JURY BOARD
The Jury Board considers each nominee for the award carefully and fully to make an informed decision. It consists of highly qualified experts in different walks of life.
Adah Al Mutairi
Adah Almutairi is a pioneering scholar and entrepreneur specializing in nanomedicine, nanotechnology, chemistry, and polymer science. She serves as a Professor of Nanoengineering and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of California San Diego and is the Founder and Chairman of eLux Medical. Notably, she discovered the first inflammation-responsive nanoparticle, earning her the NIH New Innovator Award in 2009. She completed her Ph.D. in Materials Chemistry at UC Riverside and transitioned to UC San Diego from UC Berkeley, where she worked on in vivo imaging nanoprobes. Holding 13 issued patents with more pending, her innovations have garnered significant licensing interest, including development by eLux Medical. Almutairi also co-directs the Center for Excellence in Nano-Medicine and Engineering (CNME), aiming for precision in disease treatment through nanoparticles. Her work was recognized by NIH director Francis Collins in 2012 as one of the year’s four most significant American tech breakthroughs.
Omar Durra
Omar Durra, based in West Hollywood, California, is a dedicated anesthesiologist with over 20 years of professional experience, currently affiliated with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He earned his medical degree from the University of Jordan Faculty of Medicine. His expertise spans various innovative anesthesia methods, ensuring patient safety and comfort. Dr. Durra is renowned for his adept handling of complex anesthesia cases and his continuous pursuit of professional development to stay abreast of medical advancements in his field. His commitment to excellence and patient-centered care, alongside his reputable association with Cedars-Sinai, has established him as a notable figure in the local medical community, significantly contributing to the broader healthcare landscape.
Ghida Fakhry
Ghida Fakhry is an esteemed broadcast journalist and international moderator based in Washington DC, where she serves as the Host and Executive Producer for TRT World’s flagship programs, ‘Inside America with Ghida Fakhry’ and ‘Bigger than Five’. With over 20 years in the field, she has worked for major global news networks including Aljazeera English, where she was the Lead Anchor for the Americas broadcast center and hosted the award-winning show ‘Witness’. She has also contributed to CNN World Report. Known for her penetrating interviews and dynamic moderating style, Fakhry has facilitated high-stakes discussions for notable organizations such as the World Economic Forum, the Nobel Peace Center, the United Nations, and the World Bank. These discussions span a variety of pressing global issues, from international relations and human rights to sustainable development and climate change. She holds Masters’ degrees in International Relations and Near and Middle Eastern Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.
Claude Serhal
Claude Serhal, a Lebanese archaeologist, has made groundbreaking contributions to the understanding of Levantine history. Born in Beirut, she relocated to Paris during the Lebanese civil war, earning her PhD from la Sorbonne and a diploma from the Ecole du Louvre. Initially focusing on Syrian sites like Ras Shamra-Ugarit, she later moved to London. In 1993, she founded the Lebanese British Friends of the National Museum, a non-profit dedicated to restoring Beirut’s National Museum post-war. Claude’s most impactful work has been her 24-year joint excavation project in Sidon, in collaboration with the British Museum and Lebanon’s Department of Antiquities. This ongoing project has yielded significant findings, including Canaanite DNA analysis, offering key insights into Lebanese ancestry. The Sidon excavation is considered one of the Levantine coast’s most important archaeological projects, revealing an uninterrupted occupation history from the third millennium BC to the Crusaders period. For her contributions, Claude was honored with a Member of the British Empire award (MBE).
Nada Shabout
Nada Shabout is a distinguished art historian and professor at the University of North Texas, where she also coordinates the Contemporary Arab and Muslim Cultural Studies Initiative. As the founding president of the Association for Modern and Contemporary Art from the Arab World, Iran, and Turkey, she has been a pivotal figure in advancing understanding of Arab art. Shabout served as the Project Advisor for the Saudi National Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2019 and has curated notable exhibitions like “Sajjil: A Century of Modern Art” and “Dafatir: Contemporary Iraqi Book Art.” Her publications include “Modern Arab Art: Formation of Arab Aesthetics” and “Modern Art in the Arab World: Primary Documents,” among others. She has received several awards, including a Writers Grant from the Andy Warhol Foundation and The Presidential Excellency Award from UNT. A Fulbright Senior Scholar, Shabout has also been a visiting assistant professor at MIT and a fellow at The American Academic Research Institute in Iraq.
Richard Westmark
Richard Westmark is a multifaceted professional, balancing role in both the financial and medical sectors. He is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Westmark Enterprise, Ltd., a family office-structured multi-asset management firm with a global footprint. Concurrently, he serves as the Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Triple V Management, LLC, a firm specializing in alternative investments. His leadership extends to the Hedge Fund Association, where he acts as the Texas Regional Director and sits on the Global Board. Educationally rooted in Harvard, Westmark transitioned from a pioneering role in spinal cord injury research at the University of California, San Francisco, to finance. He has contributed to peer-reviewed scientific literature, and he authored a chapter in the pivotal neurosurgical textbook “Schmidek and Sweet.” Westmark recently penned “My Back Hurts!”, demystifying back issues for the general public. A popular keynote speaker, he has lectured on “Financial Stewardship for Doctors” at various high-profile medical institutions.
Sylviane Zehil
Sylviane Zehil is an American-Lebanese journalist with almost 40 years of experience in journalism, research, documentation and public relations. Since 1992, Sylviane has served as the New York and UN Bureau Chief for “L’Orient Le Jour”, a leading daily independent French language newspaper published in Lebanon. In 1977, Sylviane launched and directed “CEDRE”, the first computerized documentation and research center in Beirut, Lebanon. She helped establish “La Maison du Futur”, a center for strategic studies where she worked under the direction of President Amine Gemayel. In 2012, she received an honor from Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz during the “Lebanese Heritage Day’s” celebration for her contribution to Lebanon at the United Nations and for her devotion in helping shape the Lebanese community in New York.