Global Communities CEO and leadership

Betty Adera works at Global Communities and a Chief Executive Officer at Global Communities and is based in Kenya.

Abhi Bhasin is a Deputy Chief Financial Officer at Global Communities and is based in College Park, Maryland. He has worked as Finance Manager at DAI, Financial Analyst at Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), and Controller/Asst at Institute of Public Administration. Abhi attended American Civil Liberties Union and George Mason University.

Ayman Abdallah is a Chief Executive Officer at Global Communities and is based in Lebanon, Tennessee.

Senior manager in international development with more than 13 years of experience in program management of donor-funded projects from start-up to close-out in the Middle East and former Soviet republics. Deputy Chief of Party for a USD 50 million USAID project overseeing as many as 1,500 discrete subgrantee activities. Successfully managed teams of up to 45 staff in field offices and headquarters, creating highly functional working relationships between technical, operational, financial, procurement, and administrative teams in challenging cross-cultural and multilingual settings.

• Expert in compliance and monitoring who has designed and overseen monitoring systems, data collection methods and tools, and management tools to track progress and burn rate for standard and in-kind grants, achieving smooth administration and successful implementation. Superb audit results including under 0.1% unallowable costs on a USD 18 million portfolio. Revised processes for project-based procurement. Knowledgeable in U.S. government rules and regulations including CFR 200, AIDAR, FAR, and ADS.

• Business development specialist talented at pricing and cost proposals/financial proposals. Cost Proposal Lead for more than 75 cost proposals as high as USD 125 million. Overhauled an INGO’s cost-proposal system and restructured the pricing unit, creating a high-functioning team.

• Experienced across a variety of technical sectors including democracy and governance (D&G), municipal development, community engagement, capacity-building, emergency response, and public works.

• Donor liaison to U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), U.S. State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL), UNOCHA, UNHCR, and John Deere Foundation.

• Capacity-builder skilled at identifying needs, supporting staff professional development, mentoring, designing and delivering formal and informal trainings.

David A. Weiss is a President & CEO at Global Communities and is based in Washington, D.C.. He has worked as Desk Officer, Near East Asia Bureau at U.S. Department of State; Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of State at U.S. Department of State; and Assistant U.S. Trade Representative at Office of the United States Trade Representative. David studied at Georgetown University between 1976 and 1978 and Hamilton College between 1971 and 1975.

Executive manager with 20 years’ experience in emerging markets dedicated to designing financial products that reach low-income customer segments. Entrepreneur in start-up ventures to advance financial inclusion. Currently the CEO of Vitas Group, a financial services company that provides loans to small business owners across the Middle East. I am leading the digital transformation of Vitas and its expansion into new markets with a focus on next generation young entrepreneurs, women and family-owned businesses entering the digital economy. Oversee a diverse and multicultural team of over 2,000 staff in seven countries. Author and professorial lecturer on a range of topics in financial inclusion, social entrepreneurship, impact investing, and development finance.

Skilled professional with more than 8 years of experience in the Executive Assistant capacity that includes extensive knowledge in the coordination, planning, and support of daily operational and administrative functions. Charismatic and flexible personality; works effectively with all levels of management, colleagues, vendors, committee and board members. Directly supports VP of Humanitarian Assistance and overseas development projects.

Kevin Carew is a Chief of Party at Global Communities and is based in West Jordan, Utah. He has worked as Regional Director for Europe at ALIGHT; Senior Country Director & Senior Technical Specialist at World Learning; and Regional Refugee Affairs Specialist, Balkans at U.S. Department of State. Kevin studied at OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM CORP /DE/ between 1983 and 1987 and Boise State University.

Mr. Majdi Abu Arja, is the Chief of Party (CoP) of the Egypt Loan Guarantee Facility /CHF MCSE a USAID and United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)/OPIC sponsored project. Majdi has also served as the Deputy Managing Director of Banking Solutions International Ltd, for over 10 years, where his main duties include establishing relationships with MENA banks, business associations, government bodies, investment promotion agencies (local and international), Microfinance Companies, and NGOs to help promote BSI. He also conducts Training of Trainers (ToT) workshops to qualify new trainers for the many BSI training programs. He is an experienced consultant and freelance trainer and has done most of his work in the financial, investment, marketing, development and management fields. He previously worked as a manager of business development at Kensad Inc. USA, followed by his work as marketing, research and training manager at the Jordan Loan Guarantee Corporation, Amman, Jordan; Mr. Abu Arja then became the Director of Business Development & Special Initiative at Tatweer Project a USAID sponsored program. His most recent consultation work, Vitas Jordan and Vitas Iraq (an MFI), Sanabel Microfinance middle east associations, FINCA Jordan, Jordan Enterprise Corporation-JEDCO assisting in the Governorate Development Fund as a Private Equity Investment Expert, National Electric Company Grid, Saudi Arabia involvement serving as a freelance trainer for the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity, Iraqi Middle Market Development Fund -IMMDF a CitiBank & OPIC (Overseas Private Investment corporation) joint project in Iraq, UNIDO where he helped to develop a revolving fund in Iraq, conducted training to the Iraqi Stock Market Brokers on Corporate Governance and Business Ethics on behalf of CIPE, facilitated many training sessions on financial analysis and marketing to Iraqi bankers on behalf of IZDEHAR and TIJARA programs a USAID funded programs, also as a consultant for Partners-Jordan. Arab Academy for Banking and Financial Sciences,OSEO -Paris France, CGC- Cairo Egypt, EBRD a DAI/Europe, DAJANI -IFC, BFC Switzerland, DAI/National Bank of Egypt.

Michel Holsten is a Principal and Founder at CALIPER LIFE SCIENCES INC, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Global Communities, and Senior Vice President - International Operations at Global Communities and is based in Silver Spring, Maryland. He has worked as Credit for Habitat Manager at Plan International, Vice President for Business Development at Global Communities, and Country Director-Panama at Peace Corps. Michel attended Princeton University between 1974 and 1978.