2nd Annual RAKTN Symposium

Speakers for this event

• Dr. Aaesha Suwaid

  Dr. Aaesha Suwaid

  Instructor

  HCT- Ras Al Khaimah

  Dr. Aaesha Suwaid possesses a distinctive fusion of academic prowess and practical industry knowledge, enabling her to bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and real-world applications, thereby enhancing the educational experience for her students. As a passionate and accomplished educator and marketing professional, she is committed to shaping the future of her students and the business landscape.

  Dr. Aaesha Suwaid is an esteemed educator and Senior Marketing Manager with over 8 years of experience in marketing, events management, and administration, complemented by nearly 10 years in academia. Holding both a Master’s degree and a Ph.D. in Business Administration, she has cultivated her expertise by instructing various business courses within the Business Division. For close to a decade, Dr. Aaesha has been a devoted faculty member at the Higher Colleges of Technology, where her unique blend of industry acumen and academic proficiency harmoniously bridges the gap between theory and practice in the realm of education.

  With almost a decade of industry exposure, Dr. Aaesha’s influence extends to mentoring young Emirati students, both male and female. She leverages her profound industry insights to design practical learning experiences that seamlessly connect theoretical concepts with real-world applications. In conclusion, Dr. Aaesha Suwaid is a dedicated and erudite professional, seamlessly integrating her extensive industry background with her academic acumen to effectively educate and guide students in the dynamic field of business. Her commitment to excellence is underscored by the numerous certificates of appreciation she has received for her exceptional contributions to training and development.

  Instructor

• Dr. Adil Al Zarooni

  Dr. Adil Al Zarooni

  Founder, Citizens School

  Al Zarooni Emirates Investments, Founder of Citizens School

  Dr. Adil Alzarooni is an Emirati business leader and educator, committed to lifelong learning.

  With over two decades of experience in executive management, investments, sales, logistics, IT security and economic zone development, he has served in various leadership positions within UAE government entities as well as family-owned businesses. He has bolstered his portfolio with directorship positions in diverse sectors including healthcare, education, financial services, logistics, media, technology, food and beverage, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and real estate. Currently, he operates two family offices.

  In September 2022, he launched a visionary K-12, inclusive and non-selective school called Citizens, located opposite City Walk in Dubai. The school focuses on reimagining education and individualized learning that is structured around each child’s unique strengths.

  Dr. Adil holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the Etisalat College of Engineering, a master’s in business administration from American University of Sharjah and a PhD in family businesses and business systems from the British University in Dubai. He is a passionate educator and an inspiring public speaker in the fields of economic zone development and sustainability of family businesses. He is the co-author of Economic Zones: The Essentials and the author of Sustaining Family Businesses: The Essentials.

  Founder, Citizens School

• Dr. Aiman Albustanji

  Dr. Aiman Albustanji

  Professional Development Specialist

  Dr. Aiman Albustanji is a highly experienced education professional with over 15 years of experience in the education sector. He holds a Ph.D. in Curricula and Teaching methods of science, M.Sc. in CIS, a B.Sc. in physics, and has expertise in cognitive neuroscience, SEL, and STEM education. He has managed and supervised teacher training programs and workshops with a focus on science content and has developed effective PD programs for teachers and school leaders in multiple countries such as UAE, Jordan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. With a strong understanding of LMS systems, technology integration in education, and online learning, Dr. Aiman is skilled in leading and managing educational programs and fostering a positive learning environment. He has received numerous certificates of appreciation for excellence in training and development.

  Professional Development Specialist

• Dr. Ashkelon Govender

  Dr. Ashkelon Govender

  Deputy Head of Primary

  GEMS Westminster School Ras Al Khaimah

  Dr. Ashkelon Govender is an educational leader, teacher trainer and lecturer based in Ras Al Khaimah. With a deep passion for education and a family-first mindset, he enjoys exploring new cultures through travel. He has visited 18 countries. He has published his first children’s book on the UAE culture and heritage, inspired by his love for reading and belief that it cultivates future leaders. Dr Ashkelon is a co-author to a submitted journal article titled “The selves of South African expatriate teachers influencing teacher leadership practices in Gulf schools” 

  Deputy Head of Primary

• Dr. Ebrahim Aleamash

  Dr. Ebrahim Aleamash

  Instructor

  HCT- Ras Al Khaimah

  Ebrahim Ahmed Aleamash is an ambitious lecturer and entrepreneurial visionary had a PhD in Entrepreneurship Process & Ecosystem at the University of Dubai. he has a background in strategic management, have held the role of Director at the Saud Bin Saqer Program, and founded Jannat Natural Farm, which focuses on sustainable farming methods. His academic journey includes an MBA in Strategic Management, and he has presented at various events on entrepreneurship and innovation. Overall, his career and educational background reflect a strong commitment to entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable agriculture.

  Instructor

• Dr. Hamda Alawadi

  Dr. Hamda Alawadi

  Lecturer – General Academic Requirement (Arabic & Emirati Studies)

  Higher Colleges of Technology – RAK

  Lecturer – General Academic Requirement (Arabic & Emirati Studies)

• Dr. Khaleda Al Mansoori

  Dr. Khaleda Al Mansoori

  Coordinator of Academic Recovery and Community-Oriented Student Life Activities

  American University Ras Al Khaimah

  She holds a Ph.D. in Education, Preparation and Training of English Language Teachers, from the United Kingdom, University of Exeter, 2002. She has other degrees in evaluation, educational administration, educational supervision, research, training, creative thinking, strategic planning, administrative distinction, Human Resource, creativity and distinction, and training of trainers.

  She has a long experience in educational and administrative posts since 1977. She began teaching in 1977 and taught English in various high schools in the UAE for ten years, and from 1993-2002 she was a supervisor of English in Ministry of Education for RAK Educational Zone. In 2002, she moved to tertiary level where she taught educational and applied linguistics courses for undergraduate and graduate students in many colleges and universities in the UAE.

  She presented many research papers in many local, regional and international conferences in the fields of education, women, leadership, discrimination, media and politics, heritage, and participated in many national evenings and seminars to serve the community.

  Her name is listed in the Who’s Who? Encyclopedia and in the Encyclopedia of the Arab Educators. She won several awards. In 2002 she won Khaleefa Award and in 2005 she won the TOEFL Board Award for her International Participation Presentation in San Antonio, Texas. In 2007, she received an exclusive testimonial as an International Educator of the Year 2007 for Outstanding Contribution to Education in the UAE. In 2008, she received a Distinguished Educator Medal from the Emirates Club. In addition to receiving a trophy and Zayed’s necklace for being the eldest distinguished Emirati teacher from The Teachers’ Association on the Occasion of The Emirati Woman’s Day in 2018,2022.

  Her interest in writing and translation led to publishing two books: “My Memories of the Beautiful Time” (2021) and “Memories of the Fragrant Past”, (2018)

  Coordinator of Academic Recovery and Community-Oriented Student Life Activities

• Dr. Khawla Al Shehhi

  Dr. Khawla Al Shehhi

  Higher Colleges of Technology – RAK

  Khawla Alshehhi graduated from the British University in Dubai with a PhD Philosophy in Education (Special and Inclusive).  She is also currently serving as the Vice Chairman for Yes2MyGiving Initiative, UAE.Coming from the United Arab Emirates she also shares insight and advice about considering postgraduate studies (Master/PhD and tips on how to pass IELTS successfully. Dr. Khawla prefers a fun, exciting, mentoring approach by sharing true stories and experiences. She is passionate about teaching and supporting exceptional educational needs (SEN) to achieve their dreams. She  loves attending seminars in different countries and sharing experiences with students.She has achieved several awards such as: (a) Heart and Soul Award (Director Award) from Ras Al Khaimah Colleges; (b) Emirates Award from the Ministry of Education- Distinguished Student of Postgraduate Studies student for the year 2020-2021, from the Ministry of Education, UAE, (c) Higher colleges of Technology Award- Distinguished Woman Medal 2020, from the Higher Colleges of Technology, (d) Multi-Cultural Award (Director Award) from Ras Al Khaimah Colleges, (e) Part of the Emirati Women’s Encyclopedia, UAE, H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (f) UAE Genetic Disorders Prevention Award for the Most Distinguished Private or Nonprofit Organization raising Public Awareness of Genetic Disorders, UAE Genetic Diseases Association (UAEGDA).

  Higher Colleges of Technology – RAK

• Dr. Priti Verma

  Dr. Priti Verma

  Assistant Professor

  HCT- Sharjah

  Priti Verma serves as the Associate Executive Dean and Assistant Professor at the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) program, Faculty of Education, Higher Colleges of Technology. She received her PhD in Child Development (2003) and her research projects in the UAE include a comprehensive census study on the quality of privately owned Early Childhood Education Centers and nurseries based in Ras Al Khaimah and another on assessing self-regulation among 3-4 year old children studying in nurseries.

  Assistant Professor

• Dr. Saad Ibrahim Yaaqeib

  Dr. Saad Ibrahim Yaaqeib

  Social Research Division Manager

  Department of Community Development Abu Dhabi

  Dr. Saad Yaaqeib is the Director of Social Research at the Department of Community Development (Abu Dhabi). After receiving a master’s degree in Educational Psychology at West Virginia University (USA), Dr. Yaaqeib earned his doctoral degree in Educational and Counseling Psychology from the University of MissouriColumbia, USA. With concentration in educational measurement and multivariate analysis. In addition to his doctoral degree, he earned a Graduate Certificate in Educational Policy from University of Missouri-Columbia, which revolved around developing, implementing, and evaluating educational and social programs. As well as formulating or evaluating policies for strategic projects. His doctoral dissertation employed a large database (PISA 2012) to conduct a multi-level quantitative analysis of UAE’s students’ motivation in academic achievement, and outlined the differences between native and non-native students. The statistical skills include working with large databases especially student assessments like PISA and TIMSS, working with statistical programs (Stata, SPSS, and HLM7), and expertise in hierarchical linear modeling, missing data analysis, interaction analysis, handling big databases and factor analysis. Dr. Yaaqeib’s research publications revolve around the development of psychological scales and social indicators tailored towards the UAE’s social and cognitive context. One outcome of his research is the development of the Emirati Marital Satisfaction Scale (EMSS), a diagnostic psychological scale to evaluate the level of marital satisfaction of Emirati individuals. His career started as an Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology at the United Arab Emirates University, Department of Cognitive Sciences. Between 2020-2021, he worked as the director of the Emirates Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment at the Department of Institutional Effectiveness, UAEU. 

  URL https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=FunLWDEAAAAJ&hl=en

  Social Research Division Manager

• Dr. Sarah K. Benson

  Dr. Sarah K. Benson

  Head of Subject Group, Education, Inclusive & Special Education Needs Director

  University of Birmingham Dubai

  Dr. Sarah Benson is an Associate Professor of inclusion and disabilities in the Department of Disability, Inclusion and Special Needs at the University of Birmingham Dubai. She is the Head of Subject group for the School of Education, overseeing all initial teacher training programmes and masters’ degrees.

  Dr. Benson has published articles and book chapters on inclusive policy in the Middle East. Her interests lie in not only inclusive policy, but new teacher development and creating opportunities for students with disabilities. She has also spent time writing and researching inclusive science curriculum for primary grade students.

  Her current research interests lay in the Middle East and Gulf region where she is inspired to see the rapid growth opportunities for more inclusive communities.

  Head of Subject Group, Education, Inclusive & Special Education Needs Director

• Dr. Slim Khemakhem

  Dr. Slim Khemakhem

  Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education

  Higher Colleges of Technology

  Slim Khemakhem is an assistant professor and the Academic Program Chair for the Early Childhood Education program at the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT). Slim has a long history in Education in the UAE as a teacher in primary, secondary and tertiary levels, and as a teacher educator, trainer, and program leader at HCT. Slim’s contributions to the field through various professional development offerings in national and international events, research and research supervision for pre-service teachers, and innovative practices in academic advising have been recognized in multiple ways and through different channels. The latest of those contributions is an interdisciplinary funded research on academic counseling for sustainable progress and success of students on academic probation.

  Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education

• Dr. Sr. Terry Capurihan

  Dr. Sr. Terry Capurihan

  Director

  St. Mary’s Private High School

  A Nun. Member of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres Congregation
  Master’s Degree: Master of Art and Education specialized in Child Study ( child psychology 0-13 yrs old)
  Doctoral Degree: Doctor in Education in Educational Management and Educational Administration.
  Currently the Director of St. Mary Private School RAK

  Director

• Mr. Ewan McIntosh

  Mr. Ewan McIntosh

  Founder & Managing Director, NoTosh

  Ewan McIntosh’s life path involved narrow misses with investment banks and the British Army, before he discovered his love of learning and teaching could be a dream job.
  His mission today is to ensure that every learner gets to experience great teaching and learning in rich learning environments. He and his team do that by helping teachers and school leaders to think and work differently, and by bringing them together as a team so they can achieve something remarkable.
  Ewan is a Life Fellow of the RSA for his contributions to education and digital media, and a Member of the Royal Company of Merchants Edinburgh.

  After teaching modern languages at high school, he worked as National Advisor on the Future of Learning for the Scottish Government and as Commissioner at Channel 4 Television. His firm, NoTosh, pioneered the ideas of design thinking for learning in the classroom over a decade ago. His team now work in 72 countries on curriculum design, leadership development and the creation of the learning experiences that allow young people – and their teachers – think and do things differently.

  URL http://www.notosh.com

  Founder & Managing Director, NoTosh

• Mr. James Pastore, Jr.

  Mr. James Pastore, Jr.

  Senior Academic Support Specialist

  Emirates School Establishment

  Jim Pastore is from Philadelphia, PA in the USA. He has been in the UAE for 9 years, and has worked in both the private sector as a School Principal and Head of School (ADNOC Schools; Emirates National School RAK; and Clarion School Dubai), as well as in the public sector in the Emirates Schools Establishment as a Senior Academic Support Specialist. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN, his teaching career began as a sports coach and secondary school English teacher in 1988. Jim transitioned to a life as an expat educator with a job in Medellin, Colombia in 1990, and from there he has lived and worked in 8 different countries as a teacher for 8 more years and then as a VP, Principal and School Head for over 20. He is a firm believer in a mix of progressive education with pragmatism, having been brought up as one of the first Montessori educated children in the Philadelphia area as one form of preparation, while also having grown up in the household of a 30+ year Principal, his father James Pastore, Sr. His educational paradigm is shaped by what he calls “the 4 F’s”: Be Firm, Flexible, Fair…and have FUN. Jim Tries to infuse wherever he works with these things while collaborating with staff, teachers, parents, and most of all students. Jim is an avid reader, long-walker, and adult Lego-maniac!

  Senior Academic Support Specialist

• Mr. Marc Gronewald

  Mr. Marc Gronewald

  Head of Secondary

  RAK Academy Khuzam

  Marc has been in education for sixteen years, nine of which have been at senior leadership level. He started his career as a secondary teacher of History. Since moving into educational leadership roles (secondary and tertiary), he has successfully overseen varying portfolios in different contexts and has been heavily involved in both the day-to-day operational management of campuses as well as institutional strategic planning processes. His broad leadership experience has included oversight of quality assurance, curriculum, assessment and student outcomes at a whole school level. Marc is currently the Head of Secondary at RAK Academy Khuzam.

  This experience has equipped him with a broad understanding of what drives student success and progress at all levels. He believes in a holistic, consultative approach where all stakeholders are actively involved in the development of students. Marc’s passion for the field of education means that he continues to find innovative ways to support students in an ever-changing landscape.

  Head of Secondary

• Ms. Azza Ambasi

  Ms. Azza Ambasi

  Cluster Manager

  Emirates School Establishment

  Azza Obaid Ambasy, A Cluster Manager in the Educational Domain in the first school branch. A member responsible for managing educational development coordination. Served as an evaluator for several awards, such as the Sharjah Educational Excellence Award. Got multiple individual and group educational awards.

  Cluster Manager

• Ms. Yvonne Gyadu

  Ms. Yvonne Gyadu

  Mathematics Teacher

  Emirates School Establishment

  Yvonne Gyadu is a British-Ghanaian Educator with over 20 years’ worth of experience, working in diverse roles in education. She has served as an Educationist across three continents and prides herself on the depth and wisdom afforded her by her unique experience. Yvonne is an Advocate for high-quality and Equitable Education, a Proponent of change, a Teacher Trainer and Mentor, a Life Coach, and the founder of RaisEdFoundations Africa. She holds an MBA in Educational Leadership (International) from University College London.

  Yvonne is passionate about Teacher continuing professional development and school leadership development. She strongly believes that the quality of school leadership and management makes a critical contribution to the quality of teaching and learning, which ultimately impacts the quality of student’s learning experiences and outcomes.

  Currently, Yvonne is working as the liaison on a system-wide collaborative project between the Government of Ghana and Reggio Children Italy, in creating a sustainable, equitable, and quality Early Childhood Education in the country of Ghana. Yvonne also works with the Emirates Schools Establishment and resides in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah with her family.

  Mathematics Teacher