Cory has worked at the nexus of the private, public, and nonprofit sectors for more than three decades. Prior to launching Doab Development, he served as Vice President and Senior Director of the Education for Development Division at Creative Associates International, where he oversaw an international team of more than 100 people, with projects in Ethiopia, Jordan, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Palestine, Somalia, Uzbekistan, and Yemen. Cory was a member of Creative’s Executive Committee and a board member of the Basic Education Coalition.
Previously, Cory owned and operated several businesses in south central Pennsylvania. He was CEO and Director of Sunny Side Food Management, Inc., a franchisee and area developer of CoreLife Eatery restaurants. His first location opened in Lancaster, PA, and his second location opened in Camp Hill, PA. He was president of Cottage Cupboards, LLC, a workforce development initiative focused on home-based production and sales. He designed training materials and hosted the Make It and Sell It podcast, which also focuses on home-based manufacturing and sales. He was the owner of Triple S Shops, a home-based business that manufactured and sold food and novelty products. He was also a board member of the Edible Classroom, a Lancaster, PA-based organization that educates children and adults about gardening and nutrition.
A specialist in applied quantitative and qualitative research methods, Cory’s research and project work historically focused on strategies to increase access to quality educational opportunities for disadvantaged children in developing countries. Cory received a B.A. and M.A. degrees in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley, and has a Ph.D. in Sociology from Johns Hopkins University. He is the author of more than 20 academic and professional publications, including the book, Scaling Global Change: A Social Entrepreneur’s Guide to Surviving the Start-up Phase and Driving Impact, published by Wiley & Sons.
The featured associates below are professionals from around the world with substantial content expertise in social development. We are proud to highlight their credentials, work with them as collaborators, and promote their individual endeavors. Please contact us or the associates directly with questions or comments.
Mr. Assadullah Ahmadzai currently serves as a sponsored program administrator at the University of Maryland-Baltimore, where he is responsible for managing and coordinating NIH, NSF, DoD, grants, contracts, and all other aspects of university-sponsored programs research and development. His experience spans international development, nonprofit management, governance, stabilization programming, political analysis, communication, public policy, the private sector, and governmental roles. His work has encompassed a wide variety of subjects, such as skills development, institution-building, economic development, and governance outreach.
Mr. Jon Beaulieu is an international development specialist with more than 25 years of experience in operations and project management, strategic planning, and stakeholder engagement in Government, NGOs, the UN and the corporate sectors in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. His leadership experience involves resolving business challenges in early childhood education, labor market policy and analysis, labor migration, social responsibility with a 360° view of the grant management process and sustainable agriculture. He has served on the Advisory Boards of the Ecole Internationale de Genève and Autism Compassion Africa.
Dr. Kamille L. Beye is an educator with experience teaching secondary and higher education. She specializes in access to quality higher education, teacher training, and higher education policy, in post-conflict and resource challenged environments. She is a seasoned international development specialist with project management, budgeting, finance, contracts, grant management, and training experience. Dr. Beye recently completed her doctorate at the University of London Institute of Education, where she defended her dissertation on the challenges of educational quality at the University of Liberia.
Mr. Matthew Breman is a local youth development leader with more than 25 years of multi-sector program management experience in the United States and abroad, with significant expertise working in Africa. He is passionate about the power of youth and sport to drive social change, coaching and mentoring people. Mr. Breman is multi-lingual, with extensive networks and experience working in 25 countries. His expertise includes leadership and strategic planning; global operations; program design, management, and evaluation, partnerships and relationship building, proposal development and new business, and talent management and development.
Mr. Peter Cooper has nearly 25 years of experience in educational programming and research. He has led or supported impact evaluations in 17 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and North America, qualitative and quantitative research studies, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning frameworks. Mr. Cooper’s primary research interests include life skills and resilience programming for youth (particularly girls), teacher quality, family and community engagement, and behavior and habit change. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon and has worked as a classroom teacher at the primary and secondary levels.
Mr. Sani Daher has more than 25 years of experience at top professional services firms and organizations working with the U.S and other governments around the world. He led tremendous growth of divisions and companies, adding hundreds of millions of dollars in sales and revenue in his roles as Regional Vice President and then Chief Operating Officer at two firms. He is an expert in business strategy, business process improvement, and LEAN management. He has worked in more than 25 countries and supervised global teams in more than 60 countries.
Dr. Rebat Kumar Dhakal has more than 12 years of experience in educational research, curriculum and research related to technical and vocational education and training, engagement of civil society organizations, continuing professional development for educators, and youth advocacy and training. An Assistant Professor, Dr. Dhakal coordinates Kathmandu University’s Research and Innovation Center. He has recently reviewed Nepal’s School Education Sector Plan, evaluated the quality of school-level curriculum and curricular materials of general and TVET streams, and studied the implementation of minimum standards for early childhood education and development.
Dr. Samson Doma has a Ph.D. Policy and Development Studies, from Ahmadu Bello University in Kaduna, Nigeria. His academic research has focused on effective practices in local government, policy and development, conflict management, human security, and administration of defense and security. With professional expertise in project management as well as monitoring, evaluation, and learning, Dr. Doma has worked on a variety of projects, from the USAID/West Africa Trade and Investment Hub to the Nigeria Early Recovery Initiative to the Nigeria Lake Chad Basin Program of the North East Regional Initiative. He combines econometric and ethnographic research to inform large-scale bilateral programming.
Dr. Fathi El-Ashry has more than 30 years of experience supporting ministries of education in the Middle East, North Africa, West Africa, and Asia regions in designing and implementing large-scale reading and literacy programs, instructional materials, teacher professional development, assessment, and action research. A veteran literacy instruction specialist and manager of large-scale projects, he has extensive content expertise in curriculum and instruction, education reform, Arabic language and literacy, and special education. He currently serves as Assistant Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, with a Special Education focus.
6Mr. Shir Kandahari is a project and contracts professional who has led large-scale projects in education, healthcare, technology, and economic development. He is versed in U.S. government contract regulations, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation, the USAID Acquisition Regulation, Project Management Body of Knowledge, Agile project management frameworks, as well as data system management and analysis. He has largely worked on projects in Afghanistan and the United States and is fluent in Farsi, Dari, and Pashto, in addition to English.
Ms. Razia Khan, an accomplished educational specialist from Quetta, Pakistan, has diverse experience in curriculum, inclusive education, and program leadership. She supervised a master’s-level economics section at Sardar Bahadur Khan Women’s University and led an early childhood program. After earning a certificate in Instructional Leadership from the University of Massachusetts, Ms. Khan became the first Pashtun woman from Balochistan to graduate from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education with a master’s in education policy and analysis.
Dr. Kamil Jbeily is an experienced professional, driven by investing in people and building capacity in organizations. Skilled in motivating and inspiring audiences at the emotional and cognitive levels, he is an effective speaker on topics related to leadership; building and sustaining partnerships; systemic reform; and Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics education. Kamil earned his Ph.D. in Science Education from The University of Texas at Austin.
Karine is a feminist policy, governance, and institution-building specialist, teaching as an adjunct at Georgetown’s Institute for Women Peace and Security. She was a USAID Gender Advisor in Pakistan and has led and supported the operationalization of gender equality policies as Principal of Inclusive Societies, Director for Gender Policy and Practice at Navanti Group, and Global Director with Room to Read. Karine founded and led the Society of Gender Professionals, a non-profit organization of practitioners, academics, and activists dedicated to promoting feminist action and applied research, and raising the profile of gender expertise around the world.
Ms. Susan Levin consults with organizations to recognize what is working, discover employee strengths, and apply those competencies to tackle challenges, improve productivity, and enhance teamwork. As a facilitator, coach, mediator and organization development specialist, she has designed and delivered a wide range of projects for thousands of employees in more than 40 countries. Working in partnership with her clients, she is mindful that her work is culturally relevant and impactful. Ms. Levin uses a strengths-based approach so that her clients can identify their best practices to achieve their future vision.
Dr. D. James MacNeil has 25 years of experience leading NGOs in international development and educational programming, education policy, child labor elimination and livelihoods development. Until recently, he was Vice President of World Education’s Asia portfolio, overseeing education and inclusive development projects in Nepal, Cambodia, and Laos. Previous country experience includes India, Thailand, and Indonesia. He helped establish CSOs in Indonesia and Laos and advises a local education foundation in Vietnam. He teaches an online course in the Early Grade Reading Certificate Program out of University of Massachusetts/Amherst.
Dr. Mokthar Ahmed Zain al-Mashoshi is a specialist in educational curriculum design, particularly with respect to numeracy and English language literacy, and statistical analysis for proposals and research. He has served as General Director of Curricula at the Ministry of Education in Yemen, curriculum and materials development officer for the USAID Gateway to Education project, researcher with the Yemeni Education Research and Development Center, university faculty, teacher, head teacher, and school supervisor. Dr. Zain also serves various national committees and activities, including heading the Yemeni national report team for Sustainable Development Goal 4.
Ms. Farah Mawla is a seasoned international development professional with more than 18 years of experience designing and implementing program strategies, driving business development initiatives, and catalyzing growth for NGOs and for-profit entities. She orchestrates the design, strategy, and execution of strategic initiatives, facilitating organizations’ successful entry into new markets. Based in Amman, Jordan, Farah brings a diverse network of relationships with donors, local partners, and stakeholders across the Middle East. Her fluency in Arabic and English enables her to navigate the region’s cultural and linguistic nuances effectively.
Mr. Ahmed Al Khadher Ahmed Moqa’as is an educational professional with expertise in strategic planning and performance evaluation, educational leadership, supervision, training, and English as a second language. His most recent experience was as an educational leader and managing technical advisor for a USAID project in Yemen. He was responsible for teacher training activities and the distribution of newly printed curricula to more than 400 project schools. Mr. Moqaas has also studied issues such as teachers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices.
Mr. Anis Noaman is a technical expert in Monitoring and Evaluation, evidence-based evaluation, and research in Yemen and the Middle East, with expertise in governance, education, youth, and economic growth. He has extensive experience with almost all major donors. For example, he has led third-party monitoring programs for the U.S. State Department through contracts with Development and Training Services, Pillar Systems, and Enterprise Triangle Lumbee. He has also supported the Middle East Partnership Initiative in Lebanon and Bahrain. Anis holds a master’s degree in Impact Evaluation for International Development from the UK.
Ms. Dorah B. Nyirenda is an expert in educational book supply chains, adept at deploying effective interventions to improve book supply chain management functions, community engagement on literacy campaigns, and support for local publishers. She is well-versed in improving supply chain processes, analyzing customer demand, tracking procurement metrics, identifying challenges in the supply chain, and recommending solutions. She was Malawi’s national consultant to the Global Book Alliance in Action. Other skills include project management, leadership and facilitation, stakeholder engagement, and data analysis and interpretation.
Mr. Rohullah Osmani is a specialist in economic growth and governance with more than 20 years of international development experience. He focuses on institutional reform, regional trade, workforce, and private sector development. Mr. Osmani has led design and implementation of USAID and World Bank projects on systems analysis and community-based development. He has managed medium to large bilateral and multilateral programs with budgets more than $1 billion, leading 450 cross-functional staff. He has lived and worked in over 20 countries, including Afghanistan, China, Georgia, India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Palestine.
Dr. Tristi Nichols has been the President of Manitou, Inc., a small, women-owned, and minority-owned international consulting firm since 1999. A specialist in small- and large-scale evaluations of social programs, including in emergency situations, Dr. Nichols has worked for UNICEF, nongovernmental organizations, and the United States Government throughout Asia (Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka), Africa, Eastern Europe, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. She also employs best practices in analyses of gender equality, equity (focusing on children of ethnic minorities), disability and inclusion, and human rights-based approaches.
Mr. Michael Nyawino specializes in project management and business leadership. With technical expertise in youth empowerment, community development, sales and marketing, education and training, he serves as the Executive Director of the Christian Community Healthcare Foundation-Kenya and Advisor for Project Power Global, which provides adult education across multiple countries in Africa. With bachelors’ degrees in history and economics and a master’s degree in development studies, he is currently pursuing a Humanitarian MBA with the Roxbourg Institute of Social Entrepreneurship.
As the CEO of Cognition Hub, Ms. Hina Nisar Sadauzai trains, coaches, and mentors community and social enterprises in their growth and development. She presents on and supports companies on a broad range of issues, including leadership, management, human resources. This includes strategies to reduce barriers and increase productivity. She also volunteers as a youth development trainer and has a deep interest in projects that support women’s empowerment. Ms. Sadauzai serves clients in the France, Germany, Japan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, and the United States.
Mr. Abdul Matin Sheikh is CEO of BacBon Limited, a Bangladesh-based technology firm with more than 200 employees that supports education and workforce development in Bangladesh and Japan. A specialist in educational technology, Matin develops hardware and software for learning, assessment, and information management systems. He works at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. Matin earned has bachelor’s degree in social science from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh and masters degree in international public policy from the Hitotsubashi University, Japan.
Ms. Shilpa Shetty, a passionate education leader with more than 20 years of experience, champions equitable access to quality education. Her diverse background spans classroom teaching, curriculum development, and policy analysis, giving her a unique understanding of educational challenges and opportunities. Driven to empower all students, she leverages her expertise to bridge the gap between practice and policy, ultimately aiming to shape equitable education systems through policy advocacy.
Dr. Marc Sommers is an internationally recognized youth and Education in Emergencies expert. He uses trust-based methods to reveal new insights and cultivate effective policy and program responses. Dr. Sommers has served as a senior advisor at the State Department, the Department of Defense, and in positions supporting USAID. He is the author of ten books and the recipient of five book awards. His latest book, called We the Young Fighters: Pop Culture, Terror, and War in Sierra Leone, was a #1 Amazon New Release (War & Peace category).
With more than 22 years of experience in the United Nations system, Mr. Mamadou Lamine Sow currently serves as Head of the UNESCO East Africa Education Programme. Mr. Sow began his career as a teacher and educational administrator with the Guinea Ministry of Education, followed by a post with USAID in Guinea, which later took him to Nigeria, Djibouti, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Liberia as an Education Project Chief. He spent 10 years serving UNICEF in the capacity of Educating Programme Chief in Togo, Niger, and Senegal before joining UNESCO.
Ms. Ruksana Sultana is a specialist in gender and education. Currently a graduate student at Westcliff University, she worked as a Program Officer and Senior Program Manager at Room to Read, Bangladesh for 15 years. She was responsible for country programs that supported nearly 7,000 marginalized adolescent girls in Sirajganj, Natore, Dhaka, Sylhet, and Cox’s Bazar. Her work included curriculum development, project and financial management, and capacity building to address gender gaps. Ms. Sultana has also worked in early childhood education and community development.
Mr. Mohammad Usama is a public policy analyst with expertise in quantitative and qualitative research methods, program management, communication, learning design, and strategic partnerships. A recent graduate of Harvard’s Education Policy Analysis master’s program, Mr. Usama has served as a research associate for Pakistan’s Ministry of Education National Curriculum Council and as a fellow for Teach for Pakistan. More recently, he served as partnerships lead for Taleembad, Pakistan’s leading social enterprise for using educational technology to boost learning outcomes in under-resourced schools.
Ms. Chengyi Zhao has a multi-disciplinary background in public administration, public policy, computer science and information technology. She is currently working on her second master’s degree and studying software development, data structures and software, and computer math foundation. In terms of content, Ms. Zhao has worked in health sciences and security, data and policy analysis, and enhanced care management. She has worked on projects in Estonia, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Nigeria, and the U.S. She is also a specialist in website design.