MEET OUR CORE TEAM
ceo
Founder
Haider gains fulfillment through helping others and serving his community. He has a unique capacity to put things in perspective and strategically lead any team or project he is responsible for. He has over 10 years uninterrupted track record in designing and managing the implementation of peacebuilding interventions across Iraq, whereby he led successful interventions to mitigate the waves of violent conflicts after Speicher Massacre in Saladin, or the peace agreements in Ayadhiyah subdistrict of Tal Afar, Southwest Kirkuk, and the Yathrib subdistrict of Saladin. He also led the programming that resulted in establishing and institutionalizing peacebuilding mechanisms at the sub-national level in Saladin, Anbar and Nineveh as well as the establishment of the Countering Violent Extremism Strategies for the governorates of Anbar and Nineveh. Under his peacebuilding and organizational development capacities, he led the institutional development of the Network of Iraqi Facilitators and the Alliance of Iraqi Minorities as specialized peacebuilding networks that aim to highlight and address the drivers of tensions and conflicts via outcome-driven dialogues processes and advocacy.
Haider was the pioneer Executive Director of Sanad for Peacebuilding, the leading Iraqi peacebuilding NGO. Before Sanad, he worked with the US. Institute of Peace (USIP) as local advisor, and effectively contributed to the success of USIP’s transition strategy in Iraq to Sanad. With Management Systems International, Haider worked as a Quality Management local advisor where he provided technical support to different ministries in Iraq under the capacity of the Iraq Administrative Reform project funded by USAID. In the Iraqi Private Sector, Haider led the Organizational Development Department at Zain Iraq Telecom, a leading telecommunication company in Iraq for four years. He also Co-Founded BE | Developing People, an Iraqi Organizational Development Company. With the government of Iraq, Haider served as a Media Operations Manager at the Government Communications Directorate-Prime Minister’s Office from 2005 to 2007, and he successfully contributed to the design and implementation of an initiative to hand over the International Press Center to the Iraqi administration in 2006. He also managed the VIP voting center during Iraq’s first elections in 2005, and the national campaign regarding the Iraq’s constitution after 2003.
HAIDER AL IBRAHIMI
CLARA PERGOLA
senior Learning, Monitoring and evaluation specialist
founding member
Clara is a cosmopolitan product of the French city of Marseille. Driven by an intense desire to understand her surroundings, she is always looking at new ways to make local realities intersect with technical models and approaches. Her optimism guides her in her constant search for solutions. While conflict is inevitable, she is convinced there is no conflict that cannot be resolved. Her areas of interests include community reconciliation, track II mediation and transitional justice.
Over the past few years, Clara has developed a solid understanding of peacebuilding approaches. Prior to starting her journey with Peace Paradigms when it was established, she previously worked with Concordis International, a British peacebuilding NGO, and with Sanad for Peacebuilding, a leading local peacebuilding NGO in Iraq. Before moving and starting to work in Iraq, she lived in Cairo, Egypt, where she did an intensive Arabic study. She holds a master's degree in Conflicts and Development Studies from the French political sciences school Sciences Po Lille. She is fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of Arabic and Spanish.
programs advisor
team member
Ali is a Programs Advisor with Peace Paradigms. He is also a blogger advocating for a better community, human rights, and the United Nations' sustainable development goals, and countering hate speech, misinformation, and disinformation on social media.
He has worked with many international and local organizations in Iraq since 2004, including Search for Common Ground, Oxfam, Center for Digital Resilience, International Relief and Development, Legal Clinic Network and others, contributing or managing the implementation of various peacebuilding projects, and project supporting vulnerable groups in Iraq. He participated to many training workshops at the national and international levels. Himself a trainer, he built the capacities of many Civil Society Organizations and civil activists on project management, human rights, social cohesion and communication. He also worked on the development of several policies and strategic plans supporting governmental and non-governmental organizations. Ali has a Bachelor of Computer Science from Al-Maamoon University, Baghdad, Iraq, and a Professional Diploma in Public Relations & Communication from the University College Dublin.
ALI ADEL
AMMAR AL-KHATIB
HEAD OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN IRAQ OFFICE
FOUNDING member
Ammar’s experience encompasses leadership, project management, strategic planning, resource utilization, strategic growth, and cost reduction. His ability to analyze needs and create unique solutions designed to yield results has proven to be one of his greatest assets. Ammar re-joined PPO in 2021 after having contributed to its establishment in 2019. Prior to that, Ammar acquired significant professional experience working with the private and civil society sectors during more than 19 years, culminating with his latest position as an Executive director in The Station Foundation for Entrepreneurship, during which the number of projects implemented by the Station largely increased, different new strategic partnerships with some of the biggest private Iraqi companies were sealed and a new branch in Mosul was opened, in addition to two creative spaces that represent not only Iraq’s but the region’s first local art-related incubator.
Ammar has also been a certified trainer from Microsoft since 2010, and his main expertise is to provide training on Microsoft applications. He trained more than 1500 people from different backgrounds and of all ages. he also has very good experience in developing people’s training and presentation skills, and helped many young graduates at the start of their careers. Ammar was born and raised in Algeria, then studied and started his career in Libya, before moving to his homeland to settle in Baghdad. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Garyounis of Benghazi, Libya.
AMMAR ZAKRI
AMMAR ZAKRI
HEAD OF NORTHERN IRAQ OFFICE
FOUNDING member
Ammar is a seasoned management executive, effective leader, and strategist. Before joining PPO in 2022, he accumulated 23 years of professional experience in Operational and Program Management, Executive Leadership, Peacebuilding, Emergency Response, Community and Economic Development, Context Analysis and Fundraising. He is bringing a wealth of experience, knowledge, and network to the team of PPO.
He has several years of hands-on community mobilization, networking, public relation, and outreach. He also has extensive knowledge in Project and budget design, M&E and sustainability, and is addicted to project launching and implementation in security sensitive-areas. Ammar has practical knowledge of USAID, OFDA, BPRM, EU, ECHO, GIZ and EA guidelines and regulations, and a successful implementation history of projects with UNHCR, IOM, WFP, UNDP, UNICEF, UNESCO, and UNEP grants. His personal interests are entrepreneurial thinking, change management and creative development. Ammar holds a BA in English Language from University of Baghdad, Iraq and an MBA from Portland State University.
ORNINA HENRY
Programs associate
TEAM member
Ornina is a passionate young peacebuilder whose dedication and passion in building and sustaining positive peace is equal to none.
Ornina Henri Sarkees is a fresh graduate who holds BSc in Peace and Human Rights from the University of Dohuk, Iraq, who has been working and volunteering with international and local organizations for the past six years.
Ornina started her efforts in Iraq's civil society as a civil and human rights activist advocating for women and girls' rights, youth engagement and ethno-religious minority rights. She has been engaged with Peace Paradigms since 2019, first as an enumerator and then a field coordinator, before joining PPO’s team as a Program Associate in 2022.
MAJD DAKKAK
DATA MANAGEMENT associate
TEAM member
Majd believes that all human beings deserve to live a decent life regardless of their ethnicity, religion or gender. That is what led him to get involved in the humanitarian field at first, in order to serve his community. He first worked with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) as a volunteer, and then held the position of Evaluation Officer at SARC in the Disaster Management Unit for a year, before moving to the Logistics and Operations Department.
When Majd moved to Erbil, Iraq, he worked with Malteser International Organization, for a multi-sectoral project supporting return of Internally Displaced Persons to Ninewa Governorate. Majd is now a Data Management Associate with PPO, and contributes effectively to PPO projects’ monitoring activities by working in direct collaboration with program teams as well as by strengthening PPO’s internal management of information, documentation, and data. Majd holds a Diploma of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Syrian Virtual University of Damascus.
RAWAZ MUSTAFA
SENiOR PROGRAMS ASSISTANT
TEAM member
Rawaz dedicates herself to help people to heal. Right after her graduation, she entered the humanitarian sector. Her journey started with REACH, a part of IMPACT Initiative, in which she contributed to several projects as an enumerator, translator and facilitator. She also worked with iMMAP organization, as a data clerk, after which she started working in PPO as an Administration Assistant.
She was then promoted to her current position as Senior Programs assistant. Rawaz plays a crucial role in ensuring activities and events are properly planned, down to the smallest detail. Rawaz holds a bachelor degree in architectural engineering from Koya University, Iraq.