UNRWA USA welcomes five new board members

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 30, 2024

MEDIA CONTACT:
Laila Mokhiber, Director of Communications
laila@unrwausa.org
(202) 223-3767

Washington, DC -– This month, the UNRWA USA National Committee (UNRWA USA) board of directors and staff proudly welcome five new board members: Salim W. Abboud, CFA, Rajaie Batniji, MD, PhD, Maryam Jamshidi, Amb. (ret.) Ted H. Kattouf, and Elissar Sarrouh. All began their board terms in July 2024.

“The addition of these distinguished board members during such a critical time for our organization underscores the strength and growth of UNRWA USA. Despite ongoing political attacks against both UNRWA, the UN agency, and UNRWA USA, our nonprofit, we remain a magnet for highly respected and knowledgeable leaders from across professional sectors  who deeply understand the life-saving importance of our mission. Their eagerness to contribute to our cause at this critical moment reaffirms our resilience and dedication to advancing the rights and well-being of Palestine refugees,” says Executive Director Mara Kronenfeld.

Salim W. Abboud, CFA
Founder & Managing Director at Alpha Global Advisors, Northern Virginia
Salim brings over 40 years of experience in finance, investments, and real estate. He holds a Bachelor of Science from The University of Warwick and an MBA from The University of Virginia. A CFA charterholder, Salim has held senior positions with the Government of Dubai, the International Finance Corporation, and major banks including CIBC Wood Gundy, Westdeutsche Landesbank, and Arab Banking Corporation. Additionally, Salim served as Director of the Arab Bankers Association of North America (ABANA) for two terms. His family's displacement from Yafa (Jaffa) in 1948 and his subsequent experiences across the Arab world deeply connect him to our mission.

Rajaie Batniji, MD, PhD
Physician, San Francisco, CA
Dr. Batniji is a physician and entrepreneur with a passion for improving healthcare delivery. As the leader at Waymark, he drives innovation in Medicaid benefits and community care. Previously, as Chief Health Officer at Collective Health, he helped grow the company to serve hundreds of thousands of members. Dr. Batniji holds a BA and MA from Stanford University, an MD from the University of California, San Francisco, and a doctorate from Oxford University as a Marshall Scholar. His research has been published in top medical journals such as The Lancet and the British Medical Journal, and his work has been featured in major media outlets including the New York Times and Bloomberg.

Amb. (ret.) Ted H. Kattouf
Retired Ambassador, Maryland
Ambassador Kattouf's distinguished diplomatic career spans several decades and includes significant roles in Kuwait, Damascus, Syria, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and as U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Syria. After graduating from Pennsylvania State University, Kattouf served in the U.S. Army and joined the Foreign Service. His extensive experience includes serving as Deputy Chief of Mission in Baghdad and Sanaa, and Director of the Office of Lebanon, Jordan, and Syrian Affairs. He also served as president and CEO of AMIDEAST. Ambassador Kattouf's numerous accolades include the Cobb Award for advocacy, several meritorious honor awards, and a Presidential honor award.

Maryam Jamshidi
Associate Professor of Law, University of Colorado Law School, Boulder, CO
Professor Jamshidi is an expert in national security law, public international law, and the law of foreign relations. She holds a JD from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, an MSc in Political Theory from the London School of Economics, and an AB from Brown University. Prior to joining the University of Colorado Law School, Professor Jamshidi was a faculty member at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and NYU Law School. Her research has appeared in prominent law journals such as the Cornell Law Review and the Harvard National Security Journal, and she has published in popular media outlets.

Elissar Sarrouh
Chief Executive Officer, Expert Consulting on Governance, Canada
Elissar has over 31 years of experience in international development, global governance, and diplomacy. She leads a consulting firm specializing in global governance challenges, corporate governance, and peacebuilding. As a Professor of Practice at McGill University's Institute for the Study of International Development and a Research Collaborator at the Global Governance Lab and the Women Empowerment Lab, she provides thought leadership in conflict and post-conflict contexts. Elissar's career includes extensive work in political and economic governance, and she has been appointed as a Visiting Professor at the University of Ottawa's School of Globalization and International Development.

UNRWA USA is governed by a 15-member board of directors who share its commitment to supporting the lives and well-being of Palestine refugees. Working alongside UNRWA USA Executive Director Mara Kronenfeld, the board provides strategic direction and oversight to achieve our nonprofit’s vision: until there is a just solution to their plight, a world where Palestine refugees thrive.

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UNRWA USA National Committee (UNRWA USA) is an independent nonprofit organization that provides support for humanitarian assistance to Palestine refugees. UNRWA USA lifts up the voices, experiences, and humanity of Palestine refugees to secure American support for resources essential to every human being, for the promise of a better life. US taxpayers are eligible for tax deductions for donations made to UNRWA USA.