The Lazord Foundation was born from a meeting between Anna Manice and Nelly Corbel, both driven by a desire to build a better future for the Mediterranean region.
Anna has worked in the nonprofit and higher education world for over 10 years. She interned at Ashoka Arab World in Cairo, when she met Nelly Corbel and launched the first Lazord Fellowship. In 2011, she worked at HDI on a higher education program connecting U.N. delegates to university campuses in the U.S. and documenting HDI’s humanitarian work in Southeast Asia. She spent a year at Columbia University’s Undergraduate Admissions Office and over four years at Northeastern University; as Assistant Director of International Admissions for the Middle East, Africa, Greece and Spain, and as Assistant Director for International Student and Support managing cultural programs, international orientation, and mentoring students.
Anna received a B.A. from Princeton University in Near Eastern Studies, a M.A. in Higher Education Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University, and attended the Tuck Business Bridge Program at Dartmouth College.
Anna is currently on the board of the Havens Relief Fund Society.
Nelly Corbel dreams of a citizen driven world where solidarity rhymes with growth.
With over 15 years of experience in capacity development, conference moderation and program management in the fields of Civic Education, Citizenship Development and Higher Education reform in Europe, North America, North Africa and the Middle East, she has served in a number of leadership positions and boards providing expertise for project advancement and policy recommendations.
Currently, Corbel is the founding executive director of Global Civic Consulting, executive board member of the Networking Arab Civic Education founding committee and a member of the advisory board of Networking European Citizenship Education. Prior to this, she served as the associate director of the Gerhart Center for Philanthropy and Civic Engagement at the American University in Cairo.
Franco-Egyptian, Nelly Corbel is an alumna of the Harvard Kennedy School (Strategic management for leaders of non-profit), the American University in Paris (MA -International affairs) and the Institut Catholique de Paris (MA – Conflict sociology).
Zaina Awad has over 10 years of work experience in the public health sphere both in the U.S. and abroad across private and nonprofit sectors. She is currently the Manager of Communications and Engagement at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago where she has her dream job of supporting the hospital’s community health initiatives.
As a Palestinian, Zaina has first-hand experience in the life-changing impact of investing in education and leadership development, beginning with her own experiences growing up in East Jerusalem. She worked on Monitoring and Evaluation at Madrasati Palestine, an initiative launched by Queen Rania of Jordan focused on rehabilitating primary and secondary schools in East Jerusalem focusing on creating safe and supportive spaces for Palestinian youth to learn and grow. This work was done in partnership with other nonprofit and community-based organizations including Injaz Jordan, Save the Children and others.
Zaina received her B.A. in Anthropology from Princeton University, which is where she met Anna. She received her MA in Public Health, with a focus on Health Communications and a certification in Global Health from the University of Michigan. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and their young son.
Jack is the founder of Zook Dinon PA and Professor Emeritus of Accounting at La Salle University.
Jack currently serves on the Saint Joseph’s University Board of Trustees. He has served as a Past Chairman of the National Club Association in Washington, D.C. (2012-2013), a Past President of the Union League of Philadelphia (2008-2010), a Past Board Member and Treasurer of Delaware Valley Habitat for Humanity (1999-2005) and a Past Board Member and audit Committee Chair of the Philadelphia Investment Partners New Generation Fund (2011-2016).