“I believe that without justice, there is no peace”

Team

Abid Shamdeen

Co-founder & Strategic Advisor

Abid Shamdeen is a co-founder and strategic advisor at Nadia's Initiative. He holds a master's degree in political science from the School of International Service at American University, and utilizes his extensive knowledge of global development to support the organization's advocacy efforts. Abid has a unique understanding of the challenges faced by the Yazidi community, gained through his experience as a member of the Sinjar Crisis Management Team and as a cultural advisor and translator for the United States Army in Iraq. Since the 2014 genocide in Sinjar, Abid has been actively advocating for the Yazidi community and has played a significant role in bringing aid and projects to the region.

Alison Anderson

Head of Finance & Operations

Alison Anderson is an agile, highly-skilled nonprofit sector consultant with over ten years of experience working in the management of nonprofit organizations. She helps nonprofit organizations thrive internally, so that they can deliver on mission. She holds a Master of Arts Management degree from Carnegie Mellon’s Heinz School of Public Policy and a B.A. from Davidson College. At Nadia's Initiative, Alison oversees the organization’s financial management and internal operations, including human resources.

Lucy Woolliscroft

Director of Communications & Public Relations

Lucy Woolliscroft joins Nadia's Initiative from the British Civil Service where she led the Editorial Unit at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Chief Speechwriter to three Secretary of State's, Lucy brings a wealth of experience writing for and advising senior figures.

Before switching to government communications, Lucy was a senior presenter and reporter for BBC News. Specialising in business and economics, with a particular focus on gender equality, Lucy covered some of the biggest international stories of the last decade, reporting from all over the globe for the BBC World Service. She launched her own radio show on the channel in 2020 and was a regular presenter on the flagship domestic news programme.

Kirby Neuner

Director of Development & Impact

Kirby is a development and communications professional with over eight years of experience in the government, nonprofit, and private sectors. Before NI, Kirby served as a speechwriter at the U.S. Department of Defense and completed a Presidential Management Fellowship with USAID and the U.S. Department of State.

Previously, Kirby worked on the personal staff of Secretary Madeleine K. Albright at Albright Stonebridge Group (ASG) and managed partnerships at OCP Group. He has also supported government-funded development programming at Democracy International and led field research in Haiti and across Africa. Kirby holds an MA in Security Studies from the Georgetown School of Foreign Service and a BA in History from Williams College. He is originally from Hackettstown, NJ.

Coralyn Maguigad

Special Assistant to the President & Digital Communications Lead

Coralyn Maguigad is a talented logistics aficionado with extensive experience living and studying in Middle Eastern countries. Drawing on her educational and professional background in human rights and communications, Coralyn supports the president and strategic advisor. In addition to her administrative duties, she leads the digital communications team. She received a B.A. in International Studies and Arabic Studies from American University.

Ahmed Hassan Qasim

Finance and HR Officer, Iraq

Ahmed is from Sinjar, Iraq and holds a bachelor’s degree from the College of Nursing at the University of Mosul. He also worked as a research assistant in the Department of Psychology at the University of Tampere in Finland, conducting research on infant development in war zones. Ahmed has several years of experience working with organizations, such as Médecins Sans Frontières, Mission East, Joint Help for Kurdistan, Médecins du Monde, and the International Medical Corps. He has worked as a finance officer, MHPSS officer, psychologist, and project manager. At Nadia’s Initiative, he supports the organization’s financial management.

Nadia Hassan Khalo

Protection Manager

Nadia is a passionate advocate for women's rights and a survivor of ISIS captivity. She was born and raised in Sinjar, Iraq, and holds a bachelor's degree in education. Nadia has extensive experience working with vulnerable populations, particularly children, and has collaborated with several civil society organizations. Her work as a case manager has equipped her with skills in assessing needs, developing service plans, and coordinating services. Currently, Nadia manages the protection team and works on women and survivor projects in Sinjar. She strives to develop and implement initiatives that address the specific needs of women and survivors in the region.

Aida Nasir

Protection Officer

Aida is a civil engineer born and raised in the Sinjar region. She holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and has over four years of experience working with different NGOs and companies. Aida began her career with civil society organizations as a project manager, gaining valuable experience in children's rights and data collection. She has also worked as a field engineer with companies and provided building training with UN and other NGOs.

Dakheel Khalaf Findi

Engineering Officer

Dakheel is from the Sinjar region of Iraq and holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in business administration. He has over five years of experience working with international and national humanitarian and development organizations in northern Iraq. Dakheel has worked as an engineer, trainer, field coordinator and project manager with organizations such as Dorcas Aid International, Handicap International, GIZ, and Mission East. At Nadia’s Initiative, Dakheel oversees the organization’s construction projects, developing BOQs and coordinating with implementing partners and contractors.

Alhan Ibrahim

Project Coordinator

Born and raised in Sinjar, Alhan holds a bachelor’s degree in the English language from the University of Mosul and has over four years of experience in case management, facilitation and education with local and international NGOs. She is passionate about cultural studies and women’s empowerment. As a project coordinator at Nadia’s Initiative, Alhan is based at the Yazidi Genocide Memorial, where she welcomes visitors, coordinates events, and serves as a guide, offering knowledge about the site and the history of Yazidi Genocide.

Ambassador Philippe Étienne

Board Member

Ambassador Étienne, a distinguished former French diplomat, recently concluded his term as the French Ambassador to the United States (2019-2023) after serving as Diplomatic Advisor to President Emmanuel Macron (2017-2019). In the latter role, he functioned as the President’s personal representative to international summits, including the G7 and G20. Previously, Étienne served as Ambassador to Germany and held key positions such as France’s Permanent Representative to the European Union and Ambassador to Romania. Currently, Ambassador Étienne chairs the French agency overseeing the commemorations of the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the Liberation of France. His accolades include being a Commander of the Legion of Honor and a Commander of the National Order of Merit. A graduate of the École Normale Supérieure and the École Nationale d’Administration, Ambassador Étienne holds a teaching diploma in Mathematics and a degree in Economics. He is fluent in French, English, German, Spanish, and Russian.

Amanda Nguyen

Board Member

Amanda is a civil rights activist. She ignited the Stop Asian Hate movement and passed sexual assault survivor rights in the United States and United Nations. For her work she is a Nobel Peace Prize Nominee and TIME Woman of the Year. Amanda played Hanoi Hannah in Spike Lee’s film Da Five Bloods. She has served at the White House, Department of State, and NASA, and is currently an astronaut candidate at the International Institute of Astronautical Sciences. She loves wombats, bunnies and dogs.

Kash Ghashghai

Board Member

Kash is a dedicated public servant currently serving as the Counselor for Multilateral Economic and Political Affairs at the U.S. Mission to UN and Other International Organizations in Geneva. Leading six teams, he spearheads U.S. policy advancement in crucial global organizations like WHO, ILO, WIPO, ITU, UNCTAD, UNECE, Gavi, and the Global Fund. Kash's teams not only promote stability in global hot spots but also strive to reform UN operations and budgets by prioritizing the hiring of American citizens. With extensive experience in the U.S. Foreign Service, Kash has served in Pakistan, Somalia, and Kenya, specializing in areas like countering violent extremism, international religious freedom, and human rights. Kash, a multifaceted individual with a diverse background, holds a B.A. in English from Texas A&M University and an M.A. from King’s College London.