Ibrahim Houri (Huri) (BA Economics ’62) writes, “I immigrated to the US 45 years ago and am currently residing in Manhattan. I would love to meet AUBites who are visiting the ‘city that never sleeps’ anytime.” abehouri@gmail.com Sabih Kukhun (BS Pharmacy ’63) writes, “I want to let my classmates know that I have ended my practice of pharmaceutical commercial activities and am now retired. My wife, Raja, and I live in Amman. Our three children are doing well: Samer, who has an MBA from Butler University in the US, lives in Amman; Lina, who earned a pharmacy degree at Butler University, lives in Toronto; and Hani, who holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering, lives in Riyadh. I still remember most of my classmates but unfortunately am not in touch with them. I look forward to hearing from them.”
Greg Mestanas (BA Psychology ’63), PhD, is currently retired and living with his family in Annapolis, Maryland, where he was in independent practice as a psychologist/behavioral health consultant for 50 years. He is a member of the American Psychological Association’s Societies of Clinical Psychology and Clinical Neuropsychology and the author of numerous articles and two books on health: Passion for Health: A Natural Way to Wellness through Nutrition, Behavior and Lifestyle (2005) and Younger at Any Age: Adopting a Culture of Wellness, which will be published in 2023 and can be obtained through Amazon.
Mary “Jan” Clement (Hageman) (Clark) (JYA 1963–64), PhD, completed a PhD degree in 1977 from Washington State University in sociology/criminal justice and taught criminal justice at Wichita State University and Virginia Commonwealth University. In 1990, she completed a dual degree in law and social work. In 1998–99, Mary was chosen as a Fulbright Scholar to teach law at Birzeit University. She retired in 1999 and went to Tennessee, where she passed the bar exam and set up a private criminal law and family law practice. She retired for a second time in summer 2022 and moved to Texas. She recently published PEACE, a book about her Fulbright Scholar adventures.
Ahmad Awdeh (BA English ’68, MA Education ’86) lives in Beirut. He recently wrote a book, O My Lord! Prayer in the Holy Book of Muslims, which he decided to write in English to reach a larger audience. It will be distributed worldwide by a UK-based publisher.
Saleem Kiblawi (BS ’65, MD ’69) writes, “I retired from the clinical practice of medicine in 2013. However, I continue to work as a consultant for the Joint Commission International. I live in Beirut with my wife, Balkis. She is a retired social worker and school counselor. We travel often, especially to Dubai to visit our two boys who live and work there. Shafeek (MD ’82) is an emergency medicine physician, married to Gihan El-Hage. Ramzi is in marketing working at Jotun and is married to Nadine Choufani. They have a boy (Kian, two and a half years old) and a girl (Sienna, three months old).”
John Morrell (JYA 1968–69) writes, “My experience at AUB and in Lebanon as part of the Great Lakes Colleges Association (GLCA) Junior Year Abroad Program drastically changed my life and interests. After graduating from Kenyon College in Ohio, I went to McGill University Institute of Islamic Studies, where I earned a master’s degree. I also got married and had three children. I was later ordained an Anglican priest and served in Quebec; Vermont; Doha, Qatar; Grenada; and Nova Scotia. I am now retired and living in Nova Scotia. We are planning our next GLCA reunion at the Debs Center, AUB’s office in New York City, in fall 2023. All JYA students are invited. Email Eren at eyilmaz@aub.edu for information.”
Sylva Heghinian Collins (BS Mathematics ’71) moved to the US after graduation to attend Boston University, where she earned a PhD in mathematical statistics. She later earned a master’s degree in computer science from New York University. She has had a long career in the pharmaceutical industry and is best known for pioneering electronic data capture at several pharmaceutical companies. She was recently appointed director of the Office of Biostatistics for the US Food and Drug Administration Drug Division. Sylva met her husband, John Collins, at her first job. Together they have raised three children.
Kamal M. Rachid (BE Mechanical Engineering ’72) writes, “Between 1972 and 2003, I was an engineering officer in the Lebanese Army (LAF). After resigning as a major general, I did a variety of things: becoming a member of the board of LIBNOR (2003–13), working at Al Jaber Group in Abu Dhabi (2006–11), establishing a vocational school in El Chouf and working part-time as an editor and proofreader (2003–14), and working as an employee at Sarooj Construction Company (2014–17).”
Souad Dajani (BA Sociology & Anthropology ’73, MA Sociology ’76) writes, “Can it really be 50 years since I graduated?! The decades have flown by all too quickly. I entered AUB as a freshman at the age of 16. In addition to my AUB degrees, I earned a PhD from the University of Toronto (1984). My life and career have taken many twists and turns. I am now retired and living in Massachusetts. I would love to connect with former classmates and/or students from my time as a TA and lecturer. I can be reached at srdajani@gmail.com”
Loutfi Echhade (BBA ’73), CPA, CMA, CIA, CISA, CFE, CCSA, is a retired senior partner with EY. He currently serves as an independent member on the board and audit committees of eight joint stock companies in Saudi Arabia and is a member of the IMA Board of Regents and the Professional Standards Committee of the Texas Society of CPAs. He previously served on the EY Global, EMEIA, and MENA advisory councils and as head of the WAAAUB Advisory Board Outreach Committee and was a member of the WAAAUB Business Chapter. His three children, Basil, Dena, and Leila, have all earned degrees from AUB’s Suliman S. Olayan School of Business.
Raghid Nahhas (BS Biology ’73, MS Marine Sciences ’76), PhD (Hull University, 1981), writes, “Hello from Sydney, Australia, where I have been living for the past 35 years. My wife and I are retired and enjoy being grandparents to our four grandchildren. I am now concentrating on my literary and photographic activities. My most recent book was Lines and Colours, a prose book in Arabic. I have also published books by other authors. Please check out my website: www.raghidnahhas.com.”
Taghreed A. Najjar (BA English ’73) has been writing children’s books in Arabic since she graduated from AUB. Many have been translated into other languages, including English, French, Italian, Turkish, and Greek. She has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Etisalat Prize for Arabic Children’s Literature, a nomination for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (2023), the Hans Christian Andersen Award (in 2020), and the Jordanian Award for merit for her work in children’s literature (2021). She is married to alumnus Shakir Shakhshir (1968). They have three daughters and three grandchildren and live in Amman. www.taghreednajjar.com
Joe Stephan (BE Mechanical Engineering ’73) is enjoying a fully deserved retirement, primarily in Lebanon. During his 50-year career, Joe spent 30 years managing Stephan Agencies, which imports industrial equipment and printing machinery. He also spent seven years working in steel construction in Saudi Arabia. He and his wife, Hana Zahr (BA Sociology and Anthropology ’83), have three daughters: Cynthia (BA Psychology ’05), Celine (BArch ’08), and Tatiana, who has a master’s degree in architecture from Academie Libanaise des Beaux Arts (ALBA). They enjoy spending time with their grandchildren in Montreal and Beirut.
Monica Taugher Jubayli (BA History and Geography ’73, MA Education ’77) married Maher Jubaili (BS Agriculture ’72) in 1974. They have four children. Monica taught English for many years, including at AUB, BUC Saida, NDU, and Balamand University. She also worked at ACS with the IB program before retiring in 2003. She and Maher moved to Dubai in 2007. After he retired in 2021, they established the Cedar Gate Fund, an NGO that supports education and livelihood initiatives in Lebanon, including training job seekers and providing public schools and institutions with clean and affordable energy solutions along with access to digital resources.
Thomas Bruggman (former student 1973–74) writes, “Twill, my 17-year-old, and I recently went on a wild adventure to Africa for a month. We traveled from Cape Town, South Africa, visited both sides of the Victoria Falls, and saw Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia as well. It was a shared thrill!” Zaki Zatari (BE Mechanical Engineering ’78) is a resident engineer with Dar on the Beirut International Airport operations and management (O&M) project and current president of the Lebanese ASHRAE Chapter, LAC. He earned a master’s degree from Cornell University in 1982 and worked in the US for 12 years before returning to Lebanon in 1994. Since then, he has been working with consulting, project management, and O&M companies in the MENA region. He is LEED AP certified with special interest in highly efficient building designs. He participated in the Beirut Marathon in 2023 and is very interested in hiking— and financial markets.
Jamal Umari (BE Civil Engineering ’81) works at Khawarizmi University Technical College in Amman, Jordan, where he is involved in an IREX-sponsored initiative to engage students from Jordan with students in the US using Global Solutions Conversations.
Najat Kassir (BA Political Studies ’82) lives in Lebanon and would love to hear from friends and classmates from her time at AUB. Elias Iskandar Traboulsi (BS Biochemistry ’77, MD ’82) was recently honored with the John C. Gienapp Award by the Accreditation Commission for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) in recognition of his dedication to graduate medical education and his “outstanding contributions to the enhancement of residency education and ACGME accreditation activities.” He is the head of the Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology and director of the Center for Genetic Eye Diseases at Cleveland Clinic’s Cole Eye Institute. He is also a professor of ophthalmology at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University and director of the Ophthalmology Residency Program at Cleveland Clinic. From 2005 to 2021, he was the director of Graduate Medical Education at Cleveland Clinic.
Jalal Toufic (BA Philosophy ’84) is a professor at the American University in Cairo. He is the author of, among over ten books, What Was I Thinking? (2017) and Forthcoming (2nd ed., 2014), both published by Sternberg Press and part of the e-flux journal series. His films and artwork have been exhibited at the 6th, 10th, and 11th Sharjah Biennials; the 9th Shanghai Biennale; MoMA PS1; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Centre Pompidou; Whitechapel Gallery; MACBA; MAXXI; and Kunsthalle Fridericianum. AUB University Medal recipient Etel Adnan wrote in 2017: “Jalal Toufic is today, and has been for some time, the most original thinker on the planet.”
Hayat Kai (BS Nursing ’85) writes, “I am proud of having been a student at AUB and that my children also attended AUB. While a student at AUB, I learned how to face and manage the challenges and difficulties that one confronts in life. AUB also taught me how to assume responsibilities and be successful.”
Fadi Khouri (BA Mathematics ’87, BS Computer Science ’88) writes, “My father, Edmond Khoury, worked at AUB in the University Health Services as an administrative assistant for 42 years (1952–94). He passed away in 2011. I continued my education at the University of Sherbrooke and am now living in Montreal, where I am a mathematics professor. I miss AUB—the campus, my friends, the library, the activities, and the spirit!”
Ghassan A. Abdel Rahman (BE Electrical Engineering ’88, EMBA ’06) writes, “I have been living in Abu Dhabi since 1989 and am currently a group managing partner of Midis Site & Power Activities in the UAE. I am deeply attached to AUB: three sisters, two siblings, and three nephews are all AUBites. My son, Atef, will graduate this summer as a civil engineer. I am looking forward to his graduation! I have served as a committee member and am now vice president of the Abu Dhabi Chapter and was previously a WAAAUB Council member. I am also a member of the President’s Club.”
Ibrahim Antar (BA Public Administration ’88) writes, “My career in the management and supplies of medical equipment and medicinal drugs started after graduation. Despite challenges due to political developments in Sierra Leone, I managed to steer my firm with great success until my appointment as honorary consul general of Pakistan in Sierra Leone in 2007. I was recently honored with a presidential award as grand officer of the Order of the Rokel for my achievements in business. I am very proud to be a product of the American University of Beirut and wish all current students every success.”
Fadia Safadi Gebran (BBA ’88) has been appointed communications officer in the Office of Innovation & Transformation at AUB. She has extensive experience in communications and public relations fields, having worked at many prestigious advertising agencies, as well as in corporate communications for top-notch companies. In addition to her BBA, Fadia holds an MBA from the ESA Business School. She is married with two children and lives in Beirut.
Samer Harb (BS Nutrition & Dietetics ’95, MS Food Technology ’97) writes, “I was so happy to celebrate the 25th anniversary of our graduation from AUB with my friends during Reunion 2022 on campus. I have established my own food industry consultancy company (www. internationalfoodexperts.com) and am currently working on projects in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.”
Nathalie El-Rayes (BA Economics ’97) writes, “My experience at Reunion 2022 was great. It was wonderful to see old friends and VIP people like Walid Jumblatt and Nasser Saidi. I am proud to have graduated from AUB in economics. I am now working at Gold Trading all over the world. I am based in Lebanon and travel a lot. My husband and son are both American. I am the only one defending the Lebanese passport and the Lebanese people. This country can get back on its feet – I am certain about it. We just need to put the right people in the right places.”
Amer Kaissi (BS Environmental Health ’97, MPH ’99) is a professor of healthcare administration at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. He is also a professional speaker, executive coach, and book author. His latest book is Humbitious: The Power of Low-Ego & High-Drive Leadership.
Ralph Achkar (BE Electrical Engineering ’98) writes, “Coming up to 25 years! It seems like yesterday with such vivid memories. It is great to be part of this family. My professional path since graduation has included a few years in engineering and then onto finance – something I never imagined. Like most of you folks, I have moved around a bit since then. I am currently based with the family in Madrid, Spain. I hope to be in touch.”
Michel Naoufal (BS Biology ’98, MA Psychology ’09) writes, “After earning my degree in premed biology in 1998, I never imagined I would be where I am today: working in the mental health field. I ended up going back to AUB to earn a master’s in psychology after graduating from medical school, an unusual educational path but one that I have found to be very helpful when it comes to combining medicine and psychotherapy for the treatment of mental health disorders. The biology behind the human mind and behavior as well as the psychological mechanisms are one and the same!”
Jenny Nasr (BS Agriculture ’98, MS Plant Protection ’00) is a research facilitator at the University of Luxembourg in Luxembourg, where she has been living with her family since 2011. She previously worked at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Rome, Italy, for six years.
Charbel Lahoud (BS Agriculture ’04, MS Plant Protection ’06), IEMBA ’10, writes, “I am currently the CEO of Lahoud Agri Farms in Lebanon, where we grow low-impact sustainable agriculture (LISA). I am also the founder and CEO of Chaos Art Gallery in Sursock, Beirut. I wish all AUB alumni the best of luck with their projects.”
Wassim Hamade (BBA ’05) writes, “I am currently a principal engineer in the analytics field with Verizon in Dallas, Texas. My main focus is leveraging technologies and data to facilitate the customer experience on all digital platforms.”
Kassem Jouni (BS Agriculture ’06, MS Irrigation ’09) is currently a program policy officer at the World Food Programme in Beirut. During his 17-year career, he has worked with private and international development agencies and the United Nations in a number of African and Arab countries on developing forage production, crop and soil management, irrigation scheduling, impact evaluation for agricultural projects, preparation of feasibility studies to identify crop production estimates, and the development of agricultural training materials on large farming schemes. He and his wife, Nadine Mohanna (BBA ’08, MBA ’14), have one son, Adam.
Lina Faysal El Kibbi (former student 2005–07), MD, is an assistant professor of rheumatology at Alfaisal University in Riyadh, where she is also the director of medical academic affairs and chairman of the IRB Committee. Lina is also the founder of the Arab Adult Arthritis Awareness Group. She has been working at the Specialized Medical Center Hospital in Riyadh since 2007.
Roy Janho (BE Civil Engineering ’07, ME Engineering Management ’08) writes, “Dear colleagues, I tried to write this class note using ChatGPT— I’m sure you’ve heard of it by now— but the result was disappointing, so I’ll give you the rundown myself. I am still in Dubai working as a regional commercial manager for Woods Bagot—an international architecture designer. My family has grown, as we welcomed our son, Ryan, last year. I can’t wait to take him snowboarding in Faraya, where my snowboarding journey began. In other news, inflation has hit everyone globally and its impact is felt every day. Hope you are all safe and well!”
Carla Younes (BBA ’09) has been living in Lausanne, Switzerland, since 2020, where she is global communications manager for Philip Morris International (PMI), a company she has worked with for 12 years in support of its mission to achieve a smoke-free future. She and her husband are now the proud parents of a little boy, Habib.
Demi Kurban (BA Media & Communications ’17) writes, “After leaving AUB, I moved to London, where I worked initially in financial journalism covering several asset classes, including infrastructure and renewable energy. I chose to shift careers in 2022 and am now a consultant focusing on advising the private capital space, including private equity firms, hedge fund managers, and private creditors, on strategic communications.”
Amira Yassine (MS Chemistry ’22) writes, “After getting my MS in chemistry under the supervision of Dr. Najat A. Saliba, I moved to the US to do a PhD at Johns Hopkins University, Department of Environmental Health and Engineering. I was selected for the prestigious Lila May Walkden Flounders Fellowship for the 2022–23 academic year shortly after I arrived based on my previous outstanding achievements, primarily at AUB. As a doctoral student in Dr. Peter DeCarlo’s lab, I am conducting research focusing on atmospheric air pollution with applications to ambient air quality and atmospheric aerosols and emissions from anthropogenic activities (especially industrial activities).”