Aya Barakat is a trilingual (English, French, and Arabic speaking) certified executive coach and trainer, with more than 24 years of experience in the academic and educational field. She mainly specializes in young adults and women empowerment, guiding them on how to gain self-awareness of where they are currently, clarify their personal and professional goals, unlock their potential, and improve their social leadership skills. Her experience extends to different businesses, educational and social fields as she has worked with Air France, The American University of Beirut, the Lebanese university, the Haigazian University, and many NGO’s such as Challenge to Change Mena, Mompreneurs_Lebanon, the ID foundation, as well as training teachers and staff in many schools across Lebanon. Aya is also an active member and coach for the Lebanese league of women in business Lebanon, the women leaders Association Lebanon, as well as a speaker on TEDxsalons. She is the author of several empowerment programs and camps such as “TAMAKKAN” Leadership and Citizenship program, The “beYOUtiful” program on empowering young girls, “Youth Changemakers” program, “The Great Escape” transformational Teambuilding camp, and “Voices of Power“ Women Leadership CamPOWERment.
Mona Makkawi – EMBA, HR Expert, Consultant and Business Trainer
Mona Makkawi, is an Ambitious and determined professional who demonstrated an exceptional passion for learning and transferring knowledge to others with a strong belief, that elevating others and helping them reach their full potentials will advance oneself. Mona’s exposure to different sectors and industries throughout her 18+ years of experience enabled her, to build a solid expertise in identifying, analyzing and resolving various organizational and operational challenges faced in Human Resources and Business Operations. Adding to that, Mona has a track record in training and coaching professionals on different topics. To feed her passion, Mona founded Konsult. Where she is the Principal Consultant and Trainer. Konsult. Is a Beirut based regional consulting, advisory and training firm with a focus on Human Capital and Business Process optimization. Konsult. draws on the expertise of a pool of local, regional and international consultants and trainers. Konsult. Formerly known as Management Solutions – Lebanon, has been in the market since 2009, serving Lebanon and the Gulf. Mona held many Human resources managerial positions during her career, where her previous work experience as the Human Resources and Strategy Manager at a well-known Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Company was the longest. She has successfully led the development and implementation of the HR Functions such as: Policies and Procedures Job Descriptions Recruitment & Selection Employee Handbook Performance Appraisal and Benefits Schemes Employees Pay Levels Training& Development Coaching Her team describes her as a Leader/ Mentor who reflects the characteristics of a driven and established HR Professional demonstrated thanks to her sharpness, analytical thinking, detail orientation and Strategic Business Planning. As part of her Human Resources Manager functions, Mona has delivered interactive and activity-based workshops for employees at all levels within the organization. The feedback received from team members who participated in those workshop is that the sessions were extremely enjoyable, the contents were very comprehensive – easy to follow, and provided them with additional knowledge that can be used on-the-job. The workshops delivered by Mona included Communication Skills, Management Skills, Train the Trainer as well as Transformational HR. To Know More About Mona Makkawi : mona@konsultlb.com
Rose Keyrouz – Master Esthetic Consultant
Rose Keyrouz is a nationally and internationally acclaimed and award-winning beautician. She has studied and received recognition in Venezuela, Paris, Los Angeles, Switzerland and Germany. Rose holds over a dozen degrees and certificates, spanning, skin care, face care, tattooing, paramedical tattoo, make up and cinema makeup. She has also received extensive product training from top manufacturers. From her Media appearances, Rose endeavors to spread comprehensive knowledge on the field and had her own weekly TV show on LBC for five years. She has also appeared on several TV channels such as MBC and HIA as well as radio stations such as Delta and Jordan Radio Al Fan. She was also a certified consultant for the acclaimed Sayyidati Magazine for Seven years and wrote a regular column in Al Tob Al Badil Magazine. Rose’s profile indicates her extensive knowledge in Beauty and her passion for this field. Hence her choice of Cara Luna after 2o years of research and training in make up.
Nadine Eid Launches BeyondComply
“Passion is the Fuel behind a Successful Career” What we as women can achieve has no limits, especially when we are united and when we are empowering one another. In honor of International Women’s day, and as part of my passion and dedication to the compliance industry, I have decided to step up this year as an expert woman in the financial services industry and take the lead on this occasion by announcing the launch of BeyondComply. BeyondComply is a consultancy firm that I established in order to assist financial services companies understand and overcome the challenges arising from compliance, regulation and market developments. As a woman who proved herself in a male dominated industry, my goal today is to support organizations in understanding the requirements of the financial services industry in a highly regulated environment, while promoting a global culture that spreads compliance awareness and encourages ethical conduct, adherence to rules and regulations, and commitment to prevent criminal conduct. To know more about BeyondComply, visit www.beyondcomply.com Cheers to every determined woman who never takes “No” for an answer and never follows the crowd, but rather creates her own path and is so proud of it. As Maya Angelou once said: “A woman who is convinced that she deserves to accept only the best, challenges herself to give the best. Then she is living phenomenally”. Happy International Women’s Day. Nadine Ghosn Eid Nadine fb
Serene Ghandour
Ever since childhood, Serene expressed a passion for drawing. Her approach is inspired by early Renaissance artists who sought recognition, independence, and individualization and affirmed their power and freedom as artists by painting themselves. According to Serene, making art is a very intimate process that is not intended to please but to be interpreted individually. Whether through self-deprecation, exaggeration, distortion, or satire, Serene questions and tests society’s threshold of tolerance and its judgment of how a person should be all the while being true to herself. Serene Ghandour was born in 1996 in Beirut in a family of art enthusiasts and musicians. In 2007 she participated in the International Child Art Foundation Arts Olympiad and was a co-winner from Lebanon. Her appetite for art was reaffirmed upon enrolling in the Fine Arts program at the Lebanese American University where she won the fine arts certificate of excellence in 2018 and graduated with distinction in 2019. She has participated in various exhibitions, including the 33rd Salon D’Automne at the Sursock Museum.
Afaaf Al Qorane, 1st Qatari Female Boxer
Afaaf Alqorane is Qatar’s first female professional boxer, who is changing the sports scene for women in the country. Q Life interviewed Afaaf to learn more about her dreams to represent her country in the ring, and to encourage young girls in Qatar to recognize their strength and power. Afaaf knew she wanted a career in sports from a young age, choosing to study physiotherapy “as a way to be involved in the sports scene and help myself and other players.” Her sporting ambitions were later inspired by Nasser Al-Aisri, a grandmaster from Oman; “Nasser is the one who created the world of boxing for women in Qatar. He is the one who took me into this world, and is the reason I stay motivated.” Afaaf attended boxing camps in 2017 and 2018, before becoming recognized by the Boxing Federation and Olympic Committee and now representing Team Qatar in the sport. She is passionate about making an impact in the sports world, and understands the importance of ensuring that boxing has female representation and role models. “It is hard, but everything can and will change. I hope that our community will learn more about the sport and its benefits, which are not only physical but mental. “It is important to note that there are different types of boxing, such as Olympic and professional. I’ve hosted workshops in an attempt to raise awareness to help people understand the contrast between them. When people think of women in boxing, they also think we can be easily injured, but I try to explain it’s not always what you see on TV.” Afaaf emphasizes the key role of training that goes on behind the sport, which has had a huge impact on both her boxing development and her wider growth. “Focusing on exercise, eating well, self-motivation, and mental health has allowed me to face and accept many of the difficulties I come across. Boxing has changed the way I live my life. It’s like fighting in a good way, full of respect, focus, and resilience.” Afaaf has dreams of growing women’s boxing in Qatar into a community; “I want to be a role model, and help coach and encourage girls to participate, believe in themselves, and achieve their dreams. Boxing is not about fighting with another person but fighting for your rights and dreams. Chase them, because once you do, everything has so much more meaning.” For her, boxing teaches her to fight life in the best way possible. Dedicated to her training schedule, she aims to become a role model to every person crossing her way. Boxing teaches her to remain focused, goal driven, becoming more patient and most importantly to never give up.
IDC Announces Tonia Khouri as new President
Washington, D.C. — In Defense of Christians (IDC), the nation’s leading advocacy organization for Christians in the Middle East, is pleased to announce that Tonia Khouri will be assuming the role of President of IDC, effective immediately. Serving as Vice President since 2018, Tonia is eager to continue the good work of IDC in protecting and preserving Christianity in the Middle East. “I look forward to building on IDC’s record of success, and further developing its capacity for positive impact in the world. May God continue to bless our efforts as He leads us into this new chapter of our organization. ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Romans 8:28)” Tonia Khouri, a wife and mother of three, has an advanced degree from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. A native of Aurora, Illinois, Ms. Khouri is of Middle East Christian heritage. She has been a leader in both her local community and faith community for many years. She served for six years as a County Commissioner and Chairman of Economic Development for DuPage County and was recognized as Woman of the Year by the Phoenician Club of Chicago. She previously served as Vice President of IDC, and as Regional Vice President of Mid-America for National Apostolate of Maronites (NAM). IDC’s executive staff will continue to be led by Executive Director Richard Ghazal. “I, along with the entire staff of IDC, thank our supporters for their continued prayers. We look forward to faithfully working together to give a voice to the voiceless,” said Ms. Khouri.
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