The 17 years of experiences have provided her skills, expertise and knowledge in multiple sectors, including, building of partnerships and coalitions for the purpose of peacebuilding, conflict transformation, social cohesion and democratization in a transitioning context. Recognizing that a successful transition out of conflict requires collaboration and understanding, she is an specialist in conflict analysis studies/researches, peace-building strategies and organizational democracy. She has also been a member of the Iraqi al-Amal Association since 1995, and elected to the board of trustees in 2008.

In addition to her work as a Community Mobilization Expert at UNDP-Iraq since 2010. She has served as Iraq Program Coordinator with the Olof Palme International Center, Senior Regional Program Officer with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), Peace-building Consultant with the UN Development Program, and Country Manager of Women in Technology for Institute of International Education.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and Master in Business Administration /MBA and Master of Arts in Conflict Transformation from the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at ²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø (USA).

Aaron Kishbaugh is now working at Rosetta Stone, Ltd. in Harrisonburg, VA where he is the Editorial Team Manager.

In November 2007, Aaron and his wife Tara welcomed a son, Willem Silverthorn, into their family.

In summer 2009 I began working with Fraser Region Community Justice Initiatives (CJI) outside of Vancouver, Canada, as a restorative justice facilitator and trainer.

CJI has almost 25 years of experience operating restorative justice programs and providing conflict resolution services in the Fraser region of British Columbia. CJI’s programming includes victim offender conferencing in cases of serious and violent crime, training, peacebuilding education in primary and secondary schools, and restorative youth services.

My primary focus at CJI is to develop and implement restorative justice and conflict transformation training programs for organizations, community groups, workplaces and schools.

I also work within CJI’s Victim Offender Mediation Program to convene and facilitate dialogue processes between victims and perpetrators involved in cases of serious and violent crime. This work keeps me constantly humbled and inspired by peoples’ resiliancy and capacity for transformation.

In 201, he served as co-facilitator, trainer, and co-program designer for the Caux Peace and Leadership Programme with Initiatives of Change in Caux, Switzerland. The programme drew 70 participants from over 30 countries to learn and engage in conflict transformation skills training, leadership development, and practical service opportunities. In 2016, Aaron worked as the Social Cohesion practicum participant for People In Need, based in Yangon, Myanmar. He researched the creative arts and cultural based efforts for peacebuilding and reconciliation work in local communities through the medium of documentary film as well as designed and delivered trainings to local staff. He has also worked with youth in Harrisonburg around nonviolence education and leadership, and peace education, community engagement and development with the Uganda Catholic Worker in Kampala, Uganda.

Aaron’s interests lie within the intersections of conflict transformation and peacebuilding, restorative justice, arts-based capacity building, and documentary film and photography. He is a 2016 graduate from the Center of Justice and Peacebuilding.

Abdul-Aziz has also planned and designed programs to strengthen civil society in Yemen; as well as healthcare, water and sanitation programs in rural areas. He has managed and supervised programs and projects related to conflict transformation and social peacebuilding; conducted trainings on conflict transformation across Yemen, including trainings for Somali refugees; and managed emergency and humanitarian assistance programs. Abdul-Aziz has written a book on conflict transformation and four booklets on negotiation, mediation, dialogue and reconciliation.