Board of Trustees

The Board of the Friends School of Ramallah/el-Bireh enacts policies and procedures governing the School. The Board communicates regularly with the Director, Principals, Staff, Parents and the Department of Global Ministries of Friends United Meeting.

CONSTITUTION –BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Executive Board Members

Samer Shehadeh, the current Chairman of the BOT, is a businessman and senior manager of an insurance agency in Ramallah. Previously, he has worked for the World Health Organization in the West Bank.  He holds a B.A. degree in political science and political theory from George Washington University, an M.A. in International Relations from the David M. Kennedy Center of Brigham Young University, and an Advanced Degree in Law, Economics, and Psychology from Loughborough Technical College, England.

Joyce Ajlouny, School Director, has lived in Ramallah for most of her life. For fifteen years, she enjoyed an exciting career at the senior management level with international development and relief organizations, at the United Nations, and most recently as the Oxfam Great Britain Representative in Palestine.  She is a graduate of the Friends Boy School (1983) and mother of three boys attending the School.

Varsen Aghabekian acquired her PhD from the University of Pittsburg in Education and Administrative and Policy studies. She has spent over eighteen years in training, research, technical assistance and consultancies in the health and social sectors. She is currently the Director of Research and Planning at the Welfare Association, a grant making body that sponsors community support initiatives in education, health and environment. Prior to that appoint, Varsen served Al-Quds University as an associate professor and undertaken many consultancies for international bodies in her career. Varsen’s children are enrolled at the School

Jane Masri is a managerial and financial business executive with more than 15 years of experience in industry advocacy, strategic planning, communications and financial management, organizational structuring, and customer relations management.  Mrs. Masri holds a B.A. degree in Economics and English Literature from Bucknell University, Pennsylvania, USA.  Her appointment to the Board began in 2005/6.  She is an active parent with two daughters at the school.

Cairo Arafat is currently serving as the Director General of Aid Management and Coordination at the Ministry of Planning.  She holds a PhD in Psychology and an MA in Neuropsychology.  She has worked with various children relief organizations, included UNICEF and the Secretariat for Children and is a parent of children attending the School.

Mazen Karam is a civil engineer with over 30 years of extensive experience in engineering, construction, and management of civil, water, environmental, petrochemical and general building programs throughout the Middle East including Yemen, Gaza, West Bank, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Saudi Arabia.  He is presently the Country Manager for Morganti Group, INC ( USA ) in Palestine , managing multi-million dollar projects.  Mr. Karam is an Alumnus of FBS and a parent at the school. His appointment as a Board member began in May 2006.

Issa Kassis is a respected banker and is currently the Manager of the HSBC Bank in Ramallah.  Mr. Kassis brings to the Board of Trustees many years of banking and finance experience from having worked in the sector in Jordan for a number of years.  His appointment as a Board member began in June 2006. 

Staff Representatives

Mahmoud Amra is a Friends School graduate. After obtaining his Masters degree in physics in Germany, he started working at the Friends Boys School as a teacher for physics and mathematics. In 1997, Mahmoud became the deputy head of the school and the International Baccalaureate Programme coordinator. He obtained his Masters degree in Education from Birzeit University in 1998. In 2000, he became the Head of the Boys School, and after a one-year sabbatical in 2005, has returned to the school to assume the position of Head of the Upper School.

Jeries Abu Etham has a Masters in Education Administration from Birzeit University and a B.Sc. in Chemistry from the same institution.  In 2000, he accepted the Deputy Principal position at the Friends Boy School.  Prior to that, he chaired the Science Department for two years, from 1998-2000, at the FBS.  He is a graduate of the Friends Boy School (1974).
    
Diana Abdel Nour has been the Principal at the Friends Girls School since 1993; she served as the Acting Principal for the year 1991/1992.  She previously worked for 16 years as a teacher of Math at Birzeit University and then a teacher of Math and Science at the Friends Girls School and friends Boys School , and was the head of the Mathematics Department at the Girls School for eight years.  Diana Abdel Nour holds a B.Sc. in Mathematics with a minor in Natural Sciences from McMaster University ( Canada ); and has further studied management and school administration through courses at Bethlehem University and Harvard University . 

Frieda Dahdah Khayat is Deputy Principal at the Friends Girls School.  She received her M.A. in Peace Education from Notre Dame University (USA) and also holds a B.A. in English Literature from Birzeit University.  She has worked as a project coordinator and translator for local NGOs.  She has taught English at Al- Ahliyyah College for eleven years and held the position of deputy principal at the same school for three years. She also served as the Director of the Vocational Training Center at the YWCA in Jerusalem, Palestine from 2001-2002. She is a graduate of the Friends Girls School (1983).

Huwaida Imseih (FGS Staff Representative) holds a B.Sc. degree in Biology and Biochemistry from Birzeit University and has been a member of the faculty staff of the Friends Girls School since 2002. She has many years of international experience from her years living in Saudi Arabia and Canada , while working with various organizations and institutions in a variety of positions, ranging from an Educational Instructor to a Project Coordinator. She has attended several training courses such as the professional development program conducted by the school. She is a mother of four, including her youngest son whom is currently enrolled in the FBS.

Omar Assaf, FBS Staff Representative.