The WLC will provide a structured space for members to develop a leadership vision, cultivate their leadership skills (i.e., communication, relationship building, and goals setting), and create an action plan for creating innovative change through the lens of Principled Innovation. This leadership council will support creating sustainable changes through investigating barriers to the equitable inclusion of women in leadership spaces, as well as innovative strategies for overcoming these barriers.
This project will engage 10 faculty members from Lebanese universities including Haigazian University (HU) and 10 faculty members from Arizona State University (ASU). Participants are of different genders, age group, institutional affiliations, and geographic regions.
Council Members’ Bios
Dr. Léa El-Yahchouchi Abi Chaker holds a Ph.D. in Oriental Languages, Societies, and Civilizations from Université Sorbonne-Nouvelle (Paris 3) in France. She is an Associate Professor at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) in Lebanon and presently serves as the Head of the Languages and Literatures Department at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at USEK. Throughout her career, she has undertaken numerous translation projects in collaboration with academic, governmental, and multinational institutions. She authored a book titled “Une recherche éperdue de la Mère : trois figures de la production romanesque contemporaine,” published by USEK Publications (PUSEK). This work depicts the intricate and multifaceted nature of Lebanese contemporary literature, offering insights into the interpretation of psychosocial challenges, particularly those that arise during times of crises. Léa’s research interests span sociolinguistics, with a focus on multilingualism, native language acquisition, and the complexity of language dynamics. Furthermore, she has conducted studies in interpretation and translation, exploring topics such as feminist translation, differentiated instruction in Business English, and narrative and psychoanalytical analysis in contemporary Lebanese novels.
Hayat Al-Khatib received her PhD from the University of London in 2002. She is a professor of Applied Linguistics at the Arab Open University – Lebanon. Dr. Al-Khatib is a member of the British Association of Applied Linguists (BAAL), Research Support Group at the University of London, Shoman Foundation, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and the Association of Professors of English and Translation at Arab Universities (APETAU). She is active in regional and international conferences, with an interest in linguistics, sociolinguistics, language teaching, and education. She participated, by invitation, as speaker in conferences in Britain, Spain, South Africa, Belgium, Greece, Cuba, and Australia. Dr. Al-Khatib was shortlisted for best paper award at the Cambridge Fourteenth International Conference in 2011. Dr. Al-Khatib’s professional background includes serving as Academic Vice-Rector at the Arab Open University, Associate Dean at the Faculty of Language Studies at the Arab Open University, and Head of the Research Committee at the Arab Open University.
Ilsa Awwad earned her BA and Teaching Diploma in English Literature and Linguistics from the Lebanese University in 2004, and her MA in English Linguistics from The Holy Spirit University in 2012. She currently teaches a variety of Communication Skills courses at the Lebanese American University, Haigazian University, and Saint Joseph University. She has taught Communication Skills courses at the American University of Technology and TOEFL and IELTS preparation courses at the American Language Center. She enjoys participating in workshops and engaging in collaborative work at various universities and the American Embassy.
Dr. Dima Basma has a Ph.D. from the University of Manchester focusing on intellectual property law. She currently serves as the Assistant Dean of College of Law and Political Science at Phoenicia University. In her capacity as an Assistant Dean, she actively guides the development of academic programs and is involved in the accreditation committee. Her teaching
interests encompass a diverse range of subjects, including public international law, intellectual property, and common law. Dr. Basma’s research expertise centers on the dynamic equilibrium between trademarks, their modern functions, and human rights. Her personal interests extend beyond theoretical academia and into the realms of advocacy, mooting, and women’s empowerment. As a coach for moot court competitions, she is deeply involved in guiding students to develop their advocacy skills. Additionally, she serves as the advisor of the Women Empowerment Club at Phoenicia University, where she is dedicated to promoting and supporting initiatives empowering women.
Dr. Hiba Chendeb has a PhD in Applied Linguistics and holds a BS in Chemistry, a BS in Biochemistry, a diploma in Law, and a diploma in Political and administrative sciences. She is a full professor of Linguistics at the Lebanese University. Currently, she is the dean of the faculty of Letters and Humanities of the Lebanese University. She was the head of the English Language Department at the Faculty of Letters & Human Sciences (Branch 3) in 2014/2015, the English Language Coordinator for the North Region at the Language Coordination Office at the Lebanese University in 2016-2017, and the central English language Coordinator at the Language Coordination Office from 2017 till 2023. Dr. Chendeb has been teaching English and Applied Linguistics courses at the Lebanese University, Jinan University, and Tripoli University since 2005/2006. She is an MA and PhD thesis committee member at Jinan University, Islamic University of Lebanon, and Balamand University. She has taught at the Center of Middle Eastern Studies in the American University in Beirut. Dr. Chendeb is the author of publications, research, and studies in the field of chemistry, business language, applied linguistics, language acquisition for children, English for beginners, translation, sociolinguistics, comparative linguistics, curricula for teaching English in Arab countries, and legal English.
Dr. Lara Haddad has a PhD in Immunology, having graduated with high distinction from the University of Aix-Marseille, France. She is currently an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Balamand in Beirut, Lebanon. Since her appointment in 2016, she has been actively involved in several research initiatives in the field of immunology, physiology, and molecular biology. Recently, she has been appointed as the coordinator of the graduate program. Dr. Haddad has had exposure to and training in different methods in the planning of experiments, reports, proposals, and test evaluation evidenced in projects and engagements at various reputable institutions including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), in Lyon, France. In 2019, she launched a faculty-wide research project on Inflammatory Bowel Disease (“IBD”). To further develop her expertise, she was offered a position at Boston Children’s Hospital (Harvard Medical School) and was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship. In her role as a visiting scholar, she undertook laboratory research experiments and worked on cutting-edge techniques in molecular and cell biology. In parallel, she underwent an advanced training in bioinformatics.
Shoghig Kaloussian received her BA in TEFL and her Teaching Diploma in Early Childhood Education from Haigazian University in 2002. In 2015, she earned her MA in Educational Leadership with distinction. She also completed an MA in Multilingualism and the Acquisition of English in 2021 at Universitat Autonoma De Barcelona where she is presently pursuing her PhD in Applied Linguistics – Teaching and Learning of English. She is currently an instructor of English Communication Skills courses at Haigazian University and is engaged in research. Shoghig has over twenty-five years of professional experience as head of department, principal, teacher trainer, quality controller, and language coordinator. Over the years, she has given many teacher-training workshops at schools as well as at the Haigazian University Center for Continuing Education. She has taught advanced writing and Cultural Studies courses at the American University of Culture and Education (AUCE) as well as the Modern University for Business and Science (MUBS). Shoghig has functioned as an academic advisor for the Armenian Evangelical schools in Beirut and has published several books designed for teachers and students. She also worked for the American Embassy in Beirut as a translator for USAID.
Anita Moutchoyan received her BA in English Literature and her Teaching Diploma from Haigazian University in 2008 and her MA in English Literature from the American University of Beirut in 2013. She is a Fulbright alumna. She currently teaches Communication Skills and Cultural Studies courses at Haigazian University and is also a part-time English instructor in the CSP program at AUB. She has taught Communication Skills courses at the Lebanese American University as well. She has had experience working as a tutor at the AUB and LAU Writing Centers for over eight years. Upon receiving a grant from the U.S. Embassy in 2018, Anita established the Haigazian University Writing Center where she currently serves as its director. As of February 2024, Anita became a board member in MENAWCA (The Middle East North Africa Writing Center Alliance).
Dr. Suha Safiyiddeen is a graduate of the American University of Beirut and the University of Leicester, UK. She is an Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics & TESOL and the Chairperson of the English Department at Haigazian University where she teaches Applied Linguistics courses and TESOL Teaching Diploma courses. Prior to this role, she had taught at the American University of Beirut and at the Lebanese American University. She has presented many papers in international conferences and published academic research articles in international journals. Her main research interests are multilingualism, multiculturalism, and gender. She has given several gender training workshops. Suha completed a Master Trainer certificate in March 2019. She has conducted myriads of workshops in Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrein, and the UAE. She has also been a teacher trainer since 1996 and has worked as an educational consultant and TESOL specialist with several educational institutions nationally and regionally. She is the co-founder and president of TESOL-Lebanon and a member of several international professional associations.
Mona Shahine holds an MA in TEFL from the American University of Beirut. She is a senior instructor in the department of Communications, Arts, & Languages at the Lebanese American University. She currently serves as the Academic Program Coordinator of the English Sequence courses – Beirut campus and the ENG 009/101 Program Coordinator across campuses. She has been teaching and training ELT for more than 30 years in Lebanon. Her main interests are teacher training, evaluating Intensive English Programs, teaching critical thinking/ academic writing, and revising academic English curricula. Mona has presented in multiple conferences around the Arab world, in Europe, as well as the USA. She is an Executive Council member of the English-Speaking Union (the Lebanese branch) serving as the Honorary Secretary. She has also served as a Jury member for multiple Public Speaking competitions in Lebanon and organizes the National Public Speaking competition hosted at LAU.
