Alaa joined TABLE in spring of 2023 as our Arabic Family Engagement Coordinator and works closely with TABLE’s Arabic community. As a Palestinian woman and a lifelong resident of the Gaza Strip, Alaa has lived through multiple wars and extremely limited access to basic resources. This lived experience made her passionate about improving the health and well-being of communities around the world.
A Rotary Peace Scholar with a Master’s in Public Health from the Gillings School of Public Health, Alaa also received the Andi Parhomavich fellowship award from the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in 2017 where she developed a project named “Sharki” that aims at empowering young women in the Gaza Strip. Working as an Advocacy Media Officer at the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme in the Gaza Strip Alaa advocated for issues of mental health, ending violence against women and children in addition to working on projects to empower young women in Palestine. Alaa worked with many NGOs in the Gaza strip gaining experience across a variety of fields including management, humanitarian work, journalism, and development.
Alaa lives in Chapel Hill with her family and when she has free time loves to go on walks with her kids!