Our Staff

Demetri (Robert) Fadel proudly serves as Paper Airplanes’ Executive Director. Demetri also works at MIT’s Center for Excellence in Energy, and is an advisor and mentor at R2 Social. He has an MBA from Boston College, an MA in Energy and Environmental Policy from Boston University, and a BA from UMass, Amherst. Educational technology and learning for displaced youth have been a passion since helping to launch and grow One Laptop per Child (OLPC) and the MIT Refugee Action Hub (ReACT). Almost immune to jet-lag, Demetri enjoys making and eating peanut butter and hummus, and is an avid fan of the beautiful game of football (soccer).

Gabrielle (Gabby) Wimer graduated in 2016 from the University of Chicago where she studied the history of medicine and human rights. She first joined Paper Airplanes as a tutor in the fall of 2016 and quickly fell in love with the organization and its mission. Before moving to Amman, Jordan to work as Managing Director, Gabby worked in Guatemala running a program she co-founded called MealFlour which collaborates with local organizations to teach people how to raise mealworms as a more affordable source of protein. In her spare time, she likes to hike, read, and continue her quest for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Holly started with Paper Airplanes in 2017. Holly applies her experience as a tutor, Tutor Coordinator and Program Coordinator to her current position as the English Program Manager. With a degree in Linguistics from the University of Maryland and a wanderlusting soul, she taught ESL in China and Chile before coming back home in DC where she is also simultaneously working as a Diplomatic Assistant at the Embassy of Japan. Holly immigrated to the USA from Vietnam, thus her passion and conviction in international education and assistance are what drive her work. She hopes to bring equitable education to who needs it most.

Rania Ahmed graduated from Queen’s University in 2017 where she studied Political Science with a focus on Multiculturalism. Before joining Paper Airplanes in Spring 2020, she worked with lead initiatives with the City of Toronto focusing on local conflict and safe city building for marginalized youth. She also co-runs her own local non profit in Mississauga that aims to create educational and networking spaces for young women and girls . Rania is based in Toronto, and enjoys cooking, reading , and traveling when she can..

Zahra graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a business degree in Management Information Systems. Although she currently works as a Solutions Engineer at VMware, Zahra has always been passionate about finding ways to bridge education and technology. This has led her to work with startups in Yemen, Belize and China. Zahra joined Paper Airplanes as an English Tutor, but quickly became interested in helping expand the Women in Tech Program after seeing how much of a positive impact it was making on the students. In her free time, Zahra enjoys traveling, learning new languages, and attempting new adventure sports.

My name is Ismail. I am Syrian. I came to Turkey in 2014 because of the war and to complete my studies. I am now studying my last year of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Gaziantep University. I joined Paper Airplanes as an English student in 2015. After my language improved I joined the PA team as a Student Coordinator for the English Program in 2018 and I am now the Turkish Program Manager. I am so grateful for being a part of this team which has a huge positive impact on refugees' lives.

Yasmeen is completing her MA from McGill University in Education & Society (with a concentration in Gender & Women's Studies). She has a background in International Development Studies and Communications. Yasmeen's research and work interests lie at the intersection of gender, education, and development with a focus on the Middle East. Her current MA research looks at gender representations in Jordanian curricula and the impacts this can have on social learning, and has been assisting a research project on refugee and local youth access to education and employment in Jordan. She is eager to support the mission of Paper Airplanes on a regional and global scale, and boost volunteer recruitment and engagement across the programs. Yasmeen spends most of her time between Amman and Montreal, and enjoys travelling, eating, and being active!

My name is Jumana Saadeh. I recently graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a bachelor degree in International Studies with a concentration in development and sustainability. I interned with Carolina Refugee Resettlement Agency for about 2 years and Friends of Refugees for about a year where I assisted and translated for many refugee families whom I’m still in contact with to this day. I have always been interested in education, especially refugee education. I did my senior seminar on refugee education in Jordan and the United States. I am currently in Amman, Jordan. I like learning new languages (I took Spanish and Japanese courses in college), drawing and playing video games in my free time.

Rafik Shoorbajee first started with Paper Airplanes as a tutor in the summer of 2017. A few semesters later Rafik transitioned to a student coordinator role helping create a better experience for our students. More recently he transitioned to the role of Data Manager for Paper Airplanes. Rafik now overseas the programs' data including the design of the database, security measures, and reporting. Currently based out of Seattle, he is a native of Virginia having graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2013 with a Bachelors in Biomedical Engineering. Outside of volunteering with Paper Airplanes, Rafik coaches high school basketball and works in software development.

Nadine Fattah is a freshman in college at Stanford University, where she hopes to major in international relations on the pre-law track. Prior to becoming Paper Airplanes’ English Tutor and Student Manager, she founded her own chapter of the Youth Exchange Program at her high school, where she served as both a Tutor Coordinator and English tutor. One of her favorite aspects of Paper Airplanes is the face-to-face instruction offered which has given her the chance to meet new people with different backgrounds and inspiring stories; she’s sought to further these unique interactions by working in-person with a number of refugee organizations based in Istanbul, Turkey. Nadine is passionate about fostering cross-cultural dialogues and bridging the global education gap, and she looks forward to furthering those efforts in college!

Karenna is a junior at the University of Pittsburgh, majoring in International Studies and English. She is currently abroad in Baku, Azerbaijan on an intensive Turkish language program. Her past experience in Paper Airplanes includes a semester as an English Program Tutor and a participant of the Virtual Language Exchange Program. As a first-generation American of Colombian and Turkish heritage, she is passionate about matters of conflict and forced migration. In her free time, Karenna is invested in community organizing efforts and is especially passionate about her role as a leader in the Pennsylvania Youth Climate Strikes.

My name is Stephanie Cannon, and I am a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Georgia pursuing degrees in international affairs and Arabic with a minor in Russian. When I am not in class, you can find me either in the residence hall I work in as a Resident Assistant, in Sanford Stadium playing the baritone with the Redcoat Band, or hiking the many trails near Athens, Georgia! Working with Paper Airplanes has inspired me to become more involved with the nearby refugee community of Clarkston, Georgia, and to continue to advocate for refugees around the world.

Rabab Elgayar graduated from the University of Ottawa with an Honors BA with a major in History and Theory of Art and a minor in Greek and Roman Studies in 2017. She first joined Paper Airplanes as an English tutor in 2017 and has loved the cause and the positive impact that Paper Airplanes is making and providing for people living in conflicted areas. She is trilingual: English, Arabic, and French. She has traveled and lived in many countries, such as USA, Philippines, UAE, etc., hence, she has great knowledge of cultures and religions. Rabab is interested in creating new methods of teaching to make learning languages easy.

Bayan Alraqqad is an MBA graduate, with a BA in International relations and strategic studies. She joined Paper Airplanes as women in Tech program coordinator in Jan 2020. Bayan was instrumental in developing the admissions processes for existing boot camps in addition to candidate recruitment strategies. Her marketing skills and efforts were significant in developing partnerships with major INGOs. Bayan is still extremely well connected with major Jordanian ministries and players in the ICT sector.
She finds great pleasure in serving people and making a change among diverse groups of youth and women. Her passion led her to the women in the tech programs. In her spare time, she likes to cook, learn new things, and volunteer with charities.

Christina Fuleihan will graduate from Rollins College in 2019. She is currently an undergraduate, premedical student pursuing degrees in biochemistry and philosophy, with a concentration in neuroscience. She is passionate about learning and believes that education transcends all borders. As a lifelong activist and volunteer, she is especially thankful to have been given the chance to help fellow students achieve their own goals through this program.

I graduated from the University of Aleppo in 2014 with a master's degree in criminal law. Born and raised in Syria, I moved to Lebanon to complete my studies. In 2018, I joined Paper Airplanes as an English language student, and afterwards, applied to be part of the PA team. I am currently volunteering with Paper Airplanes as a student coordinator.

Deidra is currently a tutor coordinator of the English Program at Paper Airplanes. She is a graduate of the College of William and Mary with a degree in English and Hispanic Studies. Her passion is tutoring international students in English. Currently, she is in training to teach ESOL classes at Peninsula READS in Virginia. She plans to continue her education either domestically or abroad and find work as an Assistant Language Teacher. When she is not sending a lot of emails, she is reading tons of blogs, researching new ways of effective English tutoring, studying new languages, and watching anime.

My name is James Nassur, and I am a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania! I am currently applying to medical school and working in research for my gap year. I love to cook, bowl, and lift in my free time.

From Syria living in Turkey. Senior undergraduate student double majoring in Optical & Acoustical Engineering and in Electrical & Electronic Engineering at Gaziantep University in Gaziantep, Turkey. I am Volunteering at Paper-Airplanes as a student coordinator. My interests are Technology, Business, Food, Entrepreneurship, and Podcasts.

I am Omar Garebo. I am Syrian and based in Turkey where I work in an NGO. I graduated from Damascus University, and am pursuing a master's degree in Turkey in political science and international relations.

Originally from Houston, Texas, Bianca is currently a junior at Arizona State University, pursuing a dual degree in Political Science and Global Studies. She is most passionate about international affairs, diplomacy, foreign languages, and cross-cultural exchange. She has been volunteering with Paper Airplanes since 2017, first as an English tutor and conversation group leader, then as a Tutor Coordinator. In her free time, Bianca enjoys reading, going to the theater, listening to stand-up comedy, and doing yoga. A fun fact about her is that she is the oldest of four sisters in a big Cuban-Italian family! Please don’t hesitate to reach out to her with any questions about Paper Airplanes.

My name is Ikram. I have a bachelors degree in English For Communication. My journey began with Paper Airplanes in late 2018 as a tutor. I fell in love with the organization's work and the eye opening experience I had with my student and the team. So, I decided to continue as a Student Coordinator. In a such a short time, I have learned timeless lessons: gratitude, resilience, and altruism. And, I have had the chance to step out of my little world and see how my peers are trying to survive and thrive amidst conflicts. I aspire to do a masters degree in International Relations and work on disarmament and conflict resolutions in the MENA. My contribution and work with Paper Airplanes is the first step in this journey.

Maxine graduated from the University of KwaZulu-Natal with a Bachelor's in Psychology and Criminology. She is currently studying towards a Master's in Criminology at the University of Pretoria. Maxine has been with Paper Airplanes since 2019, volunteering as an English Tutor. She holds a TEFL certificate and is currently employed as an ESL Teacher. Maxine has a varied career background, having worked as an academic tutor, photographer, graphic artist and marketing professional. She is passionate about language and learning and loves to share her knowledge through teaching. Maxine loves to travel and meet new people as this feeds her curiosity about languages and cultures. She is excited to be developing her involvement with Paper Airplanes in the capacity of Tutor Coordinator.

Catherine is a junior at the University of Oklahoma where she studies Arabic and Letters (History, Literature, Philosophy, and Language) with a minor in Psychology. Ever since doing service in Guatemala, she has passionately pursued ways to make the world a more interconnected and egalitarian place. As a Global Engagement Fellow at her school, she mentors international students, remains involved in Arabic cultural activities, and has studied abroad at Oxford and plans to also study in the Middle East. She also loves the arts and volunteers at an art museum, teaches dance classes, and directs yearly short musicals at her school for fun.

My name is Wael Kourdi. I live in Syria, my home country. I am studying Medicine at The University Of Aleppo. I am a volunteer medical videos translator. I also work as a freelance English Tutor here in Aleppo. I first joined Paper Airplanes as a student in the English Program in 2019 and I was fascinated by this great organization and how it focuses on people who were affected by any kind of conflict, and I knew that one day I will be a part of its great staff team. in my free time I enjoy listening to music, playing Classical Guitar and watching TV shows. I am really grateful of being a part of this amazing organization that provides conflict affected people with the tools and skills to build a better future.

Mara is a student at Brown University and interested in neuroscience and economics. She spent last year living in Morocco on a State Department scholarship program learning Arabic. She joined Paper Airplanes as an English tutor last semester and looks forward to getting more involved as a tutor coordinator this year. In her free time, she enjoys painting, cooking, and watching Netflix.

My name is Abdulrahman Safi, everyone calls me Safi. I'm from Syria. I'm a senior undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Civil Engineering. I've been a volunteer at the Red Crescent (SARC) Since 2017. I’m interested in sports in general and I’m a real cheerleader for online learning.

Fadi Kafa is an English Teacher and Translator: He graduated from Tishreen University with a BA in English Literature in 2016 and a Graduate Diploma in Education in 2017. He has also obtained TESOL Certification from Arizona State University in 2020. Due to his deep passion for volunteering and teaching English, he began his journey in Paper Airplanes as an English tutor in late 2019. Surely he is a bibliophile, multilingual, cultured, highly ambitious and determined to do the best.

Ann is a senior at Connecticut College. She is double majoring in Global Islamic Studies and International Affairs with a minor in Arabic. Ann has lived in seven different countries, including Jordan and Morocco, and she spends her free time learning new languages and cooking foreign foods. In the future, Ann hopes to work in international education with a focus on using education to resolve conflicts and build lasting peace.

My name is Darian Barra, and I am a fourth year undergraduate student in the English Teaching program at the Universidad Católica de Temuco, Chile. My first language is Spanish but I have learnt English for around 8 years. I have worked as a Spanish assistant in Birmingham, England thanks to a program sponsored by the British Council. I helped and supported secondary students to gain trust and practice in the learning process of other languages. My experience with Paper Airplanes started in the Spring 2020 term as an English Program Tutor and now as a English Tutor coordinator. I am a good storyteller according to my students and in my free time, I enjoy turning the pages of a good romantic book and watching Netflix.

My name is Manar AlShams, I'm from Syria. I graduated from Damascus University in 2019 with a master's degree in Dentistry. I'm currently studying a BBA at Nexford University. I love learning languages and baking in my free time. I started with Paper Airplanes in 2018 as an English student and I'm very grateful to join now as a student coordinator . Paper Airplanes has had a huge positive impact on my life both personally and academically, and I can't be more grateful that I'm part of such an amazing team.

Yaman Helani is a Syrian Civil Engineer. I graduated from the University of Aleppo in Syria in 2014. I later gained additional qualification at the American University of Beirut, where I received a Certificate in Project Management. I worked as a Technical Engineer at an Engineering company in Beirut. Also, I'm a swimming coach. I hope to go to Germany in September in order to study the master's degree. It is my pleasure to be part of PA's family as a student coordinator and I wish you all the best.

Amn is an English Program Tutor Coordinator at Paper Airplanes. She recently graduated from Western University with a Bachelor of Medical Science degree. Besides teaching and learning, she also enjoys cooking and staying active!

Rachel’s academic background includes a Master's Degree in Literacy Education and a B.A.in Sociology and Education. She is an American who recently moved to Washington State to live with her fiance. Her hobbies include visiting museums, reading, and cooking delicious meals.

I am Saja Alassaf, and I'm from Amman, Jordan. I have a BSc in chemical engineering from the University of Jordan. I joined Paper Airplanes as a student coordinator. I am strongly motivated to help improve the lives of others, and have engaged with various projects in voluntary capacities in the past. I found my ambitions meet perfectly with the vision of Paper Airplanes, to help refugees attain a better education. I love to meet new people, and learn about their cultures and history. I hope I can continue to help the students fulfill their potential, and be a productive member of the Paper Airplanes team.

Duaa is currently studying Computer Information Systems. She joined paper airplanes in 2019. Moreover, she is very passionate about volunteering and helping people in conflict-affected contexts. She is aiming to master data analytics and data science as well as improving education with new techniques depending on analyzing the main problems that are facing students with their schools. She enjoys reading, playing sports, learning languages, and experiencing new things. Be as the rain all around. Be a reason to revive a human heart.

My name is Hamsini Ajjan and I am currently a rising sophomore at The University of Texas at Dallas, majoring in Finance along with pursuing a pre-med track. I will be one of the Business Analytics instructors in the Women in Tech Program. I look forward to meeting all the students and being able to share my knowledge with them this year. I am fluent in speaking English and Telugu. A little about me is I enjoy meeting new people and hearing new stories, giving back to societies all around the world, and educating others because I understand how lucky we, as women, are to get the chance to receive education and live free, independent lives. If I am able to contribute to better the lives of other women, I am always ready to help and share.