Meet Our Staff
Warda Sahtout
CEO
Warda Sahtout is currently serving as the Executive Director of ME-T, she has more than six years of experience. She is a scholar and practitioner focusing on creating and applying humanitarian strategies. Her work aims at peace-building, development, and empowering women. Warda has worked with many groups focused on youth activism, humanitarian work, and women's progress. She helps empower young people and gives emotional support to children harmed by conflict. Warda also promotes women's independence in war-torn areas. Warda earned her Master's degree in Economic and Political Development and International Conflict Resolution from Columbia University. Warda is actively researching with CCSI. She focuses on increasing women's roles in peacebuilding in conflict zones. Warda thinks lasting peace requires including women in these talks. Otherwise, excluding women can worsen gender-based violence and keep conflicts going.
Dina Miren
Editor-in-Chief
Dina Miren is ME-T’s Editor-in-Chief working as the journal’s head manager and editor. She holds a MA in law and diplomacy from Fletcher School, Tufts university in USA and currently is a PhD candidate in political studies at the Univeristy of Kurdistan Hewler (UKH). Her areas of research include studying military stratgy and the deployment of tacicts by insurgent groups. She also worked in KRI in both public and humanitarian sectors.
Ayat Abdulhameed
Director of Operations
Ayat Muhammed holds a diploma from the Duhok Polytechnical Institute (DPI) in medical laboratories. Ayat is a prolific writer and reader, often writing for the ME-T journal and training interns in management and engagement skills. She is the director of operations for Middle East Theater.
Mairéad Smith
Program Officer
Mairéad Smith has been working with ME-T since 2020. She has the primary responsibility of overseeing program development and management of projects. She is a PhD student in Anthropology at Brown University, researching the political economy of gendered violence in Sinjar, Iraq.
Herish Badal
Web Developer
Herish Badal is a Web Developer who holds a BSc in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering from the American Univeristy of Kurdistan. A full-time employee as a Laboratory Assistant in the AUK, he nevertheless still manages to develop and sustain ME-T’s website, developing and designing the NGO’s website.
SeyedehZhina
Engagement and Coordination Administer
SeyedehZhina (Rojîna), is a politics and international relations graduate from the University of Kurdistan Hawler, a dedicated professional in the social science and humanitarian sectors, and an engagement and coordination administrator at the Middle East Theater, she enhances ME-T's initiatives through research, article writing, and analytical pieces. Rojîna, also a skilled Kurdish Translator for Microsoft Office and Google, previously excelled as a Market Coordinator at Art Feeling Marketing Agency. Her diverse project involvement includes the International Organization for Migration's focus on psychosocial aspects of migration and displacement and participation in the Global Solutions Conversations Program. Proficient in Kurdish, English, Turkish, Persian, and Arabic, Rojîna is currently a full-time employee at the Center of Peacebuilding and Dialogue, University of Kurdistan Hewlêr, dedicated to fostering positive dialogue and understanding.
Finn Nichol
Illustrator and Graphic Designer
Finn Nichol is an Irish artist who works at ME-T as an illustrator and graphic designer. Finn graduated from Limerick School of Art and Design and contributes to ME-T’s website and social media publication and all other visual elements as the artistic and designing illustrator.