Julia is a sophomore at American University, majoring in Public Relations with a minor in Business & Entertainment. As a Communications Intern at HANDS, she manages social media content, writes newsletters, and works to grow the organization’s online presence and engagement. She is committed to nonprofit and social justice work and aims to use her […]
Brian is a senior at American University studying International Relations. At HANDS, his work includes a variety of duties, such as helping to plan our Spring 2025 US-Egypt Dialogue, writing fundraising appeals, and assisting with grant proposals. He is passionate about human rights-based foreign policy and hopes to further it during his career.
Mia Smith is a recent graduate of the George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs with a BA in International Affairs and a minor in Sociocultural Anthropology. She is interested in human rights and development services. At HANDS, she is responsible for assisting with grant proposals and helping with progress tracking and advertising for development […]
William “Skip” Miner is a politico-military expert and retired U.S. Navy Commander. He served in the Navy from 1967 to 1988. This included advising the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs and providing strategic planning to the staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Since 1988, Skip has worked as a private-sector policy consultant to […]
Dr. Graeme Bannerman is the founder of Bannerman Associates, an international consulting firm. He was previously a staffer for Middle East and South Asia on the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as well as a former Middle East analyst on the US State Department Policy Planning staff. Graeme has taught at several universities, including Georgetown […]
Suzan Habachy is an expert in the field of international development, having served in a variety of roles showcasing her diverse areas of expertise. She worked for the United Nations for over 20 years and served as the Executive Director of the Trickle Up Program, an international poverty-alleviation organization working across the globe. Suzan has […]
Steve Lutes is a Middle East and international trade expert. He currently serves as Vice President of Middle East Affairs at the US Chamber of Commerce and as Executive Director for the US-Egypt Business Council, among other councils on which he serves in the same capacity. Prior to this position, Steve was a senior legislative […]
Attending the German school in Egypt and graduating from the American School in Paris, Lana has been exposed to different cultures and has mastered four languages. She has attained a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Strategic Design and Management with honors at Parsons The New School For Design. Lana’s entrepreneurial nature allowed her to […]
Alex Shalaby is the current Chairman and former CEO of Mobinil, one of Egypt’s largest mobile phone operators. Alex came to Mobinil from Washington, DC, where he was Director for Public Affairs for AT&T, serving as the company’s link to lawmakers on Capitol Hill and lobbying the executive branch of the U.S. government. He has […]
Gretchen is a former senior American diplomat who served at the U.S. State Department for thirty-two years. Her overseas postings were in Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UK. She worked directly for three Secretaries of State and concluded her career by supporting the Summer Olympic Games in London UK in 2012. She […]