaic Art & Restoration.
Dr. Nabil El Haggar is currently Vice President and Professor of Physics and Epistemology at Lille University , France . He is also the founder and organizer of “Les Rendez-vous d'Archimède” (The Archimedes Talks), a reflection and meeting centre proposing weekly thematic debates. Four topics are discussed every year and each topic is studied through a dozen meetings where scientific, epistemological, historical, philosophical and artistic outlooks come together. Professor El Haggar founded and edits the cultural magazine “Les Nouvelles d' Archimède” He has an interest in the history of the Arab-Muslim thought and conducts research on the history of Arabic sciences. He is a translator and commentator on ancient texts, especially those written between the 10th and 12th centuries with a focus on Arabic algebra and mechanics. He is a member of the National Board for Scientific and Technical Culture and of the Museums in France and founder of the political movement “Les Gens.” Professor El Haggar will address the conference on Education, Culture and Competitiveness.
H.E. David Hale was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on November 2, 2005. Ambassador Hale had been serving as Deputy Chief of Mission in Amman since July 2003 and as Chargé d'Affaires since July 2004. Previously, he was the U.S. State Department's Director of the Office of Israel and Palestinian Affairs, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, and Executive Assistant to the Secretary of State. Previous tours were at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, Beirut, Amman, Manama, and Dhahran. He has held several staff positions in the Department of State. Ambassador Hale joined the Foreign Service in 1984 and studied Arabic at the Foreign Service Institute's Field School in Tunisia . He is a graduate of Georgetown University 's School of Foreign Service and a permanent resident of Princeton University, New Jersey. He has received several honor awards and will address the conference during the luncheon programme on Grey Areas: The Complexity of Relationships East to West.

Nissreen Haram is Managing Director of International Business Legal Associates, a leading law and consultancy firm in Jordan. She holds a B.A. in Economics from Mount Holyoke College and an M.A. in Islamic Studies from McGill University, where she focused on Islamic Jurisprudence and Legal reasoning. She has been with IBLAW since 1997 and has been extensively involved in the areas of international trade agreement, and investment, economic and public policy reform initiatives. Haram is currently managing the 25 member law firm while acting as team leader on several projects in areas such as tourism, e-government, business process reforms and sector strategies. She is member of several NGO boards, and of the organizing committee of Yale Law School Middle East Seminar, which has helped organize 8 annual seminars on various salient topics in the region, including Islam and Democracy. She will moderate the session on Islam, Democracy and Modernization.

 
Farkhonda Hassan , Holder of The Order of Merit of Arts and Sciences “First Class” (1980), is a Member of the Shura Assembly in the 2nd House of the Egyptian Parliament where she Chairs the Committee for Human Development and Local Administration. In addition to her role in Parliament, Hassan serves as Secretary-General for the National Council for Women ( Egypt ), and is Professor Emeritus at the American University in Cairo. As a scientist, politician and development specialist, she has dedicated her multi-faceted career to serving women's causes in politics, public service sectors, the sciences, IT, grassroots social work, education, culture and other areas. Her many international and national affiliations and leadership include the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, the Parliamentarian Network of the World Bank, Co-Chair of the Gender Advisory Board linked to the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development, Former Vice-President of the Board of the Third World Organizations for Women in Science, and Former Chair of the Committee of Women in Development of the Economic Commission for Africa. An internationally published author, Hassan has published scientific articles on Geology and in the field of Science and Technology for Development and Environmental issues. She will be addressing the conference on Arab Women Parliamentarians – Another Perspective.

Gemma Hussey is currently the Director of the European Women's Foundation, Ireland, where she designs and delivers the Foundation's programs in leadership and democracy training in Eastern Europe. A former Senator and Cabinet Minister of the Government of the Republic of Ireland, and member of the President's Council of State, Hussey was also a business entrepreneur and leader in the Irish women's movement. Hussey was first elected to Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Irish Parliament) in 1982, representing Wicklow for the Fine Gael Party. She had previously served in the Seanad Éireann (the Irish Senate) from 1977 until 1982, where she sat as an independent senator for three years before serving as Fine Gael spokeswoman on Women's Affairs and then as Government Leader of the Seanad. Hussey served in the Irish Cabinet, as well as being Fine Gael Spokesperson for Arts, Culture and Broadcasting in 1982, and for Education in 1987. After retiring from politics in 1989, she became a consultant to the United Nations Development Program in Romania and authored two books: At the Cutting Edge and Ireland Today - Anatomy of a Changing State. Huseey was IWF's representative at the inaugural meeting of IWF-Jordan, presided over by HM Queen Rania, in December 2004 and is a member and founding President of IWF Ireland. She will moderate the session on Arab Women: Myths, Misperceptions & Realities.

H.E. Alexander Kalugin serves as the Russian Ambassador to Jordan , and began his career in 1968 with service in the former USSR Ministry of the Exterior. In 1970, he was appointed the Russian Ambassador to Egypt and maintained that post for 3 years. He also served as the Russian Ambassador to Iraq from 1980-1985 and again from 1989-1994. Ambassador Kalugin was appointed Ambassador to the Russian Federation in the Republic of Yemen in 1998 and an Extraordinary Ambassador in the Russian Ministry of the Exterior in 2002. He graduated from the International Relations Institute and has mastered Arabic, English and French. He will address the conference at the luncheon programme on Grey Areas: The Complexity of Relationships East to West.
 

Talar Karakashian is finalizing work on an extended stage of her senior project on Automatic Liquid Calibration Systems with the King Abdullah II Design & Development Bureau. She holds a B.S. in Electronics Engineering from Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT). Karakashian is a founding and current member of the Dream Aim Reach Target (DART) group at PSUT. DART is an Entrepreneurship Club that encourages and supports university students in becoming entrepreneurs in the business and social development sectors. She is also a member of the We Are All Jordan Youth Commission, traveling as a part of the Jordanian delegation on a state visit to India . She will address the Conference on The Future of the Arab World.

   
Widad Kawar is a collector of Palestinian and Jordanian costumes, weavings, jewelry, amulets and every-day tools and utensils from the past 100 years, and her private collection contains more than 1,000 items of note.  Through many museum exhibits, lectures and published articles, catalogues and books, she has succeeded in raising international awareness about the rich Arab culture and heritage as well as contributed to the revitalization of these art forms in modern use. A foremost cultural archivist and keeper of Arab heritage - Kawar goes beyond collecting to documenting the lives of the women behind the costumes whose legacy she preserves. She will welcome IWF members and guests into her home for a Private Viewing of Traditional Arab Textiles & Adornments.

Nada El Khoury is an Intern Lawyer in Fenianos Law Firm at Badoro-Beirut. She holds a B.A. in Law from the University Saint Esprit, Kaslik, Lebanon and is currently pursuing her M.A. in International Contracts at the same university. She was founding member and launcher of the “Le Libellé,” the first student legal journal. She will address the Conference on The Future of the Arab World.

Dr. Rima Khalaf Hunaidi is the chairperson of the Advisory Board of the Arab Human Development Report (AHDR) and the principal architect of the series. She also currently serves as Chair of the UN Global Democracy Fund Advisory Board and is a Trustee of the American University of Beirut. Between September 2000 and February 2006, she served as Assistant Secretary-General and Director, Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS), at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Under her leadership, the Regional Bureau launched the AHDR series, the first issue of which, entitled “Creating Opportunities for Future Generations”, appeared in July 2002 and received the 2003 Prince Claus Award in “recognition of exceptional achievements in the field of culture and development”. The second report, on “Building A Knowledge Society”, came out in October 2003 and the third, “Towards Freedom in the Arab World”, was published in April 2005. The latter received the prestigious King Hussein Leadership Prize, which annually recognizes individuals, groups and institutions that have “demonstrated exceptional leadership in their efforts to advocate for and promote sustainable development, equity, human rights, tolerance and cross-cultural understanding, and peace”. In 2005, the League of Arab States honored her as “the Most Distinguished Arab Woman in the Field of International Organizations.” Dr. Khalaf Hunaidi has also pioneered important regional initiatives on Arab education, knowledge acquisition and economic growth. Before joining UNDP, she was Deputy Prime Minister of Jordan where, as head of the ministerial economic team, she promoted the drive for economic reform in Jordan while simultaneously working on a package for building human capabilities, alleviating human poverty, and strengthening social safety nets. She also served as Minister of Planning and Minister of Industry and Trade; and was a Senator in the Upper House of the Jordanian Parliament. Dr. Khalaf Hunaidi has a degree in Economics from the American University of Beirut, and holds an M.A. in Economics and a Doctorate in Systems Science from Portland State University. She will address the conference at its Opening Session on Arab Women: Myths Misperceptions & Realities.

Nour Kleibo is enrolled in the Business Administration Program of Birzeit University in the West Bank . He is a member and a Team Leader during summer camps at Palestine Vision. The mission of this organization is to promote active leadership roles for Palestinian youth in their communities. In 2005, Palestine Vision awarded him the Certificate for Best Leadership Performance. Kleibo is a member of Seeds of Peace, a group dedicated to empowering young leaders from regions of conflict with the leadership skills required to advance reconciliation and coexistence. He will address the Conference on The Future of the Arab World.

 
Alia Khleifat is the Resource Development Coordinator for the Child Safety Program at the Jordan River Foundation. The Child Safety Program's objectives include enhancing positive child-rearing practices to protect children, identifying, confronting and eliminating different kinds of abuse through intervention services, preventive activities and projects, as well as free counseling services. The Program Development Unit aims to establish, sustain and promote the Program at a national, regional and international level through administering the program-based donations and partnerships, hosting strategic child safety initiatives, and managing the research, monitoring and evaluation activities and events of the program. Ms. Khleifat holds a Bachelor's Degree in Law from the University of Jordan and is also a member of Business and Professional Women Society– Jordan. She will receive IWF members at the Queen Rania Family & Child Center.
Zina Khoury is Child Safety Program Development Manager at the Queen Rania Family & Child Center . Ms. Khoury currently heads the Program Development Unit for the Child Safety Program at the Jordanian River Foundation. She is also a member of the National Family Protection Task Force in Jordan, and has contributed to the development of several national plans and strategies including the National Framework of Family Protection, the National Plan of Action for Children (2004-2013), and the Protection Component of UNICEF Country Strategy. She holds a Master's Degree in International Child Welfare from the School of Social Work and Psychological Studies, University of East Anglia, U.K. and a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from the Yarmouk University in Jordan. She will receive IWF members and guests at the Queen Rania Family & Child Center.
Charlotta Månsson is currently the Deputy Head of Mission & First Secretary at the Embassy of Sweden in Amman . Prior to arriving in Amman, Ms. Månsson worked for the Department for Eastern Europe and Central Asia with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Sweden; the Embassy of Sweden in Croatia and the National Board for Trade in Sweden. Ms. Månsson obtained her B.A. in Political Science and Middle East Studies from Uppsala University, Sweden . Her education has also included supplemental coursework in various business fields from Uppsala University, as well as Arabic language studies at the Institute of Arabic Studies for Foreigners in Damascus, Syria and Spanish Studies at Granada University in Spain. Ms. Månsson will address the conference at the Luncheon Programme on Grey Areas: The Complexity of Relationships East to West.
Dr. Minwer Thamer al-Meheid is Founder and Dean of the Institute of Traditional Islamic Arts & Architecture, Al-Balqa Applied University, as well as Advisor to Prince Ghazi bin Mohammad. He has been involved in the design and supervision of many projects in Saudi Arabia and Jordan utilizing principles of traditional Islamic architecture. These projects have included the Ahl albeit Foundation, Prophet Shuieb Mosque, Princess Jawhara's (daughter of King Khaled of Saudi Arabia) private palace, and the College of Da'wa and Basic Islamic Doctrines. Many of these projects have received recognition and awards. Dr. al-Meheid's education includes a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering – Structure and Project Management from California State University and a Ph.D. in Proportional Systems in Traditional Islamic Arts and Architecture from the University of Wales. Dr. al-Meheid will address the conference on Faith, Identity & Co-Existence.
Dr. Maria Rosa Menocal is a Sterling Professor of the Humanities and Director of the Whitney Humanities Center at Yale University. She has been teaching at Yale in 1985, and prior to arriving there, Professor Menocal taught at Bryn Mawr College and the University of Pennsylvania. She has lectured and published widely in the field of medieval literature and culture, and is especially known for her work on the relationship between the cultures of the three monotheistic faiths. She has written The Arabic Role in Medieval Literary History: A Forgotten Heritage; Writing in Dante's Cult of Truth: From Borges to Boccacio, and Shards of Love: Exile and the Origins of the Lyric. Her most recent books include The Ornament of the World and a co-edited volume in the Cambridge History of Arabic Literature series, The Literature of Al-Andalus. She is currently working on various projects, including a documentary based on The Ornament of the World by award-winning producer Michael Schwarz, as well as a book for the Yale University Press, a collaboration with the distinguished art historian Professor Jerrilyn Dodds and Abigail Krasner, photographer and Arabist, entitled Out of Arabic: Conversion, Translation, and Memory in the Invention of Castilian Culture. This richly illustrated study will focus on Castilian as a culture of translation in all the art forms and in all its languages. Professor Menocal was born in Cuba and raised in Philadelphia, U.S.A., receiving her Ph.D. in Romance Philology. She will address the conference on Faith, Identity & Co-Existence.

 

 

 

Marian Al-Musttaf is a translator and Office Manager of Golde Line Co. for aircraft rental and chartering. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Translation at the College of Arts, Mustansiryia University, Iraq. Her prior work experience includes translating articles and research for the library at her university and serving as a translator for the Mansour Internet Office. Al-Mustaff will address the conference on The Future of the Arab World.

 
Laith Al-Qasem is Chief Executive Officer of Arabian Business Consultants for Development, Vice-Chairman of Jordan Training Technology Group – Rubicon, Vice Chairman of the Amman World Trade Center and Chairman of Applied Engineering Ltd. He served as Chief Executive Officer of the Jordan Technology Group from 1990-2003 where he was involved in 16 technology oriented start-up companies. Al-Qasem is a Georgetown University Fellow, where he received an M.B.A. with a concentration in Finance and Investment Management. He also graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Michigan , Ann Arbor where he received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He is a member of the Young Arab Leaders (YAL) in Jordan . YAL was founded in 2004 by the World Economic Forum and is comprised of top Arab Leaders under 45 years of age from diverse sectors who are striving for a new and brighter future across the Arab World. He will moderate the session on The Future of the Arab World.
Valentina Qussisiya is the Jordan River Foundation (JRF) Deputy Director and possesses 16 years of professional experience in the corporate and NGO sectors. Of major significance is her experience with JRF in various aspects of strategic management and planning, budgeting, resource development, communication and integration of the private sector into community development. Ms. Qussisiya holds a Master's Degree in Management Studies. Ms. Qussisiya heads the Resource Development department that leads the Foundation's fundraising efforts among individual donors, seeks sponsorship from major corporations and funding institutions for programs, manages volunteers and organizers fundraising events, official launches and cornerstone activities pertaining to JRF's project needs on local, regional and international levels. Additionally, this department implements media campaigns to effectively position the Foundation in local communities and with other stakeholders as a leading force empowering society and protecting children. She will receive IWF members and guests at the Queen Rania Family & Child Center.
H.E. Patrick Renauld, Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Commission in Jordan and Yemen. He took this post in 2006, after serving in the same role in Lebanon since 2001. Ambassador Renauld began his career in the French Ministry of Finance in Paris in 1973. He joined the European Commission in Brussels in 1980 as Administrator in the Directorate-General of Agriculture. Between 1984 and 1987, Ambassador Renauld served as an Administrator in charge of the management of the Maghreb, Mashrek, Yugoslavia and ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) Agreements in Brussels. Continuing his career, between 1988 and 1992, he worked as Economic and Commercial Counselor at the Delegation of the European Commission in Morocco, followed by a two year position as Political Counselor at the European Commission Delegation in Algeria between 1992 and 1994. After two further years as European Commission Deputy Special Envoy in Sarajevo, he became Head of Unit and Director ad interim for the Western Balkans in Brussels between 1998 and 2001. He has his Master's Degree in Public Law and Economic Engineering from the University of Paris and will address the conference at a luncheon programme on Building Bridges – Breaking Walls: A Look to the Future.

Wijdan Talhouni Saket, Senator, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, was appointed to the House of Senates by King Abdullah II in 2003. She is president of the Jordan Forum for Business and Professional Women, an organization that works to support an entrepreneurial culture and economic strength for Jordanian Women. She is a tireless advocate in the law to fight discrimination against women and have the law support their rights, and she has been a champion for small businesses and women's economic freedom. She attended Dame de Sion Convent boarding school in the old city of Jerusalem, and later obtained a degree from Saint Martin's School, Warwickshire, U.K. Senator Saket received her Bachelor's of Art degree in Political Science from Beirut College for Women in Lebanon, now known as the Lebanese American University. Prior to becoming a Senator, she worked at the Central Bank of Jordan, and then joined her family's business - concurrently establishing an antique shop - turning a cherished hobby into a business. She serves as a member of the Senate's Finance and Economic committee and the Administrative committee. She has received a number of civil honors and citations for her contributions to the business community in Jordan. She will address the conference on Arab Women Parliamentarians – Another Perspective.

Dr. Jean-François Salles has been Director of the Amman Centre of the French Institute for the Near East since 2002. Prior to arriving in Jordan, he was Director of a major centre of Archaeology and Ancient History in France, Maison de l'Orient Méditerranée (Lyon). Born in France, Dr. Salles studied at the University of Lyon and acquired a Ph.D. in Ancient Burials of the near East and has been a member of the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) since 1976. Dr. Salles has participated in several archaeological excavations in the Near East: Byblos (Lebanon), Ras Shamra-Ugarit (Syria), Karranah and Abu Saybi (Bahrain), Kition (Cyprus) and was the director of the French Archaeological Mission in Kuwait from 1983 to 1996, and Director of the French Archaeological Mission in Mahasthan, Bangladesh from 1993 to 2005. He has published more than a hundred articles and scientific publications on these important excavations. Dr. Salles will receive IWF members and guests at Iraq al-Amir.

Alees Samaan, Member of Parliament (MP), Bahrain is the first woman to chair a parliament in the Middle East. At the same time, she also became the first non-Muslim to act as Speaker in a predominantly Muslim Bahrain. Samaan is one of four women who were appointed by King Hamad Bin Issa as part of his drive to widen political participation in her country. Ms. Samaan will address the conference on Arab Women Parliamentarians – Another Perspective.

H.E. Dr. Gail Schoettler is a Denver Post columnist and speaks and writes on globalization, political strategies for business and women's issues. She served as a U.S. Ambassador, appointed by President Clinton, and as Colorado 's Lt. Governor and State Treasurer. In 1998, she narrowly lost her bid for Governor of Colorado. She started two successful banks and is involved in her family's cattle ranch, vineyards and real estate enterprises. She currently serves on the boards of Aspen Bio, Inc., Security With Advanced Technology, Inc., Masergy Communications, and Delta Dental of Colorado. She also serves on the boards of The Colorado Trust ( Colorado 's largest foundation) and several non-profit organizations. Ambassador Schoettler's former board positions include CancerVax, Inc., AirGate PCS, Women's Bank, and Fischer Imaging. She earned a B.A. in economics from Stanford and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in African History from the University of California at Santa Barbara. Among her numerous awards is the French Legion of Honor ( France 's highest civilian award) from President Jacques Chirac of France. She will moderate the session on Arab Women Parliamentarians – Another Perspective.

Leila Serhan is a Small, Medium Solutions and Partners Manager for Eastern Mediterranean and Pakistan , and is responsible for the sales group related to servicing the Small and Medium Enterprises market with Microsoft solutions, including Business Solutions such as Dynamics. Prior to this role, Ms. Serhan was the Business and Marketing Officer for the Microsoft Eastern Mediterranean subsidiary for three years. She joined Microsoft in 2002 from LibanCell (a GSM Operator in Lebanon ), where she was a Financial Manager. Ms. Serhan grew up in several cities around the world, including France and the United Arab Emirates. She received a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and an M.B.A. from the American University of Beirut. She is currently based in Beirut, Lebanon. She will address the conference on Education, Culture & Competitiveness.

Dr. Janet Martin Soskice is the University Reader in Philosophical Theology at Cambridge University and a Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge. She was the first woman to be President of the Catholic Theological Association of Great Britain and to be a Eugene McCarthy Visiting Professor at the Gregorian University in Rome. Dr. Soskice has been a Board Member of the international Catholic journal, Concilium, for which she has recently edited an issue on ‘Learning from Other Faiths'. Last summer she organized, with two other scholars, a conference at the Vatican Observatory, Castelgandolfo, on the topic of creation ex nihilo which had Jewish, Christian and Muslim participants. Her current research is on the names and the naming of God, a topic dear to all three Abrahamic faiths. Last year she was Woods-Gumbel Visiting Lecturer at the Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem. Dr. Soskice received her B.A. from Cornell, her M.A. from Sheffield and her Doctorate in Philosophy from Oxford. Her next book, The Lost Gospels of Sinai (Chatto: January 2008), tells the true story of Scottish twin sisters, born in the 1840s who in the 1890s discovered a priceless Syriac manuscript of the Gospels at St. Catherine's on Mount Sinai, and went on to become important scholars of Arabic and Syriac Christian texts. Dr. Soskice will address the conference on Faith, Identity & Co-Existence.

Laura Srouji Khoury is currently active in managing and curating exhibitions at Darat al Funun, a leading arts institution that features art and artists from the Arab world. Initially fascinated by the sciences, Srouji Khoury studied biochemistry at the Imperial College in London. Upon graduating, she began a career in Marketing at the largest pharmaceutical company in Amman. She eventually found herself in the middle of the art world when working in research and concept development for UNICEF in Amman, developing its print publications and multi-media advertisements. Soon afterwards, she became qualified in exhibition design with a specialized institute in Montreal, Canad . Ms. Srouji Khoury will welcome the IWF and guests at Darat Al Funun ( Arts Museum ) – The Khalid Shoman Foundation.
Dr. John Obert Voll is professor of Islamic history and Associate Director of the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University. He taught Middle Eastern, Islamic, and world history at the University of New Hampshire for thirty years before moving to Georgetown in 1995. The second edition of his book Islam: Continuity and Change in the Modern World appeared in 1994. He is co-author, with John L. Esposito, of Islam and Democracy and Makers of Contemporary Islam and is editor, author, or co-author of five additional books. Dr. Voll is a past president of the Middle East Studies Association and also of the New England Historical Association. He has served on the Boards of Directors of the American Council of Learned Societies, the New Hampshire Humanities Council, the New Hampshire Council on World Affairs, and the Sudan Studies Association. He was the chair of the program committee for the 1999 annual meeting of the American Historical Association. In 1991, he received a Presidential Medal in recognition for scholarship on Islam from President Husni Mubarak of Egypt. He graduated from Dartmouth College and received his Ph.D. degree from Harvard University. He has lived in Cairo, Beirut, Jerusalem and Sudan, and has traveled widely in the Muslim world. Professor Voll will address the conference on Islam, Democracy and Modernization.