Our founder may have over 20 years of experience in urban planning but her involvement in promoting equal educational opportunities goes back many years. After graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a bachelor’s degree in Architectural Studies, she became an MIT Educational Counsellor, and later a board member of the MIT Alumni Association and the MIT Arab Alumni Association and was the driving force behind the establishment of two endowed scholarship funds at MIT and the American University of Beirut.  Rudayna also holds a master’s degree in Urban Planning from McGill University, is a graduate of Amsterdam’s THNK School of Creative Leadership executive program, and has received numerous international awards and recognitions including the Schwab Foundation Innovator award in 2024.  She began Thaki in 2015 with an ethos of working smart, eliminating waste and helping children access equal education opportunities - values that have carried us from inception to some incredible achievements so far.

Mariam is an educational advocate, A Middle  East Professional Learning Initiative (MEPLI) Fellow (2021) and a holder of the Certificate in Advanced Educational Leadership (CAEL) from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, she is dedicated to empowering young minds. With two master's degrees in Education and Environmental Engineering, Mariam combines her expertise to advocate for equal quality education for vulnerable children while promoting environmental sustainability. She previously worked with Teach For Lebanon, inspiring secondary-level students to pursue their passions in higher education. In 2023 she completed a fellowship with the Dutch government’s Management of Development Projects and Programmes course (MDPP).

Majd leads Thaki’s technological innovations, from developing the platforms that load our laptops with curated educational content, to developing scalable software applications and programs. With almost two decades of experience in IT and software development, and three years as Curriculum Director of a coding bootcamp, Majd is an Adobe Certified Web Expert and the holder of a BSc in Information Technology. In 2025 he is preparing his Master’s thesis in Web Science at the Syrian Virtual University. Majd combines his technical expertise with a passion for social impact, ensuring Thaki’s resources are accessible to underserved communities.

A social entrepreneur, former British diplomat, and mother to three (inshallah) future feminist boys, Angela spent a decade in diplomacy before deciding to rediscover her family’s roots in Lebanon. There, she co-founded a social impact start-up for childcare, Jaleesa, which was selected as a World Economic Forum Top 100 Startup for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Angela is a winner of the WeMENA / World Bank Women Entrepreneurship Prize and a Chartered Public Relations Practitioner. She has spent recent years designing accelerators and tools to scale-up education innovations and is now bringing this experience to Thaki’s mission. Alongside her work at Thaki, Angela runs AMS Consultancy, a strategy and communications studio supporting purpose-driven organizations.

Rula has a Master’s degree in structural engineering and a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Iowa State University. Rula joined Thaki in 2024, bringing over 21 years of international development experience in the Middle East and Austria, including seven years at the forefront of providing donor-funded service delivery in active conflict settings. She brings deep knowledge and expertise in activity design and implementation, and leadership acumen to motivate, empower and drive community-based programming.    Coming from a family of educators, Rula is passionate about ensuring that every child, regardless of circumstances, has access to quality education. Rula has worked on new school construction projects in Jordan and school rehabilitation projects in the MENA region. These projects resonate strongly with her as they provide otherwise vulnerable children with the sense of normalcy that being in a school setting brings.

Throughout her youth, Kaitlin was an academic beneficiary; she received scholarships and donations to support her entire academic career. Mindful of those unknown supporters who made her education possible, Kaitlin pursued a career in the same field. She spent years as a classroom teacher in the US serving schools with low-income and disadvantaged students, witnessing time and again how valuable education is to those with limited opportunities. To reach more vulnerable groups, Kaitlin moved into the non-profit sector, working in Europe and the Middle East developing her skills in instructional design, program and partnership management, fundraising and communications. In 2024 Kaitlin completed a leadership development program with the UN Global Compact Netherlands exploring ways that the private and non-profit sectors can collaborate to further the Sustainable Development Goals.

Rawad is passionate about creating meaningful change through sustainable and impactful solutions. He holds a Master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the American University of Beirut with deep experience in project management. His focus is mainly in the NGO sector, specializing in education and livelihoods. Rawad believes that education must be improved and made accessible to all as the key to solving the world’s most pressing challenges. He excels in creating and facilitating learning activities, along with his passion for monitoring and evaluating educational programs, ensuring their effectiveness and impact. 

Daniel is passionate about using educational technology to empower students and enhance their learning experiences. A skilled IT professional with a diverse background that includes social work, Daniel thrives on helping vulnerable communities and inspiring others to find purpose. He has contributed to impactful Thaki projects like Nour’s World, creating meaningful change for students through innovative approaches. Daniel’s commitment to making a difference drives his work and his passion to inspire those around him.

Ammar is an expert in NGO accounting management with many years of experience in financial management in the international aid and development arena. He has experience in financial compliance management and reporting, as well as essential skills in budgeting, reporting, analysis, grant applications and financial management. He holds a Master’s in Accounting from the University of Damascus and is currently completing his PhD in financial health behavior of not-for-profit organizations at the University of Southern Queensland.