Who We Are
STAFF
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Saeeda Mousa |
Saeeda Mousa is from Tammoun village in the Jenin district of the West Bank. She currently lives in Ramallah. She has a BA in Development Studies with an emphasis in grassroots community development, she is completing her M.A in human development. Previously, she worked with the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees as the general coordinator of the agricultural cooperatives project (2006-2007). She taught a course on Development in the Arab World at the Contemporary Community College (2005-2006), and, at the same time, worked with the Qalandia Association on the Maram Project for the Health of the Palestinian Family. She worked at the Palestinian Hydrology Group on a project to raise environmental awareness, with CHF on a program to improve the environment in Palestine, and at FATEN, the microfinance lender, on an annual loans project. She also worked at Palestinian Medical Relief Committees on a project for rehabilitation of people with handicaps and disabilities.
Email: SaeedaM [at] Dalia.ps
Layla Kaiksow, Philanthropy Development Coordinator
Layla Kaiksow: is an Arab American who has been living and working in Palestine since 2003. She holds a BA in Womyn & Gender Studies and a Masters in Development Studies. She has experience working in various fields of development including agriculture, women, children, and media. Layla was one of the founding members of the Palestine Fair Trade Association and completed her Masters thesis on fair trade in Palestine. Most recently Layla has worked with SOS Children’s Villages and has many years experience in fundraising and program management. Layla is excited to be working with Dalia Association on Philanthropy Development and believes strongly in the grassroots nature of Dalia’s work.
Email: laylak@dalia.ps
Hala Rafidi, Administrative Assistance
Email: info[at] Dalia.ps
Jan Balliu, Coordinator, Belgium Office (volunteer)
A Belgian national, Jan has almost 20 years of professional experience in the field of philanthropy. He worked for the King Baudouin Foundation Belgium for 14 years during which he developed and coordinated the International Programme. In 2002, Jan moved to London to work as a consultant for European and American foundations, trusts and multinational corporations. Jan has initiated and implemented numerous grantmaking and operational programs for socially disadvantaged populations throughout Central and Eastern Europe and globally. These programs were all geared towards strengthening local organizations to address their own needs, thus focusing on organizational development, strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation, building partnerships and coalitions, mobilizing local (human) resources and financial management. Among many other examples, Jan was responsible for the creation of the WINGS Global Fund for Community Foundations. In this context he established close contact with Dalia Association. Jan returned to Belgium in 2008 and has gladly taken up the role of coordinator of the Belgium office of Dalia Association.
Nora Lester Murad, (volunteer)
Originally from the US, Nora Lester Murad is an independent researcher/consultant living in East Jerusalem. She works with Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs), and multilateral organizations doing participatory research, strategic planning, community development, organizational change, donor communications, Community Based Organizations (CBOs) capacity assessments, impact evaluations, fundraising, and other projects. Her research interests are issues of dependence on international aid, participatory processes, and patriarchy. Nora has a P.hD. from Fielding Graduate Institute focused on social change and structural inequality; an M.A. in Intercultural Relations from Lesley University, with an emphasis in conflict management and training; and a B.A. in Middle East Studies from UCLA during which she studied at the American University in Cairo (1983-4) and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem (1984-5). Before moving to Palestine, she was assistant professor of cross-cultural understanding at Bentley College in Massachusetts, and she had a thriving consulting practice serving community groups, hospitals, grant-makers, government agencies and corporations. During 1987-1993, she was the US coordinator of the Cambridge-Ramallah/El-Bireh Sister City Campaign.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
| Hamada Abed H. Al-Bayari Jamal Najib Mahmoud Kittana Rula Muzaffer Thuqan K. Qishawi Azza Shoaibi Siham Rashid
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 Hamada Abed H. Al-Bayari is the humanitarian affairs assistant for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Gaza Strip. Previously he worked development and public relations at El-Wafa Medical Rehabilitation Hospital and did field research and coordination for B’Tselem: The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, Civic Forum Institute, and National Democratic Institute for International Affairs. He has worked as a physiotherapy assistant and an Arabic interpreter/translator for the French media. Hamada has a B.Sc. from the Islamic University in Gaza City. |
 Jamal Najib is a business technology consultant based in Al-Bireh/Ramallah. He moved back from the US to Jerusalem in 2004 providing consulting services in information technology development , planning, commercial and home automation. He has over 20 years experience providing technology services in the information technology market including over 15 years of consulting services in the Silicon Valley California. He is a partner in Smart Technology, a technology firm specializing in Information technology /security and home automation solutions. Jamal has an IT degree from Canada College, California and is a Microsoft Systems Engineer (MSCE) and Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT). |
 Mahmoud Kittana, a lawyer based in Ramallah, currently works as a legal advisor at the Birzeit Univeristy Institute of Law; there, he conducts legal research, lectures and gives workshops, prepares curricula, and organizes/analyzes legal data. He also works for Ittqan Law Firm. Mahmoud received his B.A. in Law from Al-Quds University in Jerusalem; his Master’s degree in Commercial Law from Birzeit University in Ramallah; and a Master of Laws degree from Duke University in the US. He was trained in various other law firms, both in Palestine and in the US, and has extensive experience in matters of democratic involvement and development, crisis management and negotiation, and strategic planning for institutions. Mahmoud has also published several articles on legal and political issues in the Palestinian context. |
 Rula Muzaffer (Treasurer) ) is the Jerusalem Director of Administrative and Financial Affairs for MIFTA, the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy. She received her B.A. in Accounting and English from Yarmouk University in Irbid, Jordan. Before starting her work with MIFTA, where she has over ten years of experience, Rula worked in numerous other financial and administrative capacities, including at (AA) Consulting Engineers in Ramallah (where she served as a financial analyst; the Palestinian Ministry of Higher Education (as the director of financial affairs); the Palestinian Independent Commission for Citizens’ Rights, and several trading and maintenance companies. Rula also has training experience in financial management for NGOs, government administration in conflict areas, and other fields related to the coordination of both public and privately run organizations. |
 Thuqan K. Qishawi is a development expert with over fifteen years of experience in the field. He is currently the Middle East Regional Coordinator of Youth Programs for the American Friends Service Committee. Thuqan holds a Bachelor of Mathematics & Economics from the American University in Cairo and a Master’s degree in Economics from Birzeit University, Palestine. In his current capacity, Thuqan spearheads the Public Achievement (PA) program in Palestine, one of the world’s most successful PA initiatives. Thuqan has worked with a variety of governmental and non-governmental entities in Palestine, focusing on issues as diverse as gender budgeting and sensitivity, feasibility studies, youth employment policies, youth civic engagement, business management, and entrepreneurship. A monitoring and evaluation expert, he has conducted various evaluation studies and strategic planning processes over the years. Thuqan attained his trainer certification from Inwent, Germany, and has become a skilled trainer, moderator, and facilitator; he has facilitated trainings and both regional and local workshops on water/environmental issues, socioeconomic issues, gender, leadership, and youth civic engagement. |
 Azza Shoaibi (Secretary) works at Birzeit University, where she is completing her M.A in public health. She is also a chief pharmacist at YazanCare in Ramallah. Previously, she was the training and projects coordinator for Jerusalem Pharmaceuticals Company (JPHARM) in Ramallah, the largest pharmaceutical company and exporter in Palestine. Azza is involved in a wide range of community volunteer work, including serving as a lecturer and trainer for Injaz Association, a program that teaches business skills to Palestinian youth. Azza received her degree in pharmacy from the Jordanian University of Science and Technology in Irbid, Jordan, and has been certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP) by the Project Management Institute (PMI) in the United States. |
 Siham Rashid was born in Chicago, IL, and moved to Palestine in 1996. Her work in Chicago included managing a youth program, working with women victims/survivors of violence and advocacy. At present, Siham works at UN Women as Programs Coordinator for the Millennium Development Programs (MDG) in the oPt. Prior to her work at UN Women, Siham worked at the Palestinian Counseling Center as Director of the Public Relations Department and whose responsibilities included resource mobilization, communications and advocacy. |
