Board of Trustees

Holding BA degree in Computer Science from Jordan University, Mr. Deir worked as General Manager of Optimiza Healthcare, one of the leading public traded IT companies in the Middle East. In addition to his extensive experience in IT solutions, he has acquired considerable knowledge and experience in finance, budgeting, sales and marketing through managing hundreds of projects worldwide throughout the period of his 30 years of practice in this field.

 Mr. Deir is currently an independent IT and Management consultant, providing advice in the fields of Information Technology and project management. 

Mr. Deir has attended and participated in hundreds of international and regional IT exhibitions and shows, and was a key speaker at many of them. 

...

H.E. Bishop Iyad Twal

Bishop Iyad Twal was born on July 15, 1973, in Amman, Jordan. After completing his secondary studies, he earned a Bachelor’s in Philosophy (1994) and a Bachelor’s in Theology (1997) from the Latin Patriarchate Seminary. He was ordained a priest in Madaba on July 9, 1998, and soon afterward served as vicar and then parish priest at the Immaculate Conception Parish in Birzeit. Early in his ministry, he also took on educational leadership—joining the Latin Patriarchate School as deputy director and animator of the Catholic Scouts—and pursued specialized formation in Peace Education, International Relations, and Crisis Management.

In 2003, Father Iyad became director of the Latin Patriarchate School in Birzeit and, subsequently, oversaw the Minor Seminary clergy team. Following roles as parish priest and school director in Zababdeh, he completed advanced studies in Rome—earning a Licentiate in Epistemology and Theoretical Philosophy (2009) and a Doctorate in Political Philosophy (2012) from the Pontifical Lateran University. Upon his return, he balanced parish ministry in Beit Sahour with teaching philosophy at the seminary and, from 2013 to 2016, chaired Religious Studies at Bethlehem University. His leadership continued as chaplain of the Misericordia Confraternity, member of the Diocesan Tribunal’s Appeals Court, director of all Latin Patriarchate schools, and, from 2019 to 2020, chair of both the Humanities and Religious Studies departments at Bethlehem University. In 2020 he was elected Executive Vice President of Bethlehem University and, a year later, joined the Palestinian National Council of Higher Education. Recognizing his distinguished service, Pope Francis appointed him Auxiliary Bishop for Jordan on December 17, 2024; he received episcopal ordination at Al-Maghtas ( Baptism Site) on February 28, 2025.

Professor Ahmad Mansour Al-Khasawneh is an academic scholar in the field of Information Systems Technology. He served as President of Irbid National University from 2019 to 2024, during which he led major institutional reforms focused on governance, quality assurance, digital transformation, and international engagement, contributing significantly to the university’s academic development and strategic positioning.

Professor Al-Khasawneh is currently a Professor of Information Systems at the Hashemite University of Jordan, where he held several senior academic and executive positions between 2006 and 2020. He remained actively involved both academically and administratively, holding positions including Dean of Academic Development and International Outreach, Dean of Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II Faculty of Information Technology for two terms, Assistant to the Vice President, and Director of the Center for Information and Communication, as well as Director of the Center for e-Learning Technology.

Prior to joining the Hashemite University, Professor Al-Khasawneh served as research assistance, lecturer and engineer Officer at the University of Newcastle, Australia (2002–2006). His earlier professional career, beginning in 1993, includes senior technical and engineering roles in the ICT sector, encompassing the management and development of advanced ICT applications for Galileo, Royal Jordanian Airlines, and at the Embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the United Kingdom.

Professor Al-Khasawneh’s expertise extends across information technology leadership, higher education management, digital transformation, and quality assurance, with extensive experience working at institutional, national, and international levels. He has authored and co-authored more than one hundred peer-reviewed research publications in reputable international journals and conference proceedings. In parallel, he has maintained a strong commitment to teaching excellence, delivering undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Computer Science and Information Systems at universities in Jordan, Australia, Europe, and Turkey.

Beyond academia, Professor Al-Khasawneh has played a significant role in shaping national ICT and education policies. He has been an elected member of the UNESCO- Information Technology and Multimedia Council since 2018 and has contributed to national curriculum development as an author of Computer Science textbooks for the Jordanian Ministry of Education. He is also a member of the COMSTECH-Technical Committee on Education within the IC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation. It is a specialized committee of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

His public service includes active membership in numerous national committees and task forces, notably those of the Higher Education Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, Ministry of Culture, the Royal Hashemite Court, and committees supporting initiatives led by His Majesty King Abdullah II and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II.

In addition, Professor Al-Khasawneh is a recognized public intellectual and writer, contributing regularly to discussions on higher education reform, scientific research, and public policy. He has also been deeply involved in the design, management, and implementation of European Union-funded projects, particularly in areas related to capacity building, digital transformation, quality assurance, and international cooperation in higher education.

Professor Al-Khasawneh holds B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Computer Engineering and Automatic Control, as well as a Ph.D. in Information Systems Science.  

Professor Nizar Abu-Jaber is a geologist at the German Jordanian University. He obtained his M.Sc. and Ph.D. from North Carolina State University, and his B.Sc. from the University of Jordan.

He began his academic career at Yarmouk University in Irbid, Jordan in 1991. During that period, he worked on developing numerous projects and initiatives in the fields of water resources, archaeology and archaeometry, and desert studies. He assumed the directorship of the UNESCO Chair for Desert Studies and Desertification Control in 1998, and the chair of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences in 2003.

Professor Abu-Jaber was seconded to the German Jordanian University to serve as the Dean of Research and Graduate Studies in 2008, and ultimately was appointed there permanently in 2011. Since then, he has established and headed the Center for the Study of Natural and Cultural Heritage at GJU. During that time, the center has obtained a number important grants and academic awards, both locally and internationally. Most recently, these were recognitions for a project to reconstruct and rehabilitate a Nabatean flood control system in Petra, southern Jordan.

In additional to his academic activities, Professor Abu-Jaber is a member of the governing board of the Jordanian Geologists Association and the head of the Scientific Committee for the association.

Prof. Omar Hasan (Bani Ahmad) received his PhD and MSc in Communication Engineering, and BSc degrees in electrical Engineering from New Mexico State University, USA, in 1996, 1990 and 1987 respectively. He joined Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT) in 1997, where he founded and chaired the communications engineering department during the period 2005-2010, and dean of student affairs 2010-2011. Prof. Omar was the dean of students and the chairman of Electrical Engineering Department at the American University of Madaba during the period 2011-2012. Prof. Omar has established the Entrepreneurship center at Princess Sumya University, and he has established the innovation and the Multimedia Labs at King Abdullah II for Engineering, and the Technology Transfer Office at Queen Rania Entrepreneurship Center, at Princess Sumaya University for Technology. Prof. Omar Received the best researcher award 2014-2015, PSUT.

Prof. Omar has served as a committee member at the Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research, Jordan: Scientific Research & Innovation Fund, 2018-2020, and was a member of the Jordan Journal of Electrical Engineering: Editorial Board, 2018-2020. In addition, Prof. Omar served in many accreditation committees with Higher Education Accreditation Commission, Jordan. Prof. Omar is experienced with the ABET accreditation and European accreditation. 

Prof. Omar has worked in the area of turbo coding and optical wireless communications and as a consultant for Global Cardiac Monitors, Texas, until 2020. In addition, he worked in different projects at physical science laboratory, Las Cruces, USA, in the period 1991-1992. He has been active in international relations where he was the recipient and the contact officer for many EU and international projects, and German Academic Exchange Service (DDAD). Currently, Prof. Omar is the coordinator for the summer student / staff exchange programs.

Hala Annabi is an Associate Professor of Information Management and Director of the Neurodiversity and Employment Research Group at the University of Washington’s Information School. Her research and consulting focus on creating and maintaining inclusive learning organizations. Dr. Annabi investigates diversity and inclusion initiatives aimed at recruiting, retaining, and advancing women, women of color, and neurodivergent employees. Her research emphasizes intersectionality and critical perspectives. She also pursues lines of inquiry focused on improving inclusive product management. Dr. Annabi’s work is published in academic and industry outlets to advance the science and practice of inclusion. Dr. Annabi collaborates with industry leaders to establish best practices for inclusion and has authored the Autism at Work Playbook and the Neurodiversity Playbook Engagement and Growth Series in partnership with The Neurodiversity at Work Employer Roundtable which includes firms such as Microsoft, SAP, JPMorgan Chase, and EY. The Autism at Work Playbook is considered the industry guidebook for designing, developing, and scaling neurodiversity hiring initiatives. Dr. Annabi holds a B.S. in Management Information Systems and an MBA from Le Moyne College, and a Ph.D. in Information Science and Technology from The Information School at Syracuse University.

Profession Mission

Promote the analysis of national data, legislation, and policies as well as use evidence geared towards decision-making, social and economic policymaking to inform the development, reform, implementation and evaluation of policies, laws and strategies oriented towards the improvement of family well-being.

Brief Profession Experiences

Dr. Almasarweh was awarded a UN Fund for Population Activity fellowship toward the completion of doctoral studies at Utah State University, where he obtained a PhD in Sociology with a concentration in Demography and Economic Development. He continued to expand his skills by participating in several capacity building activities at prestigious institutes in the U.S.A focused on computer-based demographic analysis, research techniques and strategic planning for population and reproductive health. He also served as a trainer in several local and regional workshops (sponsored by UN agencies, USAID, EU) on population projections; censuses and surveys data analysis; policy analysis and formulation; demographic analysis software; and dissemination of social, population, gender, and vital statistics data.

Dr. Almasarweh has over 25 years of academic, research, consultation, and management experience, in which he has applied sociological, social, demographic and health data analysis, research and training to the formulation of sound population and social policy in Jordan. He is currently the Secretary General of Jordan Higher Population Council.

He previously served as a resident advisor and senior researcher for several USAID-sponsored projects (the Acceptability of Long-Acting Progestin Contraceptive Methods Project, the Lactational Amenorrhea Method and Breastfeeding Support Project, POLICY Project, Health Policy Initiative Project). He held a professor position in the Department of Sociology and Social Work and the Department of Population Studies at the University of Jordan.

Dr. Almasarweh led and participated in several national committees and taskforces charged with revising and updating Jordan’s national strategies. More recently, he participated in and managed several policy-oriented studies that were utilized in developing Jordan National Population Strategy (2000-2020) and the country’s Reproductive Health Action Plan (2003-2007 and 2008-2012), the National Population Strategy 2021-2030, the National Reproductive Health Strategy 2020-2030, and Jordan Implementation Plan for 2019 Nairobi Summit Commitments.

Dr. Almasarweh had also participated in several policy dialogues and contributed to the three most recent editions of the Jordan Demographic Health Survey (DHS) main results report, as well as to a number of local training, advocacy, and project coordination activities. He has solid knowledge of a number of social sciences and demographic and statistical software packages.

Furthermore, Dr. Almasarweh participated in the Post-Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD 1994) activities, where he contributed to the development of the UNFPA Programme Review and Strategy Development for the UNFPA Country Program in Jordan (1998-2002 and 2008-2012). Upon request from the Jordan National Council for Family Affairs, Dr. Almasarweh reviewed inventory of family-related research and participated in the retreat for developing the Strategic Framework for the National Strategy for Jordanian Family.

Professional Associations:

1. Member of the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP).
2. Member of the Committee for International Cooperation in National Research in Demography (CICRD).
3. Member of the International Sociological Association (ISA).
4. Member of the Jordanian National Association for Fighting Smoking.
5. Member of the Research Committee, King Hussein Foundation.

Contact Information: Mobile: 079-5644514.

Dr. Adli Shehadeh Kandah, is a member of the Board of Directors of the Jordan Deposit Insurance Corporation, serves as an economic, financial, and banking advisor. Dr. Kandah held the position of Director General of the Association of Banks in Jordan from July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2020. Prior to this, he held various roles, including Economic Advisor to the Minister of Labor from 2005 to 2006, Director of the National Training and Development Project, Economic Consultant at the Central Bank of Qatar from 2001 to 2004, and Economic Consultant in the Prime Ministry of Jordan from 1997 to 1998. He served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh University College for Innovation 2018-2023. His professional journey began at the Central Bank of Jordan in 1990, where he worked as an Economist in the Research Department until June 2006.

Dr. Kandah holds numerous memberships and academic experiences, serving as a member of the Arab Thought Forum, and the Jordan Economic Forum. He was also a member of the Economic and Social Council in Jordan from 2013 to 2017 and the National Dialogue Committee in Jordan in 2011. Dr. Kandah has worked as a part-time professor at various universities and institutes, including the University of Jordan, Qatar University, the Hashemite University, the Jordan University of Science and Technology, the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh University College for Innovation, the Institute of Banking Studies in Jordan and Qatar, and the Jordanian Diplomatic Institute.

Dr. Kandah has authored nine books on various economic, financial, and banking topics, including “The Jordanian Economy and the Economic and Financial Crisis 1921-2022”, "Investments in Jordan in a Hundred Years 1921-2021" and "Determinants of Economic Growth, Seeds for Practical Ideas 2021". He has also prepared numerous studies and research papers in economics, trade, finance, and banking. Additionally, Dr. Kandah is a weekly columnist for Al-Rai Jordanian newspaper and contributes to The Jordan Times and various other newspapers and online platforms.

Professor Bart McGettrick is Emeritus Professor of Education and Dean Emeritus, of the Faculty of Education at the University of Glasgow. He was the first Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Glasgow. He was Dean of the Faculty of Education and Professor of Christian Education at Liverpool Hope University.

He has a background in education and public life that is varied. He was a teacher of Geography in St Aloysius’ College from 1968 - 72.  He later chaired the Board of Governors of the College for many years. He was Principal of St Andrew’s College (The national College for the education of teachers) in Scotland, and became the first Dean of the Faculty of Education at Glasgow University. He was then appointed Dean of the Faculty of Education at Liverpool Hope University

He is Chairman of the International Board of Regents of Bethlehem University (Palestine). He holds other positions in international groups and committees in education and beyond. He is a member of the Board of Regents and the Board of Trustees of the American University of Madaba in Jordan.  He is a member of The Grand Magisteriun of The Equestrian Order of The Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem having served on the Grand Magisterium since 2003. He is currently President of The Holy Land Commission and formerly President of the Schools Commission for The Holy Land.  He is Chairman of the Board of Governors of Tabeetha School, Jaffa-Tel Aviv.

Among the honours he holds are: an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to education in the UK; “Ex Corde Ecclesiae” Medal of the International Federation of Catholic Universities; Knight Grand Cross of the Order of The Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem; Golden Palm of Jerusalem; Gold Cross of Jerusalem.

A member of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Immaculata, PA, Sister Paula brings to Rivier more than twenty-five years of experience in higher education administration. Formerly Executive Vice President of Administration at Seton Hall University, she has served in senior roles at Anna Maria College, Mount St. Mary University and Immaculata University. She holds an Ed.D. in Higher Education from the University of Pennsylvania, an M.A.L.S. in Catholic Studies from Georgetown University, and an M.B.A. from Villanova University. 

Sister Paula's professional service has included extensive experience in the development and implementation of comprehensive master plans and programs which support teaching and learning excellence. As an educator and leader, she has a deep appreciation of the history, vision, and mission of Rivier University to transform hearts and minds to serve the world. This mission resonates deeply with the mission of Catholic higher education, the value of the liberal arts, and the community of service engendered by programs of professional study. Sister Paula's research interests include issues of organizational governance and leadership in higher education.

Professor of Urology, obtained his Ph.D. degree from the University of Erlangen in Germany. He teaches at the University of Jordan where he assumed the position of the Dean of the Faculty of the Rehabilitation Sciences for four years. He also attends the Urology clinic at the Jordan University hospital, and he chaired the special surgery department and the Urology section at the hospital for almost 10 years.

Professor Ammari is very active in his field, and is a member of the Urological Society, North Rhine "Dusseldorf" Urological Society, Urological Specialists Association and the Hartman Bond Association in Germany. Co-founder and Vice President of the Jordanian Urological Society.

Member of the editorial board of the Arab Journal of Urology (AJU) as of 2002 and a referee at the Journal of the Royal Medical Services.