Sami Shaheen is a development specialist with a master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Glasgow and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the American University in Cairo. He is currently engaged in a 5-year research project titled “Beyond Neoliberalism: Voices from the Middle East and North Africa,” funded by the Ford Foundation. His research emphasizes transformative economic development through industrial policy, innovation, and knowledge economy. Sami also leads the Giving Circle – MENA initiative, advocating for radical collaboration, consensus, and political discernment to find the best solutions.

Marina Daniel is a seasoned consultant and the head of the Business Development Unit at Aspire Community Transformation, part of Aspire for Consulting International. She holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from the British University in Egypt, specializing in gender mainstreaming, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Law and Politics at Unicaf in Zambia, focusing on the increasing social exclusion of refugees in the Middle East, and particularly Lebanon.

Marina also works with Giving Circles-MENA as a consultant where she utilizes her business development skills to promote for critical causes in our Middle East. By far, Marina has worked on tailoring membership plans, communication and social media strategy and reaching out to potential philanthropists.

Marina's expertise include developing curricula on refugee inclusion and social cohesion, creating SOPs for volunteer management, designing training programs on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and crafting content for proposal writing. She is passionate about creating positive social impact, focusing on reducing inequalities, ending poverty, providing quality education, and achieving gender equality in the Middle East.

Alaa Shaheen has over 30 years of experience in international development projects across the MENA region, including Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, and Tunisia. He specializes in local governance decentralization, civic participation, youth empowerment, refugee support, and civil society strengthening. Alaa has designed and implemented development projects funded by USAID, World Bank, European Commission, and GIZ. He excels in business development, proposal writing, fundraising, and monitoring and evaluation. Alaa has worked directly with marginalized communities, including youth, women, and refugees, providing improved livelihoods and essential services. He has trained over 5,000 participants in professional skills across the MENA region and beyond. Alaa holds a master’s degree in Construction Management from Brighton University, UK, and a bachelor’s degree in Construction Engineering from the American University in Cairo.

Dr. Hayat ElHariri is the founder of the Dialectic Institution, a research platform that combines academic approaches and journalistic practice based in Beirut. The Institution aims to study and understand political transformations and their repercussions on the economic, social, developmental, and environmental aspects in Lebanon and the Arab region.

Dr. Hayat is an independent journalist and writer in different Arab political research and media institutions and websites; Political analyst and commentator in local and regional media stations; Author and Co-author of books in media, journalism, and politics; writer and speaker in the field of politics and journalism. Dr. Hayat has PhD in History and International Relations at Saint Joseph University (USJ); MA in International Affairs at the Lebanese American University (LAU); BA in Communication Arts emphasis Journalism at the Lebanese American University (LAU).

Nayla Frem Sayegh is the Founder and President of Berrad El Hay, a community-led initiative launched in 2018 to combat food waste and food insecurity, one neighborhood at a time.

With over 30 years of active engagement in social advocacy, Nayla has been a dedicated supporter of vulnerable communities in Lebanon, particularly championing the rights and inclusion of children with disabilities through her long-standing commitment to Sesobel.

Her work reflects a deep belief in dignity, solidarity, and the power of grassroots action to create lasting impact.