Seraj Governance
The Seraj Library Project is governed by two boards of directors, one in Palestine and one in the U.S, who work collegially and cooperatively. Both are recognized by their respective governments as non-profit agencies, eligible for charitable donations and legally able to pursue their respective missions. Corporate decisions with respect to the governance and activities of each board are made locally.
Seraj/Palestine employs an executive director and staff who decide the direction and mission and administer programs in the West Bank. Seraj/Palestine is a community organization directed by Palestinians, for Palestinians and other West Bank residents. The Seraj Library Project is funded substantially through Seraj/U.S. but Seraj/Palestine also works to secure local and international grants.
Seraj/U.S., once known as Friends of Seraj, has two focus areas: fundraising for Seraj/Palestine and education in the U.S. about the situation in Palestine and the importance of the work of Seraj. Seraj/U.S. employs no paid staff; all of its work is done by volunteers.
Seraj/Palestine Board Members
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Bashar Jumaa
Board Chair
Former Chief of Staff to the Palestinian Prime Minister; Member of the Negotiation Support Unit
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Ra'id Malki
Board Vice Chair
Former head of the Local Aid Coordination Secretariat with many connections to international donors
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Emil Makhlouf
Board Treasurer
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Salwa Duaibis
Board Secretary
Founder & director of Military Court Watch, an NGO which accompanies Palestinian minors to their court appearances in Israel’s military court
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Amanda Khalaf
Board Member
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Maha Awartani
Board Member
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Madees Khoury
Board Member
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Carol Michel
General Assembly Member
Public relations and communications expert. Former employee of Riwaq, an organization which restores historical buildings
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Dima Bseiso
General Assembly Member
Founder & director of the only Reggio Emilio based preschool in Palestine and consultant on early childhood education best practices
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Estephan Salameh
General Assembly Member
Co-founder of Seraj Library Project
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Rami Asaad
General Assembly Member
Financial director with experience in both nonprofit organizations and private corporations
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Lujayn Kerish
General Assembly Member
Seraj/U.S. Board Members
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Galen Burghardt
Board Chair
Financial Research
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Mai Khader Kakish
Board Vice Chair
PR Consultant
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John Cassel
Board Treasurer
Adult Educator
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Rima Najjar Kapitan
Board Secretary
Attorney
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Pauline Coffman
Board Nominations
Adult Educator, Ed.D
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Case Hoogendoorn
Board Attorney
Attorney, Hoogendoorn & Talbot LLP
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Anne Cordes
Board Member
Retired Association Executive
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Mary Bigelow
Board Member
Artist
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Diane Fite
Board Member
Artist
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Tamara Ghattas
Board Member
Book editor
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Margaret Griffiths
Board Member
Senior Psychologist
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Miranda Kharsa
Board Member
Public Policy Research
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Anne Koerber
Board Member
Retired Professor Emerta
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Amelia Miller
Board Member
Infant Specialist
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Senator John Millner
Board Member
Former IL State Senator
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Nasser Nabhan
Board Member
Educator
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Elisabeth (Libby) Trost
Board Member
Educator
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Sue Uhlig
Board Member
Professor