His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa is the eldest son of the late Amir of Bahrain, Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa. H.M. the King was born in Riffa on January 28, 1950, corresponding to Rabe’a Al Awal 7, 1369, on the Hijra calendar. At the age of six, he began his primary education in Bahrain in addition to reciting the Holy Quran and studying the principles of Islam and the Arabic language at the hands of professionals in the field of Islamic studies. This education had a positive impact on his mastering of Arabic and his appreciation of Arabic poetry, especially Nabati and Bedouin poetry.

His Majesty was keen to attend the Majlis (open court sessions with the people) of his late father to listen attentively to traditional stories and legends about heroes, nations, incidents and factors that contributed to victory or resulted in defeat. His Majesty the King also expressed keenness to learn swimming, horse riding and target shooting from expert trainers, which had a major influence in planting the seeds of his interest in sports and his patronage of sportsmen.

In 1964, following the completion of primary education with honors, H.M. the King was proclaimed Crown Prince on June 27, 1964. He completed his secondary schooling from Leys public school in Cambridge, England, returning to Bahrain in the summer of 1967. He joined the Mons Officer Cadet School at Aldershot in England graduating on September 14, 1968. He also studied at Sandhurst Academy. On his return, H.M. the King played an active role in preparing the outline of the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) which was bolstered by an Amiri Charter issued in August 1968 that created the BDF.

H.M. King Hamad married his cousin on October 9, 1968, a union which bore him H.R.H. Shaikh Salman on October 21, 1969, H.R.H. Shaikh Abdullah on June 30, 1975, H.R.H. Shaikh Khalifa on June 4, 1977, and H.R.H. Shaikha Najla on May 20, 1981. H.M. was appointed head of the Defense Directorate and became a member of the State Council which was established on January 19, 1970. He then became Minister of Defense on August 15, 1971, when the Cabinet was formed and continued holding the post until the formation of the current Cabinet.

On June 21, 1972, H.M. the King joined the US Army Command and Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, the United States of America. He was awarded the Freedom Medal of Kansas city from the Mayor and people of Kansas City. He attained the National Diploma in military administration on May 31, 1972, from the Industrial College for the Military Forces in Washington.On June 9, 1973, he graduated with honors from Fort Leavenworth with a degree in leadership.

He was awarded the military honor certificate from the United States of America for his achievements in military affairs since 1968 and his name was enlisted in the college’s lieutenant honors list. After his return from the US, H.M. the King took active part in the country’s development and expansion process in general and the BDF in particular. His efforts covered various fields including the culture, sports, military, technology and health sciences.

On June 26, 1974, H.M. the King was appointed deputy to the Head of the Al Khalifa Family Council following an Amiri decree issued in this context. In January 1978, H.M. the King ordered the establishment of the Historical Documents Centre which he housed in his Court. This had great impact in the development of the Centre, which continued in its work of gathering pictures and documents from various countries, publishing them in the center’s Al Watheqa magazine.

H.M. the King’s interest in sports and youth was enhanced by his appointment as President of the Supreme Council of Youth and Sports in 1975 with Amiri decree No 2. H.M. the King has always shown interest in sports, especially horse riding. His keen interest in Arabian horses caused him to establish the Amiri stables in June 1977 which was registered in the World Arabian Horses Organization in September 1978.

H.M. the King has always emphasized the importance of bolstering scientific research and technology, coordinating such activities in the service of Bahrain. These activities were given a boost with the establishment of the Bahrain Centre for Studies and Research in1981 and his heading of the BSCR.

Since his teenage years, H.M. the King had shown great interest in aviation and, in October 1977, he began his theoretical and practical training in flying helicopters. On January 14, 1978, H.M. the King graduated as a helicopter pilot and from that moment worked relentlessly to establish the Bahrain Amiri Air Force. H.M. the King was enlisted as an honorary permanent member in the Helicopters Club, United Kingdom, on January 30, 1979, for his extensive contribution to aviation in the Middle East since 1977.

H.M. the King has great interest in preserving heritage and continues to indulge in a number of sports activities and hobbies including falconry, golf, fishing, tennis and football, but H.M. primary interest has always been the continuous development and advancement of the Bahrain Defense Force to which he has allocated a great deal of time and effort.

His Excellency is the chairman of the Committee on the Implementation of the Riyadh Agreement and a member of the Supreme Defense Council and the Ministerial Committee on Social Services, Media, Transportation Sector, and Communication Affairs. He is also a member of the ministerial committee to follow up labor issues, as well as on the board of trustees of Isa for Service to Humanity.

• He was awarded the Bahrain Second Class Medal, by H.M. King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in May of 2001, in recognition of his contribution and role as a Liaison Officer during the Territorial Dispute between Bahrain and Qatar
• Received the Medal of Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa in February 2011 on the occasion of the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the National Action Charter
• Granted the title of a Freeman of the City of London on 24 November 2005
• Awarded the Outstanding Achievement in Public Relations Award of 2012, by the Bahrain Public Relations Association for his role in the formulation of the mental image of the Kingdom of Bahrain internationally
• Granted honorary citizenship of the city of Istanbul, April 1, 2012
• Won the Social Media Award in February 2012 and the Award for the most interactive personality
• Won the Social Media Award in February 2013 and the Award for the most interactive personality
• Won the award for Best Arab Political Figure in Social Media in 2015 at the Arab Social Media Influencers Summit in Dubai.

Dr. Henry Alfred Kissinger was sworn in on September 22, 1973, as the 56th Secretary of State, a position he held until January 20, 1977.  He also served as Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs from January 20, 1969, until November 3, 1975.  In July 1983 he was appointed by President Reagan to chair the National Bipartisan Commission on Central America until it ceased operation in January 1985, and from 1984-1990 he served as a member of the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board.  From 1986-1988 he was a member of the Commission on Integrated Long-Term Strategy of the National Security Council and Defense Department.  He has served as a member of the Defense Policy Board since 2001.

At present, Dr. Kissinger is Chairman of Kissinger Associates, Inc., an international consulting firm.  He is also a member of the International Council of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.; a Counselor to and Trustee of the Center for Strategic and International Studies; an Honorary Governor of the Foreign Policy Association; and an Honor Member of the International Olympic Committee.  Among his other activities, Dr. Kissinger served as a  member of the Board of Directors of ContiGroup Companies, Inc. from 1988-2014 and remains an Advisor to the Board, a position he also holds at American Express Company since 2005, after serving on the Board from 1984.  He is also a Trustee Emeritus of the Metropolitan Museum of Art; a Director Emeritus of Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Inc.; and a Director of the International Rescue Committee.

Among the awards Dr. Kissinger has received have been a Bronze Star from the U.S. Army in 1945; the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973; the Presidential Medal of Freedom (the nation’s highest civilian award) in 1977; and the Medal of Liberty (given one time to ten foreign-born American leaders) in 1986.

Dr. Kissinger was born in Fuerth, Germany, came to the United States in 1938 and was naturalized a United States citizen in 1943.  He served in the Army from 1943 to 1946.  He graduated summa cum laude from Harvard College in 1950 and received M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Harvard University in 1952 and 1954.

From 1954 until 1969 he was a member of the faculty of Harvard University, in both the Department of Government and the Center for International Affairs.  He was Director of the Harvard International Seminar from 1952 to 1969.

Dr. Kissinger is the author of:

• A World Restored:  Castlereagh, Metternich and the Restoration of Peace,  1812-1822 (1957);
• Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy (1957);
• The Necessity for Choice:  Prospects of American Foreign Policy (1961);
• The Troubled Partnership:  A Reappraisal of the Atlantic Alliance (1965);
• Problems of National Strategy:  A Book of Readings (ed.) (1965);
• American Foreign Policy, Three Essays (1969);
• White House Years (1979);
• For the Record:  Selected Statements, 1977-1980 (1981);
• Years of Upheaval (1982);
• Observations:  Selected Speeches and Essays, 1982-1984 (1985);
• Diplomacy (1994);
• Years of Renewal (1999);
• Does America Need a Foreign Policy?: Toward a Diplomacy for the
• 21st  Century (2001);
• Ending the Vietnam War: A History of America’s Involvement in and Extrication from the Vietnam War (2003);
• Crisis: The Anatomy of Two Major Foreign Policy Crises (2003);and
• On China (May 2011);
• World Order (September 2014).

He has also published numerous articles on United States foreign policy, international affairs and diplomatic history.  His column, syndicated by Tribune Media Services International, appears in leading U.S. and international newspapers.

Dr. Kissinger is married to the former Nancy Maginnes and is the father of two children by a previous marriage.

Ms. Nahlah Al-Jubeir is responsible for assisting Saudi students in broadening their skill sets and deepening their professional experience by connecting them with potential job and internship opportunities. As Director for the Center for Career Development. Ms. Al-Jubeir seeks to build partnerships with organizations that can provide Saudi students with the opportunity to transform classroom learning into practical experience.

Prior to her current position, Ms. Al-Jubeir worked at the Saudi Health Mission as Deputy Director, Administrative and Financial Affairs; Director of Special Accounts; and, Director of Public Relations.

Ms. Al-Jubeir is a graduate of Georgetown University with a Master’s Degree in economics and a Bachelor of Arts in German and economics. She is also a graduate of the American University with a Master’s Degree in TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages); and, she holds a diploma in accounting. She is also a Senior International Affairs Fellow at the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations.

Dr. Ali Al Rakaf, founder of Project CODE; a program rooted in the private sector and supported by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and Vision 2030.

Dr. Al Rakaf has commissioned a number of research projects with several international institutions and universities, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Oxford (OX), Brain science foundation (BSF), University of Southern California (USF), and the Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS), and many other leading academic institutions, strategic think tanks organizations and research focused industries.

Project CODE; a technology transfer project, has been established as an administrative and scientific vehicle for the transfer and localization of many strategic medical and military technologies. It is an accelerator program of unprecedented scale designed to position Saudi Arabia as a leader in both healthcare and security for the Arab world. The goal of Project CODE is to acquire 500 companies in the coming years to bring many of the world’s leading technologies (and technologists) to KSA.

Dr. Al Rakaf, born in Riyadh (KSA), obtained his bachelor’s degree from the King Saud University. In 1994 he joined the King Faisal Air Force Academy where he obtained his Master’s Degree in Administration. Dr. Al Rakaf rose to the position of Captain in the Royal Saudi Air Force. While serving as Captain, Dr. Al Rakaf was asked to serve as a Liaison Officer and Coordination Team Leader to the British Ministry of Defense with BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing.

Dr. Al Rakaf has also served as a diplomat at the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington, DC. During his tenure at the Embassy, he also pursued and earned a Master’s Degree from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Dr. Al Rakaf authored several research papers on technological tracking and simulation technology and incorporated several technology innovations, including; Sultan Safety Systems (SSS) application, Creative Electronic Systems (CES), the system of linear laser; IRQA application administrative system, which acquired a new innovation in tracking the flow of the administrative system and information processing from Oracle.

Project CODE is supported by Dr. Newton Howard, the Director of the Synthetic Intelligence Lab and resident scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Dr. Walid Fitaihi is the Founder, Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer of the International Medical Center (IMC) based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He has been pioneering the development of the IMC project since its inception in 1997, beginning from the conduction of the initial market research and feasibility studies, to finding the right private investors who share the same vision, raising independently the SR 350 million for the financial guarantee of the project’s success.

Dr. Fitaihi’s integral role in the foundation of the IMC included the creation of the mission and vision, overseeing the design, construction and commissioning of the facility, guiding it through a successful accreditation, setting up guidelines for recruitment, quality and policy-making while instilling the IMC culture and values to all involved.

The grand opening of the International Medical Center was held in October 2006 under the patronage of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz bringing to life the dream of Dr. Fitaihi.

His mission in life is to bring a breath of a new vision that would enhance the quality of healthcare and to ensure that the IMC truly represents a major paradigm shift in health care delivery in the region.

Dr. Fitaihi completed his B.S. in Systems Engineering and received his medical degree (M.D.) from The George Washington University, U.S.A. Dr. Fitaihi also has a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in Health Policy and Management from the Harvard School of Public Health, U.S.A. Dr. Fitaihi is an American Board Certified physician, specialized in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology. He completed his internship and residency requirements and joined a Fellowship in Endocrinology at Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals in the Boston area. Dr. Fitaihi, who was also an instructor of medicine at the Harvard Medical School, is a strong advocate of patient education and considers continuous education a key element in improving the quality of healthcare in today’s world of medicine.

Dr. Fitaihi had many assignments during his career; he was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Saudi Council of Health Specialties, the highest healthcare council in Saudi Arabia, until 2011, and member of the Joint Commission International’s (JCI) Standards Committee, responsible for reviewing international accreditation quality standards for hospitals. He is committed to community service and voluntary activities. Over the years he has delivered a number of lectures on topics related to medical, social, and cultural issues and has published hundreds of articles in various magazines and newspapers focusing on both health-related and non-health related topics. In March 2010, the ITP group chose Dr. Fitaihi as the 2009 CEO of the year in healthcare in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and in 2012, Dr. Fitaihi was among the top influential people in Saudi Arabia in the survey published by Arabian Business Magazine. In 2013, he founded the Wamahyay TV program and has successfully completed 3 seasons.

The Huntsman Cancer Institute, founded by Jon M. Huntsman, Sr., is a leader in the study of cancer genetics. Its researchers have discovered more inherited cancer genes than any other cancer center on the planet; its goal is to eradicate cancer worldwide. Ms. Peterson focuses on arranging exchanges and collaborations of mutual benefit between Huntsman Cancer Institute and its counterparts in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

As a Member of the Board of Directors of the National Council on U.S. Arab Relations, Ms. Peterson shares the Council’s commitment to improving American knowledge and understanding of the Arab world. She participates in the C3 Saudi-American Healthcare Forum, created to advance healthcare diplomacy between the United States and Saudi Arabia. Ms. Peterson writes extensively about the Middle East.

Before joining Huntsman, Ms. Peterson worked closely with Christopher Cerf, an award-winning author and television producer. She was researcher and editor on several books co-authored by Cerf, including “The Experts Speak” and “Mission Accomplished.” The two were co-directors of a Welcome Books’ imprint, Cerf & Peterson, and co-authored a bestselling book, “Blackie, The Horse Who Stood Still,” which Ms. Peterson also Illustrated. She has also illustrated Jesse Kornbluth’s adaptation of “A Christmas Carol,” by Charles Dickens.

Born in Marin County, California, Ms. Peterson is also a painter who is represented by Gerald Peters Gallery. The prestigious Guild Hall Academy of the Arts in East Hampton has honored her with a lifetime membership.

Dr. James R. Downing is President and Chief Executive Officer of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. As the architect of a new six-year strategic plan, he is leading the expansion of St. Jude clinical care and research programs in Memphis and around the globe.

A renowned leader in pediatric cancer research, Dr. Downing focuses his work on understanding the genetic basis of cancer and using that information to improve the treatment of children with cancer. He was instrumental in launching the Pediatric Cancer Genome Project (PCGP), which has sequenced the normal and cancer genomes of more than 800 young cancer patients with some of the least understood and most aggressive tumors. The project made TIME magazine’s 2012 list of top 10 medical breakthroughs. In 2013, he was a finalist for TIMEmagazine’s 100 most influential people in the world. The PCGP has produced groundbreaking discoveries in brain tumors, leukemia, a cancer of the peripheral nervous system, an eye tumor and the degenerative disorder commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The project has also produced new computational tools that benefit the broader field of genomic medicine.

In addition to his leadership role at St. Jude, Dr. Downing serves on a Blue Ribbon Panel to advise Vice President Joe Biden’s National Cancer Moonshot Initiative through the National Cancer Institute.

Dr. Downing is a Detroit native who earned his undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of Michigan. He joined St. Jude in 1986 after training in anatomic pathology at Washington University in St. Louis and completing a fellowship in hematopathology at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Prior to taking the helm of St. Jude, Dr. Downing served as the institution’s scientific and deputy director and as an executive vice president in the organization. He became the hospital’s sixth chief executive officer July 15, 2014.

He has received numerous honors, including the Association for Molecular Pathology Award for Excellence in Molecular Diagnostics, which recognizes lifetime, pioneering achievement, particularly in regard to molecular diagnostics and molecular medicine. In 2013, Dr. Downing was elected to the Institute of Medicine, a branch of the National Academy of Sciences, and in 2016, he was named a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Dr. Downing has been supported throughout his career by his lovely wife, Mariea. They are the proud parents of three children, Melissa, Suzy and Michael, and have four grandchildren, Jude, Lucy, Charlie and Maggie.

Rabbi Arthur Schneier is internationally known for his leadership on behalf of religious freedom, human rights and tolerance, whose activities have spanned the globe for more than four decades. He has played a major role in addressing issues in the former Soviet Union and Russia, China, Central Europe, Latin America and the Balkans.

Rabbi Schneier is an especially sought-after speaker and participant at inter-religious summits sponsored by the Vatican, Patriarchate of Moscow and the King of Saudi Arabia; he addressed European Parliament, UN and UNESCO, Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, World Economic Forum, Davos and Leaders of Change Summit, Istanbul.

As founder and President of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation (1965) and a spiritual leader of New York’s Park East Synagogue (1962), he was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal for “his service as an international envoy for four administrations” and “as a Holocaust survivor, devoting a lifetime to overcoming forces of hatred and intolerance.” He is also the recipient of U.S. Department of State Special Recognition Award for “…his ecumenical work in favor of mutual understanding, tolerance and peace….”

Since 1962, Rabbi Schneier has been the Senior Rabbi of the 125-year old Park East Synagogue, one of New York City’s historic landmark houses of worship and home to one of the leading modern Orthodox congregations in the U.S. and founder of the Rabbi Arthur Schneier Day School. He has received many world leaders at Park East, including two Secretaries General of the U.N. In 2008, he was host to Pope Benedict XVI, the first ever Papal visit to a synagogue in the U.S. and in 2009 welcomed the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I.

View Rabbi Schneier Video Clip

Among the countries that have honored Rabbi Schneier for his work are France, Germany, Russia, Austria, Croatia, Italy, Hungary, Poland, and Spain. He is the recipient of the U.S. Presidential Citizens Medal and the U.S. Department of State Special Recognition Award, nominated for the Congressional Gold Medal (2013); named as one of the 100 most trustworthy people in the U.S. by the Readers’ Digest magazine poll (2013) and listed as one the most influential rabbis in the U.S. by the Newsweek Magazine (2010-2013). As head of the interfaith Appeal of Conscience Foundation, he has been a consistent and effective voice for peaceful coexistence, inter-ethnic and inter-religious cooperation. He served as U.S. Alternate Representative to the United Nations, member of the UN Alliance of Civilizations High Level Group appointed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Ambassador of the Alliance appointed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

From his early activism to ease the plight of the Soviet Jewry and the persecution of religious groups throughout the 1970s and 80s to his efforts to stop the bloodshed in Yugoslavia through the early 1990s, from leading the first Interfaith mission to China in 1981, in 1998 President Clinton appointed him as one of three religious leaders to open on religious freedom with President Jiang Zemin; to his role in monitoring multiple elections during the democratic reforms in Russia and Eastern Europe in the late 1990s, he has demonstrated a deep commitment to direct engagement and action in pursuit of peace and freedom around the world. Since 1999 Rabbi Schneier has convened and presided over half a dozen international conferences – in Austria, Switzerland, Macedonia and Turkey – to foster tolerance, understanding, and advance dialogue and resolution of ethnic and religious conflicts. In 1970 Rabbi Arthur Schneier lead Appeal of Conscience Foundation’s first interfaith fact finding mission to Northern Ireland; 1981, lead interfaith Human Rights to Argentina during the dirty war; 1988, first interfaith mission to Cuba. Private audiences with Pope Paul VI., Pope John Paul II. and Pope Benedict XVI.

Rabbi Schneier has also led interfaith missions to strengthen freedom, peace and tolerance: Albania, Austria, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Morocco, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine (last decade of 90 and 2000). 2012, Humanitarian mission to free American Alan Phillip Gross held in Cuba.

He is Chairman, U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad (1991-95), Member, U.S. Delegation, Stockholm International Forum for Prevention of Genocide (2004), Member, U.S. Delegation for Return of the St. Steven Crown to Hungary (1979), U.S. Department of State, Co-Chair, The Tenth Anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords (2005). Rabbi Schneier is the recipient of eleven honorary doctorates from U.S. and European universities. In recognition of his achievements his alma mater, Yeshiva University, established the Rabbi Arthur Schneier Center for International Affairs in 2004.

Rabbi Schneier is Vice President of World Jewish Congress, Hon. Chairman of World Jewish Congress (America), Member of Council on Foreign Relations; Asia Society; United Nations Development Corporation; United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Committee on Conscience; Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations; Joint Distribution Committee.

Born in Vienna in 1930, Rabbi Schneier survived the Holocaust in Budapest, Hungary and arrived in the United States in 1947. He is married to Elisabeth Nordmann Schneier.

Dr. Khurshid A. Guru, MD, was appointed Director of Robotic Surgery at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) in October 2005. Dr. Guru completed his residency training in Urological Surgery (2005) and a Robotic Surgery Fellowship (2004) at the Vattikuti Urology Institute, Henry Ford Health System, MI. He also completed an International Fellowship in Urologic-Oncology (2004) at the Urology and Nephrology Center at Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt and a fellowship in Urological Surgery (2000), at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, Togus, ME.

Dr. Guru is one of the early fellowship trained robotic surgeons with an experience of over 10,000 surgical console hours and has performed over 1500 procedures. Dr. Guru performed one of the first robot-assisted radical cystectomy in New York and has worked in development and evolution of oncologic safety and efficacy of minimally invasive approaches to bladder cancer. Dr. Guru has performed live demonstrations of robotic surgery in 7 countries at several international seminars.

Dr. Guru’s research interest has also been in the application of robotic surgery for bladder cancer & urinary reconstruction. His research has been active in safe human machine interface, cognitive interaction, artificial intelligence and safe environments during robot-assisted surgery. Dr. Guru developed one of the first robotic surgical simulators currently used in over 20 institutions across the globe. Dr. Guru holds eleven patents on over five inventions, including the Robotic Surgery Simulator (2008), suction and cleaning devices for minimally invasive surgery (2013). For the simulator, he received the University at Buffalo 2011 “Entrepreneur of the Year” award. Dr. Guru developed the first validated robotic surgery curriculum for safe transfer of surgical skills for future robotic surgeons. His major interest is robotic surgical education and its incorporation for future generation of surgeons. He leads the International Robotic Cystectomy Consortium with over 55 surgeon members in over 20 countries.

Parallel to his clinical & research career, Dr. Guru spends time in developing education, health and heritage related programs in his native country – Kashmir. His foundation supports education of children in impoverished government run schools which also includes eye testing and vocational training. Dr. Guru is a member of the American Urological Association, and Cancer Society of Kashmir.

Dr. Guru has authored and co-authored over 175 several journal articles, abstracts and book chapters.

Dr. Farley R. Cleghorn, M.D., MPH serves as Chief Knowledge Officer and Global Health Practice Leader at the Palladium Group. Dr. Cleghorn serves as a Director of Center for HIV and AIDS at future group, which is a business unit of Constella Group, Llc and serves as its Vice President of Constella Futures. Dr. Cleghorn serves as a Director of Center for HIV/AIDS at Futures Group. He has 20 years of HIV/AIDS research and programmatic experience in the Caribbean and the developing world, where his focus has been on the epidemiology, natural history, and pathogenesis of HIV/AIDS and related infections.

He has made many original contributions to the field of human retrovirology, particularly in the areas of HTLV-I epidemiology and the modeling of HTLV-I oncogenesis (a model for cancer causation), as well as the epidemiology and natural history of HIV-1 infection. From 1995 to 2004, Dr. Cleghorn served at the University of Maryland as assistant professor of medicine and epidemiology; deputy director, Division of Epidemiology and Prevention; and senior scientist in the university’s Institute of Virology. He is an expert on HIV/AIDS, surveillance and epidemiology, clinical vaccine trials, studies of HIV virus molecular subtypes and progression to AIDS and antiretroviral treatment, as well as training for capacity building.

Dr. Cleghorn is the recipient of numerous awards for outstanding leadership and scientific contributions to the field of HIV/AIDS, including the Charles C. Shepard Science Award (1998) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and an accolade (2004) for vaccine research and innovative and creative contributions from the HIV Vaccine Trials Network. Dr. Cleghorn earned an MD (with honors) at the University of the West Indies Faculty of Medical Sciences in 1982 and received an MPH in epidemiology and biostatistics of infectious diseases from Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health in 1992. He is trained in internal medicine and infectious diseases and completed a fellowship in HIV/AIDS at the National Cancer Institute of the U.S. National Institutes of Health in 1992.

Dr. Richard Barakat, MD, MBA, is an internationally recognized surgeon and clinical investigator who specializes in advanced robotic and laparoscopic surgery for uterine cancer and radical procedures for debulking ovarian cancer. He was Chief of the Gynecology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering from 2001 to 2013 and currently holds the Ronald O. Perelman Chair in Gynecologic Surgery. Dr. Barakat was the lead investigator on several influential research projects at MSK, including a study to compare the benefits of laparoscopic versus standard surgery for patients with endometrial cancer, a study evaluating symptomatic lower-extremity lymphedema in women treated for uterine corpus cancer, and a study testing the efficacy of the Gynecologic Cancer Lymphedema Questionnaire in detecting lower-extremity lymphedema symptoms. He served as a member and examiner for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and was the Vice Chairman of the Cancer Prevention Committee of the Gynecologic Oncology Group for five years; he remains actively involved with cancer prevention studies on that committee. He was President of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology from 2013 to 2015 and is the current President of the International Gynecologic Cancer Society.

Dr. Barakat is author or co-author of more than 340 peer-reviewed articles and numerous textbook chapters and is also an editor of a surgical atlas on gynecologic cancer and of the latest edition of Principles and Practice of Gynecologic Oncology, one of the leading texts in the field.

Amb. Karim Kawar is the president of Kawar Group, and former Ambassador from Jordan where he served under the title of Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the United States of America and the Republic of Mexico from July 2002 until January 2007. He is also chairman of Kawar Energy and of IrisGuard. As ambassador to the United States, he led the EDAMA Initiative, Jordan’s blueprint for a green economy and was appointed by Royal Decree to the Board of Trustees of the King Abdullah II Fund for Development. Previously, Amb. Kawar was appointed to the Economic Consultative Council by His Majesty King Abdullah II. He is the architect of the REACH Initiative, Jordan’s blueprint for a knowledge economy, founder and chairman of the Information Technology Association of Jordan, former president of the Jordan Computer Society, and a founding member of several business associations and NGOs, including AmCham and the Jordan Intellectual Property Association.

Mr. Kawar is also chairman of the board of King’s Academy, following the resignation of Founding Chairman Professor Safwan Masri, effective September 1, 2010. As a pioneer in Jordan’s technology and business sector, Mr. Kawar contributed largely to the development of the ICT sector in the Kingdom. In 1999, he was the architect of the REACH initiative, a strategy to launch the IT industry in Jordan. He has also served as vice chair and is currently a trustee of the Jordan River Foundation (JRF), chaired by Her Majesty Queen Rania al Abdullah.

A 1987 graduate of Boston College, Mr. Kawar holds a Bachelor’s degree in management, finance and computer science. His son, Faisal, is a member of the pioneering King’s Academy Class of 2010, and is currently a freshman at Yale University.

Dr. Sherif Abouelnaga is a Professor of Pediatric Oncology in Cairo, Egypt receiving his education through the Cairo University and the National cancer Institute. He also has diplomas in healthcare administration and strategy from Harvard University and the American University in Cairo.

Sherif Abouelnaga has been a specialist of pediatric oncology for 30 years and received his appointment of Professor Pediatric Hematology Oncology in 2005 through the Cairo University and the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Sherif has had extensive experience in pediatric oncology as well as broad experience in program development and has been the visionary and driving force of the Children’s Cancer Hospital Egypt 57357 the first in Egypt, Africa and the Middle East.

Dr. Sherif lead the change for upgrading standards of healthcare for pediatric oncology patients at the National Cancer Institute in Cairo and adopting the most current healthcare management techniques believing that management is a science whose techniques must be applied in the overburdened healthcare system existing in Egypt. His most significant achievement is the state of the art Children’s Cancer Hospital Egypt 57357which opened in 2007 after 10 years of planning and construction. It is the largest children’s cancer hospital in the world and is completely free for all patients.

Under his direction, the Learning and Development and research departments have developed comprehensive programs and strategies to ensure the position of the 57357 as a leader in quality healthcare delivery. He is the acknowledged leader in developing an entirely new concept of fundraising in Egypt and is responsible for raising over 4 billion LE for his various healthcare projects in the last 30 years.

Mr. Paul Caiazzo has dedicated his career to advancing the field of global cybersecurity. In today’s connected health environment, cybersecurity is no longer an option or afterthought – it is a critical strategic asset that must be addressed by every organization.

In his current role as TruShield’s co-founder, CEO, and Chief Security Architect, Mr. Caiazzo focuses on developing corporate strategy as well as leading the technical product and service development efforts.

His foundation in the engineering and security industry gave him first-hand experience in how crippling cybersecurity issues can be for healthcare, businesses, and the Federal Government. Mr. Caiazzo’s desire to fix these challenges sparked his interest in building an organization where he could help clients not just understand the risks they face, but to combat them with effective mitigation strategies.

TruShield has earned a distinguished reputation as one of the fastest growing companies in the cybersecurity industry. Under Mr. Caiazzo’s leadership, TruShield has grown it’s dedicated team of experts domestically and real-time security operations centers around the world.

Mr. Caiazzo also serves as the Cyber Security Advisor to the Science and Technology Policy Center for Development, where he utilizes his expertise to help the nonprofit organizations achieve their goal of advancing ICT in developing countries.

Dr. Jeha is a pediatric hematologist/oncologist and the Director of the East and Mediterranean Region at the International Outreach Program St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

Dr. Jeha obtained her medical degree from the American University of Beirut and completed a fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) in Houston. Joining the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology faculty at MDACC with a joint appointment in the Department of Adult Leukemia, she held several administrative positions.

In 2003, Dr. Jeha joined St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis where she is currently a Full Member in Oncology, the principal investigator of St. Jude Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia frontline study Total 16, and the Director of the of the East and Mediterranean Region. Dr. Jeha’s research focus is on developing innovative strategies to improve outcome of patients with leukemia. She was the lead investigator in the trials that led to the approval of rasburicase and clofarabine. Dr. Jeha is extensively published and has been an invited speaker at many academic institutions and international symposia. She sits on several advisory boards and serves as a consultant for several private and federal agencies.

Dr. Jeha sits on the Board of Directors of the Pediatric Oncology East and Mediterranean (POEM) Group. Her interest in global medicine aims at improving access to patient care, building local capacity, applying risk directed/resource appropriate treatment regimens, and optimizing supportive care for children with leukemia in developing countries with the goal of improving outcome by minimizing both relapse and toxicity.

Mr. Mounir is an experienced, Canadian Certified Health Executive and a former senior Canadian government official, a leading health care expert and respected strategist with over 25 years of experience working with system-wide, evidence based research and development organizations and leadership teams to use information to build capacity and transform health. He is also armed with solid leadership competencies backed by a multi- disciplinary postgraduate education from well-respected universities in Canada, US and UK.

Mounir provides a broad spectrum of consulting services to health services organizations internationally, in North America and in the Middle East through partnerships and sub-contractual arrangements both with smaller specialty consulting firms and with large international firms (such as IBM). For two years running (2014 & 2015) Mounir was the Architecture Congress Chairman of “Building Healthcare Middle East – Dubai” and a member of the 2015 Hospital Projects Judging Panel, which gives him a unique insight and understanding of the region’s health sector.

Mounir works with hospitals, research organizations, government ministries and governmental agencies to carry out program/project management, strategic planning, organizational redesign and operational performance improvement, capacity building, C-Suit advisory services, setting up PMOs and plan for new hospitals, from conceptual planning, market feasibility, and program & space planning through commissioning.

Lastly, Mounir serves in various professional and advisory roles in both the private and not for profit sectors and has published a number of reports, reference and training manuals of note.

Recent major engagements include:

• King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, KSA
• King Salman Centre for Disability Research, Riyadh, KSA
• King Fahad Specialist Hospital in Dammam, Riyadh, KSA
• King Khalid Medical City (KKMC) Mega Project, Dammam, KSA
• IBM’s eHealth Strategy & Change Management Office (SCMO), Ministry of Health, KSA

Dr. John Duke Anthony is the Founding President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, and currently serves on the United States Department of State Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy and its Subcommittee on Sanctions. In 2012, he chaired and was the core lecturer in the Council’s 26th Annual 10-Week University Student Summer Internship Program’s Academic Seminar on Arabia and the Gulf. For the past 38 years, he has been a consultant and regular lecturer on the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf for the Departments of Defense and State. He is former Chair, Near East and North Africa Program, Foreign Service Institute, U.S. Department of State as well as former Chair of the Department’s Advanced Arabian Peninsula Studies Seminar. A life member of the Council on Foreign Relations since 1986, Dr. Anthony has been a frequent participant in its study groups on issues relating to the Arabian Peninsula and Gulf regions and the broader Arab and Islamic world. More recently, Dr. Anthony was elected to the Board of Advisors of the Yemen College for Middle Eastern Studies. For the Fall 2012 semester, in addition to fulfilling his duties as Council President and CEO and Adviser to the Department of State, he was appointed Dean’s Chair in International Studies and Political Science at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia, where he taught the Institute’s first-ever course on “Politics of the Arabian Peninsula” to First (Senior) and Second (Junior) classmen.

On June 21, 2000, on the occasion of his first official visit to the United States, H.M King Muhammad VI of Morocco knighted Dr. Anthony, bestowing upon him the Medal of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite, the nation of Morocco’s highest award for excellence. In addition to heading the National Council, consulting, lecturing, and serving as an Adjunct Faculty Member of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Institute for Security Assistance Management (DISAM) since 1974, Dr. Anthony has been an Adjunct Professor at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies since 2006. There, he developed a course for graduate students on “Politics of the Arabian Peninsula,” the first such semester-long academic course to be offered at any American university. In 2007, he was Visiting Lecturer at the Oxford Center for Islamic Studies. In 2008 he was the Distinguished Visiting Professor at the American University in Cairo’s HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin ‘Abdalaziz Al-Sa’ud Center for American Studies.

In 1983, Dr. Anthony received DISAM’s Distinguished Achievement Award, one of three granted to American Middle East specialists in the Institute’s history. In March 1989, the Kappa Alpha Order’s National Executive bestowed upon him its Distinguished Public Service Award for Excellence “through a strenuous and useful Life of Service to others.” In 1993, he received the U.S. Department of State’s Distinguished Visiting Lecturer Award, one of three awarded over a span of 25 years in recognition of his preparation of American diplomatic and defense personnel assigned to the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf states. In 1994, he received the Stevens Award for Outstanding Contributions to American-Arab Understanding. In May 2008, the Rotary Club of the Nation’s Capital bestowed upon him its first-ever Local Giants Leadership Award.

Dr. Anthony is the only American to have been awarded a Fulbright Fellowship in the former People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (1969-1970). In 1971, he was cosponsored by the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the U.S. Department of State as the sole American scholar to observe at firsthand the process by which the British ceased administering the defense and foreign relations for nine Arab states lining the coastal regions of eastern Arabia and the Gulf. His long experience in Yemen led to Dr. Anthony being asked to serve as an international observer in all four of Yemen’s presidential and parliamentary elections.

Dr. Anthony is the only American to have been invited to each of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s Ministerial and Heads of State Summits since the GCC’s inception in 1981. (The GCC is comprised of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates). Since 1986 and continuing until the present, Dr. Anthony has accompanied more than 200 Members of Congress, their chiefs of staff, defense and foreign affairs advisers, and legislative and communications directors on fact-finding missions to the Arab world. From 1996 until the present, he has also served as the principal scholar-escort for delegations to various GCC countries, Egypt, and Yemen comprised of 132 officers assigned to the staff of the Commander, U.S. Central Command, including Generals J.H. Binford Peay III, Anthony C. Zinni, Tommy Franks, John P. Abizaid, David Petraeus, James Mattis, and Admiral William Fallon.

Dr. Anthony is the author of three books, the editor of a fourth, and has published more than 175 articles and essays, and five monographs dealing with America’s interests and involvement in the Arab countries, the Middle East, and the Islamic world. His best-known works are Arab States of the Lower Gulf: People, Politics, Petroleum; The Middle East: Oil, Politics, and Development (editor and co-author) and, together with J. E. Peterson, Historical and Cultural Dictionary of the Sultanate of Oman and the Emirates of Eastern Arabia. Among his more recent publications are The United Arab Emirates: Dynamics of State Formation, Abu Dhabi, UAE: Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR), 2002; “The Future Significance of the Gulf Cooperation Council,” in Global Strategic Developments: A Futuristic Vision, Abu Dhabi, UAE: ECSSR, 2012; “The Intervention in Bahrain through the Lenses of its Supporters” and “Challenges Facing NATO in Afghanistan, Libya, and Iraq,” all four published by ECSSR in the Summer and Fall of 2011; “War with Iran: Regional Reactions and Requirements,” published by Middle East Policy and the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, 2008; “Strategic Dynamics of Iran-GCC Relations,” in Jean-François Seznec and Mimi Kirk, eds., Industrialization in the Gulf: A Socioeconomic Revolution, New York: Routledge, 2011; and “Measuring the Iraq War ‘Accomplishments’ Through the Lens of Its Authors: A Preliminary Assessment”: a revised and edited version of an address presented to the Axis for Peace conference held in Brussels by Voltaire Network, 2005, published by the National Council.

In addition to being the founder and chief facilitator and moderator of the Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference, now in its 21st year, Dr. Anthony has been a founder, board member, and Secretary of the U.S.-GCC Corporate Cooperation Committee; founding President of the Middle East Educational Trust; co-founder of the Commission on Israeli-Palestinian Peace; founding President of the Society for Gulf Arab Studies; co-founder and board member of the National Commission to Commemorate the 14th Centennial of Islam; and founder and former chairman of the U.S.-Morocco Affairs Council. In 2006 he was elected Vice-President and member of the Board of Directors of the International Foreign Policy Association in Washington, D.C.

After completion of his U.S. Army active duty military service, the Commonwealth of Virginia granted Dr. Anthony a four-year State Cadetship Award which allowed him to enroll at Virginia Military Institute (VMI), where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in History. At VMI, he was elected president of his class all four years in addition to serving as president of the Corps of Cadets’ Government General and Executive Committees during his First Class Year. He later earned a Master of Science Degree in Foreign Service (With Distinction) from the Edmund A. Walsh Graduate School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, where, in addition to holding one of three University Scholar Awards, he was inducted into the National Political Science Honor Society. He holds a Ph.D. in International Relations and Middle East Studies from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, D.C., where he held a National Defense in Foreign Language Scholarship for Arabic, was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship, and was appointed in 1973 to SAIS’ full-time faculty while still a student. For nearly a decade, Dr. Anthony taught courses on the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf States at SAIS. He has been a Visiting and Adjunct Professor at the Defense Intelligence College, the Woodrow Wilson School of Government and Foreign Affairs at the University of Virginia, the Universities of Pennsylvania and Texas, the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, and a regular lecturer at the National War College.

Dr. Anthony passed his proficiency exam in French at the Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in 1966. He passed his proficiency exam in Arabic at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in 1969 following study there as well as at Princeton University and the American University in Cairo’s Center for Arabic Study Abroad.

Dr. Anthony is married to Cynthia Burns McDonald, Director of the Washington, D.C. Office of the American University in Cairo, and has twin sons.

Dr. Gross received a combined MD-PhD degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center; his doctorate work was in Pathology studying the role of Epstein-Barr virus in lymphoma development. He is board certified in pediatric hematology-oncology. Dr. Gross has been a faculty member at University of Nebraska Medical Center in the Departments of Pediatrics and Pathology (1993-98), Director of the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (1998-2002), the Division Chief and Gordon Teter Chair of Pediatric Cancer Research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Ohio State University (2002-2013), the Deputy Director of Science at the Center for Global Health (CGH) at the National Cancer Institute (2013-present).

Dr. Gross is an international expert in pediatric lymphoma and blood and marrow transplantation and has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles. He has served in leadership positions in Children’s Oncology Group. He is Deputy Editor of Pediatric Blood and Cancer. He serves on the Executive Committee of Australia/Asia Clinical Oncology Research Development project. He serves as a commissioner for the Lancet Oncology Commission of Pediatric Cancer. As Deputy Director for Science of CGH, he is responsible for overseeing international clinical trial networks and advising countries and professional societies in training, education and developing infrastructure to conduct cancer clinical research and clinical trials.

Carlos Rodriguez-Galindo, M.D., is the director of the St. Jude Global Program at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and an executive vice president within the organization. He is also the chair of the newly created Department of Global Pediatric Medicine and holds the Four Stars of Chicago Endowed Chair in International Pediatric Research.

Dr. Rodriguez-Galindo previously held positions with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children’s Hospital. He served as director of the Pediatric Solid Tumor Program, medical director of the Clinical and Translational Investigations Program, and director of the Global Health Initiative in Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders. He was also a professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.

The St. Jude Global Program includes 24 partner sites in 17 countries and is leading the development of integrated models of education and capacity-building, resulting in steady improvements in the outcomes of children with cancer in those areas.

Under Dr. Rodriguez-Galindo’s leadership, St. Jude is expanding its global footprint with the goal of ensuring that children with cancer have access to quality care no matter where they live. For his work in global medicine and in solid tumor research and treatment, Dr. Rodriguez-Galindo is the recipient of numerous awards and accolades.

A graduate of the Autonomous University of Barcelona in Spain, Dr. Rodriguez-Galindo first came to St. Jude in 1994 as a postdoctoral fellow and later served as a clinical researcher and faculty member for more than a decade. He focused on developing new therapies for retinoblastoma, sarcomas and rare childhood cancers.

Dr. Lawrence Friedman, MD, is Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs; in this role he is responsible for the management oversight of ambulatory quality, safety and primary care (QSPC), managed care, occupational medicine and telemedicine; he also serves as the CEO of International Clinical Programs. Dr. Friedman is a critical member of the leadership team and plays an integral role in the growth of the Health System as it expands its footprint regionally, nationally and internationally. He is working on strategies to develop the primary and specialty care clinical workforces, as well as supporting the clinical integration between Health System and community practices.

Since he began with the Health System in 1994, Dr. Friedman founded the UC San Diego Telemedicine Learning Center and Telemedicine Clinical programs which provide specialty consultation globally. He also co-chaired the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) Ambulatory Care Steering Committee; served as a member of the Pay for Performance Implementation Advisory Task Force at the National Quality Forum; and is currently a member of the Agency for Health Care Research Study Section on Health Care Technology and Decision Science. Before assuming full-time administrative responsibilities at UC San Diego Health System, Dr. Friedman was the division chief for General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. Prior to UC San Diego Health System, he was the acting division chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine at the Deaconess Hospital in Boston and an assistant professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Friedman completed his residency and internship training at the Deaconess Hospital in Boston, followed by a general medicine fellowship at Harvard Medical School. He earned his medical degree at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. Dr. Friedman has authored more than fifty publications including original research, book chapters and review articles, and is currently a reviewer for several peer-reviewed medical journals.

Mr. Payne is Chairman & CEO of PURELIFE Health Sciences Group and heads a team of scientific researchers focusing on genetics and its relation to diabetes. The Arizona and Florida based research group has spent 23 years researching and identifying causes and solutions to metabolic syndrome health issues based on genetics, DNA based nutritional adaptation, and the interactions between genes that are critical to live long & healthy lives. Significant research has been done in Africa and Australia to identify genetically compatible ingestible sources to support broad spectrum human health, taking into consideration xenohormesis, and how it can affect mitochondrial and telomere health, geography, ethnicity and culture.
PURELIFE Health Sciences has bio-engineered scientific formulas and clinical protocols that meet the WHO criteria for being genetically compatible, while reducing inflammation and boosting the immune system resulting in prevention of, and long-term reversal of diabetes. They bridge mankind’s ancient, genetically determined DNA with the biological human needs of today. What we eat and drink must match our inherited DNA to be effective in supporting our overall health and wellness. PURELIFE Health Sciences provides the innovative matched resources for health and healthy weight management.

PROFILE

Researcher • Author • Formulator

Product / Ingredient Platform Development

More than 35 years of experience in developing ingredient platforms for medical and nutraceutical products domestically and internationally. Devoted to developing natural health products that are genetic based and genetically compatible. Concentrating on ingredient profiles that are based on traditional food resources that address the large and growing need for genetic based nutrition.

HISTORY

Research/Development/Technology

• Nutraceuticals for the prevention and long term reversal of type 2 Diabetes.
• Platform for fruit & vegetable extracts for health and Diabetes.
• Plant based high viscosity polysaccharides for menopause symptoms.
• Nutraceuticals for immune system enhancement.
• Pure Minerals for bone, teeth, osteoporosis and dental health.
• Plant based weight loss formulas and body composition improvements that work thru the digestive system.
• Anti-inflammatory formulas to dampen systemic inflammation.
• Plant based insulin resistance formulas for Metabolic Support and Enhancement.
• Specific strains of enzymes and critical intestinal bacteria necessary for optimum health.

RESEARCH

• Identify & develop DNA technologies for genetic based health solutions.
• Developed genetically compatible nutritional platforms that effectively prevent and reverse;
  1. Diabetes
  2. Metabolic Syndrome X diseases c. Insulin Resistance Diseases
  3. Obesity

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Technology development – DNA / Genetic based.
• Nutritionally changing gene expression formulations.
• Health/Marketing need identification.
• Infectious disease rapid diagnosis thru DNA testing.

Dr. Janet Breslin-Smith travels across cultures, both bureaucratic and geo- strategic. As President of Crosswinds International Consulting, she draws on her 30-year career in public service, including leadership roles in the United States Senate, the National War College, and in Saudi Arabia, where she focused on higher education and outreach to women in the Middle East. She has written and lectured on strategy and culture, macro-economics and Islam, Women, Islam and Saudi Arabia. Her article, “The Struggle to Erase Saudi Extremism” appeared in November 2015 in the New York Times. She is the co-author of The National War College: A History of Strategic Thinking in Peace and War.

Dr. Breslin-Smith, a Professor of National Security Strategy for 14 years at the National War College in Washington, DC, was the first woman to Chair the Department of National Security Strategy. She was named Outstanding Professor at the College in 2006. Prior to her academic career, she was Legislative Director for Senator Patrick J. Leahy and Deputy Staff Director of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

She resided in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 2009 through 2013, with her husband, Ambassador James Smith. Dr. Breslin-Smith developed extensive contacts with Saudi women leaders in higher education, medicine, business, banking, philanthropy, sports, and on-line entrepreneurship. She lectured at al Faisal University, the Diplomatic Studies Institute, and CellA+ women’s business networks. She consulted with Saudi women members newly appointed to the Shoura Council.

Dr. Breslin-Smith earned her Ph.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles and her undergraduate degree in International Relations from the University of Southern California.

Randa El-Sayed Haffar is an AUB trustee since 2011 and an AUB graduate (BA ’90). She previously worked for the Private Bank of Chase Manhattan Bank, Coutts Bank, and the Bank of New York. Ms. El-Sayed Haffar has been a director of the Elmer and Mamdouha Bobst Foundation since 2008 and has been involved in the Worldwide Alumni Association of AUB (WAAAUB) as a member-at-large and a member of its Strategic Planning Task Force. She is a past vice president of the New York Metropolitan Chapter of the AUB Alumni Association of North America and a graduate of New York University (MPA ’95).

Ms. Jane Coury is the Program Officer for the Middle East and North Africa and for Europe in the Office of Global Research (OGR), at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Prior to joining NIAID in 2008, CAPT Coury served as a Senior Nurse Officer in the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) from 1978 to 2008. Her positions included: Acting Director for Europe and Eurasia and Acting Director for the Middle East, North Africa Region, within the Office of Global Health Affairs, Office of the HHS Secretary (2002-2008); Resident Advisor to the Minister of Health and Population of Egypt in Cairo (1997-2002); Lead for Early Childhood, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, HRSA/HHS (1995-1999), as well as assignments to the National Head Start Bureau, Regional Office of HHS in Philadelphia, Indian Health Service/Navajo Nation and National Health Service Corps in Newark, NJ. Ms. Coury received her B.S. and M.S. in Nursing from Rutgers University.

Mr. Delano Roosevelt was a co-founder of Friends of Saudi Arabia, a non-profit group dedicated to promoting awareness of Saudi Arabian culture and society, with HRH Prince Abdulaziz Bin Abdullah, a son of the late-King Abdullah. Mr. Roosevelt is also Chairman of the Middle East Council of American Chambers of Commerce, a Member of the Board of Directors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Bahrain, a Member of the Executive Board of the American Business Group of the Eastern Province and member on the International Advisory Committee of he National Council on U.S. – Arab Relations (NCUSAR).

Mr. Roosevelt is the grandson of former U.S. First Lady Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, whom many regard as having forged the American component of the special Saudi Arabian-U.S. relationship.

He attended the International School in Geneva Switzerland, Brentwood Military Academy California, Pacific Palisades High School and Woodbury University. His father was James Roosevelt, FDR’s first-born son. He lived on the East Coast when his father served as a Congressman for 6 terms from California’s 26th District and in Europe when his father was the United Nations Ambassador to Geneva.

Prior to his election to the Long Beach City Council, Mr. Roosevelt was Chairman and member of the Long Beach Community Development Advisory Committee. He also chaired the Solid Waste Management Commission, where he helped to start the City’s curbside city wide recycling program. Elected as the City’s Fourth District Councilmember, Councilman Roosevelt’s interest in environmental issues prompted him to recommend that the City Council establish a Sustainable Development Board – a recommendation that is currently being implemented by the Environmental Task Force. He was appointed as Chair of the Federal Legislation and Environmental Affairs Committee which made him responsible to develop the City’s legislative agenda.

Mr. Burak Malatyali leads the development and implementation of alliances and partnership strategy, leveraging NYP’s expertise with external organizations and providers. Prior to joining NYP, he worked as an Executive Director at J.P. Morgan’s Not-for-Profit Healthcare Investment Banking team exclusively focusing on strategic advisory and M&A services. Immediately prior to J.P. Morgan, he spent 11 years at Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM) in various leadership and executive roles focusing on major critical growth, revenue diversification and expansion initiatives both on domestic and international fronts.

Most recently, Mr. Malatyali was the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Johns Hopkins Medicine International overseeing JHM’s join ventures, partnerships and engagements overseas as well as JHM’s out-of-state and international patient services function in which he led a major turnaround initiative and achieved significant growth of the business line for JHM. In this role, he had direct oversight of $300M of annual revenues and staff base of 250 people. Immediately prior to this role, as a Director for JHM’s System Development and Planning group, he was tasked to develop and execute strategies to grow JHM’s hospital and ambulatory network in Baltimore and Northern VA and led negotiations and integration with various health care institutions, physician practices and other entities as well as overseeing JHM’s existing affiliations with community hospitals and an urgent care network.

During his tenure at JHM, Mr. Malatyali served in various executive and leadership committees including JHM I.T. Executive Committee that was tasked to lead Epic implementation across JHM enterprise. Prior to JHM, he worked as a consultant at Accenture’s Financial Services practice in Germany and also as an analyst at Ata Invest in Istanbul, Turkey.

Professor Ghassan Abou-Alfa joined Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in 2001. He has specialized in treating patients who have primary liver cancer. Professor Abou-Alfa is the Chair of the National Cancer Institute Hepatobiliary Task Force. His work focus on investigating and testing novel targeted therapies in clinical studies and advocates for greater awareness of the disease’s global impact. He majored in biology at the American University in Beirut (AUB) and earned his medical degree there as well. In 1992, he joined the Yale School of Medicine for postdoctoral training.

Professor Abou-Alfa completed his fellowship and joined the Yale faculty in 2000. At Memorial Sloan-Kettering he started focusing on primary liver cancer — cancer originating in the liver. Liver cancer affects a diverse population from many cultures and economic backgrounds and is truly a global disease. It is one of the top five cancers worldwide, and mainly affects people in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, where hepatitis B, a major risk factor, is endemic. The disease has its impact on Egypt and parts of the Gulf as well. While it is not common in the United States, its incidence is increasing due to the silent epidemic of hepatitis C virus witnessed in the last few decades, the rise in the number of people with morbid obesity and diabetes, and the persistence of alcoholic cirrhosis — all risk factors.

Professor Abou-Alfa has taken on an advocacy role because research funding has lagged despite the worldwide impact of this disease. Liver cancer does not have a public-figure spokesperson raising awareness, and there is not much knowledge about it among patients and the public. One step he took to address this was co-authoring, with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center hepatobiliary surgeon Ronald DeMatteo, a book in lay language called 100 Questions and Answers About Liver Cancer, now in its third edition. Dr Abou-Alfa also co-authored a similar book in Arabic with Dr Ashraf Omar from University of Cairo, that is awaiting to be published.

Professor Abou-Alfa is a major contributor to the field’s research. His research focus is on incorporating small biological molecules into standard cancer therapies. In recent years, his group at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center led the initial efforts evaluating sorafenib (Nexavar®) in primary liver cancer. Sorefenib was ultimately approved by the FDA for that indication in 2007. In a trial also led by his group at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, they are now investigating whether combining sorafenib with the standard chemotherapy drug doxorubicin produces an improved outcome. As an institution, they are proud to be the leaders of this first national effort of a large clinical trial in primary liver cancer, which is supported by the National Cancer Institute. Professor Abou-Alfa continues to lead several international efforts and is involved in conducting clinical trials with colleagues around the world, especially in Southeast Asia, which helps to understand the challenges of managing a disease with varying risk factors, in different regions of the world.

Professor Abou-Alfa has also spearheaded many projects in the Arab World since 2006 under the auspices of the Elmer and Mamdouha El-Sayed Bobst International Center, now headed by former Chair of Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s Department of Surgery Sir Murray Brennan. Under the direction of Professor Abou-Alfa, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has established a strong relationship with American University of Beirut, with an ongoing faculty exchange and a monthly video-link conferencing with the AUB physicians, with several of its proceedings are already published in peer–reviewed journals. The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center faculty teaches about the state of the art of cancer care in the US and the AUB faculty teaches about the risk factors and treatment practices in their country. This joint collaboration, one of the most sustained between an US institution and one in the Middle East, has led to the development of the first joint tissue bank with a shared database in the region. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and AUB have also joined efforts on a first in its class training course for oncologists in the Arab World, that is offered on competitive basis and has already featured in Beirut, Doha, and is anticipate to take place in Kuwait City in October 2015. The joint program also offers supported fellowship opportunities for excelling medical graduates.

Dr. Michael Morgan is an Egyptian Coptic Christian doctor, born and raised in Egypt, and now based in New York. He is the founder and host of “American Pulse TV” a weekly program that airs on Saturday nights on Egypt’s Al Kahera Wal Nas Network (“Cairo and Irs People”). This is one of the most popular TV channels in Egypt with a viewership of 40 million. It is also carried on satellite here and all over the Mideast. The mission of American Pulse is to provide a window for Egyptians to see Americans’ views on current issues and hot topics as well as educate our viewers on the good works being done internationally. The format is interviews and field reports. Guests speakers have included a number of intenational figures such as Amb. Frank Wisner, Amb. Daniel Kurtzer, international economists Dr. Nabil Zaki, Mahmoud Abdallah and state politicians.

Dr. Morgan founded St. Mark’s World, which is considered one of the most successful and largest healthcare staffing firms in New York State. He graduated from New York University on a doctoral program in 2005.

Dr. Rifat Atun is Professor of Global Health Systems at Harvard University and Director of the Health Systems Cluster. He is the Faculty Chair for the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Initiative. In 2006-2014 he was Professor of International Health Management at Imperial College London.

In 2008-12 Professor Atun served as a member of the Executive Management Team of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Switzerland as the Director of the Strategy, Performance and Evaluation.

Professor Atun’s research focuses on global health systems, global health financing, and innovation in health systems. He has worked extensively with governments, the UK DFID, the World Bank, World Health Organization, and other international agencies to design, implement and evaluate health system reforms.

Dr. Atun studied medicine at University of London as a Commonwealth Scholar and undertook his postgraduate medical studies and MBA at University of London and Imperial College London. He is a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health of the Royal College of Physicians (UK), a Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners (UK), and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (UK).

Dr. Yan Xiao, is director for human factors and patient safety science at Baylor Scott & White Health, Dallas, Texas. His training includes a PhD in human factors from University of Toronto. He started the human factors program there in 2009 after 15 years as a tenured full professor at University of Maryland School of Medicine advancing knowledge to improve human performance in healthcare.

Dr. Xiao serves as a human factors expert to advise Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality on research programs, and is on editorial board for Human Factors and Journal of Cognitive Engineering and Decision Making. He is on the Scientific Evaluation Committee for Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation, and won the Weezie Angel Hero Award from Bats Patient Safety Foundation. His scientific contributions, published in over 70 peer-reviewed journal articles, are in human factors science (including planning in complex systems, technology enhanced coordination, and team leadership) and patient safety science (including video-assisted performance measures, clinical alarms, telemedicine). His current research projects include a US federal government sponsored study on medication safety during care transitions.

Dr. Diana Anderson, MD, M. Arch, is an architect in addition to a physician. She currently works as a Medical Planner at Stantec Architecture in New York City. She completed her medical residency training in Internal Medicine at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center in New York City.

Dr. Anderson is a past recipient of The American Institute of Architects Tuttle Graduate Fellowship in health facility planning and design, the Tradewell Fellowship in healthcare design awarded by WHR Architects in Houston, Texas. She is also the immediate past-chair of the Society of Critical Care Medicine’s Intensive Care Unit Design Committee. As a “dochitect,” Dr. Anderson combines educational and professional experience in both medicine and architecture, in order to truly understand the healthcare environment. She speaks often about the impact of healthcare design on patient outcomes, care delivery and related topics. Dr. Anderson has worked on hospital design projects within the United States, Canada and Australia.

Dr. Gabi Hanna is Executive Director, Duke Translational Research Unit, which focus on translation medicine, commercialize innovation and accelerate research to clinic and patient care. Dr. Hanna is also a President, Chairman of North Carolina Society of Physician Entrepreneurs. As serial entrepreneurs, Dr. Hanna took the role to be a president and chairman for professional society dedicated to advancing healthcare innovation.

Dr. Hanna newest technology start-up is AMERICAN REMOTE HEALTH the first and only Telemedicine service and app that focuses on cancer and chronic diseases to improve the outcome care. By utilizing telecommunication technology we are extending the medical advanced knowledge and research of academia centers and top American universities like Duke University, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, NIH, Harvard University, etc. beyond the wall of universities.

There is no more need for patients to wait months and waste critical time to see professors and subspecialists to get a second opinion. Now, patients have the option to upload their complete medical records (via or HIPPA compliant apps or EMR web system) and talk to the top 2% of doctors in US. American remote Health doctors will provide a written treatment plan including genetic personalized treatment and clinical trials, collaborate the treatment with the local doctors or arrange the treatment and logistic for patients to come to best hospital to receive the treatment/ surgery upon the next day of their arrival. American Remote Health is not just saving lives and improving patient outcomes but saving patients a lot of money by eliminating unnecessary surgeries, and “wrong” treatments. Also American Remote Health provides executive checkup and concierge medicine in partnership with best academic university in US and provides help in US visa and all travel arrangement.

Mr. John L. Brooks III is the Managing Director of Healthcare Capital LLC, which advises early-stage life sciences companies. Healthcare Capital specializes in enabling innovative solutions in obesity, pre-diabetes, and diabetes.

Mr. Brooks is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of the Joslin Diabetes Center, a Boston based diabetes research, clinical care, and education organization. Mr. Brooks was also a senior manager at Arthur Andersen & Co. in Boston, MA, where he focused on early stage companies.

Mr. Brooks is a well-known life sciences executive. He has co-founded seven life sciences companies, including Insulet (PODD), a disruptive insulin delivery company. He was a co-founder of Prism Venture Partners, a $1.25B venture capital firm.

Prior to that, Mr. Brooks was the Emerging Business Group General Manager at Pfizer/Valleylab, where he was responsible for Pfizer’s minimally invasive surgery and new medical technologies businesses. As President/General Manager at Pfizer/Strato, he led the growth of a rapidly evolving vascular access medical device business.

A native of Massachusetts, he holds an M.S. in Business Administration and a B.B.A. cum laude from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and he is a Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Brooks is on the board of a number of for-profit and not-for-profit organizations.

Dr. Cheriyan, MD, FRCP (Lon), FRCPI, MBA is the CEO and Chief Medical Officer of the American Mission Hospital (AMH) in Bahrain, the oldest hospital in the GCC. He worked as a Neonatologist for over 25 years after obtaining his post graduate training in Pediatrics in London at The Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, and sub-specialization in Neonatology at the Hospital for Sick Children, in Toronto, Canada.Dr. Cheriyan has also worked as a Consultant Neonatologist in the National Health Service In London before moving up to take up a position as Head of Neonatology at the Saudi Aramco Hospital where he worked for 18 years in various capacities of leadership. He is a trained ‘Improvement Advisor’ in Healthcare quality from the Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in Boston, MA where he was adjunct teaching member of the faculty and has been an invited speaker at various healthcare Forums both in and outside of the US.

He further obtained training in Healthcare management at the Harvard Business School and is both an alumni of the Harvard Business School and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. His area of interest is the economics in developing a model of non-profit healthcare which is both affordable and of high quality.

Dr. Ghaidaa Hetou Ph.D. is the CEO and Founder of i-Strategic LLC. i-Strategic is a consulting company specializing in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, providing a wide range of services, including country analysis, political risk assessment, business intelligence, due diligence and cultural training.

Ms. Hetou has two master degrees in Economics and Global Affairs, and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Rutgers University. As a member of the U.S. Women Chamber of Commerce and the National U.S. Arab Chamber of Commerce, Ms. Hetou is committed to advancing security and development goals, and promoting commerce and free enterprise in MENA.

Mr. Ransel N. Potter has been a guest speaker at financial events in the Middle East and the United States. His contacts throughout the Middle East and the United States are with the top global financial institutions; high net worth families; and, government representatives, including several Sovereign Wealth Funds. He is currently licensed with a Series 7, Series 66 and Series 3.

The founder and Managing Director of COPARA, he continues to build a rewarding career spanning three decades, and multiple industries, including many noteworthy achievements. His abilities to lead, strategize, develop business and maintain relationships have all contributed to his success.

Mr. Potter founded C3 Summit LLC in 2010. The mission of C3 Summit is to ensure that both US and Arab businesses grow and prosper by providing unique and valuable commerce opportunities. By creating a global forum for both the US and the Arab world to explore private/public sector growth and employment generation, C3 Summit hopes to encourage each region to open new opportunities to enhance the welfare of freer trade and the exchange of knowledge transfer and best practices in both commerce and healthcare.

Prior to founding C3 Summit, Mr. Potter has been marketing financial instruments in the Middle East under the umbrella of Copara. He personally negotiated with Value Line the international distribution rights regarding both terms and conditions. In less than 11 months, Mr. Potter established several funds. One funded and managed by the National Bank of Abu Dhabi (the 50th strongest bank in the world). He also was successful in marketing a high yield fund for Thomson Reuters with the National Bank of Abu Dhabi. The other, The National Investor, a top boutique investment banking house located in Dubai. He was also responsible for engaging with the Abu Dhabi Investment Company (Invest AD) an assignment to incorporate a quantitative ranking system, with a $30 million GCC/MENA fund, managed by Invest AD.

Morgan Stanley recognized the value of Mr. Potter’s experience and relationships and, in 2007, they invited him to join the firm. Until December of 2010, Mr. Potter served as a Senior Partner on their Private Wealth Management team responsible for identifying viable business opportunities among high net worth clients, families, hedge funds and foundations. His introductions had been a cornerstone of the team’s success producing more than $250 million of net new assets in 36 months. In 1992, Mr. Potter founded Kinloch Marketing and occupied the role of CEO until 2007. Kinloch designed and brought to market sales lead generation and management systems for the Insurance, Banking and Energy industries. Kinloch’s success was a direct result of his leadership and a network he established with senior executives of Fortune 1000 companies.

In 1990, his previous achievements were recognized by Flair Communications and he was asked to run their NY office. He merged R.N. Potter Associates with Flair’s New York office and built that regional office in to the largest of their five domestic offices, leaving in 1992 to establish Kinloch Marketing. He formed R.N. Potter Associates in 1984, a marketing and sales organization, which he headed until 1989. During that time, Mr. Potter personally initiated, negotiated and developed one of the largest independent contracts for advertising billboards with the Penn Central Corporation.

In 1980, Mr. Potter, together with a partner, started On Line Media, an innovative supermarket ad company. Within three years, they took On Line Media public, raising capital and watching the stock soar. Upon selling his shares of On Line Media in 1984, he formed R.N. Potter Associates. Mr. Potter, a graduate of Syracuse University, has six children and, with his wife, lives in East Hampton, NY.

Dr. Peter Doyle, PhD. has 10 years experience in healthcare human factors which is preceded by 25 years work in the fields of nuclear power generation, defense contracting, simulation, and information systems. He has performed human factors analysis, design and test activities after receiving his doctorate from the applied experimental psychology program at The Catholic University of America.

Given his interest in systems analysis and design he orients his efforts at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD to applied solutions for operational challenges. He addresses patient safety issues using human factors methods and precepts to assess and control risk associated with medical devices, work processes and information technologies. Dr. Doyle’s career has provided opportunities to apply various human factors methods to the design, test and evaluation of various healthcare systems. He is certified as a Human Factors Practitioner and as a Certified Usability Analyst.

Ms. Tamara James, MA, CPE, CSPHP is a faculty member (Assistant Professor) in Community and Family Medicine. She is a certified professional ergonomist who received a master’s degree in Human Factors Engineering from George Mason University in Virginia. Her bachelor’s degree is in Industrial Engineering from the University of Iowa.

She directs the Ergonomics Division for Occupational and Environmental Safety at Duke University and Health System. The Division is responsible for hazard evaluation and training of over thirty-five thousand employees involved in every aspect of a medical and teaching institution. She also provides ergonomics consultation services to private companies including the direct evaluation of ergonomic hazards, as well as development of ergonomics and training programs, to prevent cumulative trauma disorders found in various industries.