Rawan Yaghi- Founder and Board Director

Rawan Yaghi has established USPEaK as a non-profit, non-governmental organization in Baalbeck, Lebanon in 2009 and worked on many projects to build citizenship and democracy among youth through European and American grants. She has a background in English Language and Education and used to teach in high schools till 2016. She believes that education helps her mission as a change agent with youth. She is a co-author of Women Teaching Women English published by University of Oregon and a co-author of International Perspectives on Teaching and Learning with GIS in Secondary Schools. She is an activist in women empowerment through education and socio-economic situation. Rawan is an enthusiastic activist who brings passion to social work. . She is also an alumna of U.S. Embassy exchange programs of Hubert Humphrey Fellowship on Public Policy Analysis from University of Minnesota and International Visitor Leadership Program with TESOL focus. Rawan is interested in enhancing the level of restorative justice, women leadership, human trafficking, democracy and critical thinking besides others for professional development. She has focused on youth as change agents and women in politics.

Roweida Saleh - Vice President

Roweida Saleh is an educator, facilitator, and trainer who has been involved in building trust for more than 20 years. Roweida majored in English language and Literature and later had a Master’s Degree in Education. She is an active member of Initiatives of Change International and has been active locally, regionally, and internationally for more than 20 years. Roweida joined USPEaK in 2021 as an English Teacher and later as a Trainer. She is committed to empowering women and building bridges of trust across differences and divides.

Raghad Chall - Treasurer and Meal Officer

Raghad Chall is a highly qualified professional currently pursuing her master’s degree in law with a specific focus on the management of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Her educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in law from the Lebanese University, providing her with a strong foundation in legal principles. This academic background equips her with the ability to keenly observe and analyze policies and accountability measures.

Raghad's professional journey began at USPEaK, where she initially served as a Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Assistant. In this role, she was involved in the collection of data and contributed to the monitoring of key indicators. Her commitment and capabilities led her to progress within the organization.

As a MEAL Officer in the Teaching Women Enhanced English program, funded by the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Raghad took on more responsibilities. She was tasked with creating the MEAL Plan, encompassing goals, outcomes, and indicators. Her role extended to overseeing the implementation of the plan, involving tasks such as data collection, analysis, and reporting. This experience allowed her to develop a comprehensive understanding of the entire monitoring and evaluation process.

Raghad's dedication to professional development is evident in her active participation in various workshops. These workshops likely provided her with valuable insights and enhanced her skills in MEAL practices.

Due to her exceptional performance and honed skills, Raghad advanced to the position of MEAL Specialist. Her expertise extends to both qualitative and quantitative analysis, showcasing a well-rounded proficiency in evaluating programs and projects effectively.

Yasmine Dfouny- Advisory Board

Yasmine Dfouny has started working with juveniles in prison in 2001. She became in 2002 a public coordinator for an English Academy and a part-time English teacher. She was an educator in a school for nine years where she worked on a lot of environmental, social and academic projects. She joined USPEaK as an English teacher for the Teaching Women Program that is funded by the United States Embassy in Beirut. In 2020, she became a board member. She got empowered as a woman through trainings and workshops. She started empowering women economically and socially. In 2019 she started her own business, cooking and selling vegan food. She insists on empowering women and young girls on different aspects of their life such as their self-worth, financial independence, taking opportunities and decision-making. She is genuine, helpful, enthusiastic and motivated. She plans to expand her own business and she looks forward to more social projects where she can lead to change and make a difference in people's life.

Raida Yaghi- Advisory Board

Raida Yaghi is a founder member of USPEaK. She has worked as an accountant since it was founded. She has studied Political Sciences in the Lebanese University and has a teaching experience. Raida’s main interest is rural women empowerment through livelihood projects. She has a role in logistics for all projects.

Hanan Halabi- Advisory Board

Hanan Halabi has been a member in USPEaK since 2016. Her interest in public policies, youth and women empowerment made her a strong board member where she adds new ideas and a real community impact through different projects and initiatives. Hanan is pursuing her PhD in education at the American School of Education at the American University School of Education in Washington DC. She also has a Master’s Degree in Nutrition. Hanan is fond of youth and women’s empowerment through participation in social life and entrepreneurship.

Nada Toufayli - Advisory Board / Partnerships Manager

Nada Toufayli has been a member of USPEaK since 2009 and became treasurer when it became an organization. She has been the Projects Coordinator since 2015. She has a background in English Language and has been a volunteer and a worker in the civil society since 2007. Her early start was with youth, and that was her first step in working in a field that resembles her values and ambitions. She believes in the power of youth for change, and them being a part of decision making. She is a part of the core group of Youth Leadership Academy that was created by USPEaK. This Academy equipped her with the skills and the tools to become a trainer and a facilitator on youth related topics. She is also an alumna of U.S. Embassy exchange programs of International Visitor Leadership Program that focused on volunteering and civic action. Nada has faith in the coming generations and their ability to change. They are the leaders of the future and by providing the space and the tools needed, they can shift their communities from one place to another. Nada believes that social justice and human security are the keys of a better future and youth are the frontliners.

Rana Aoun - Advisory Board / GBV Consultant

Rana Aoun is a GBV and Gender Specialist currently working as a GBV advisor with Norwegian Church Aid in Oslo. She has a background on Mental Health, Gender Based Violence, Protection and Child Protection. For more than 10 years, she has worked on implementing and supporting Protection and GBV programs through research, tool and curricula development, direct implementation and capacity-building globally. She is a graduate in Law and in Psychology, and a proud board member of USPEaK.