LAUREATES 2024
AHMED BADR
Ahmed M. Badr, an Iraqi-American author, poet, and social entrepreneur, operates at the crossroads of creativity, climate action, displacement, and youth engagement. He authored “While the Earth Sleeps, We Travel,” a collection of stories, poetry, and art from young refugees globally, with a foreword by Ben Stiller. This work was chosen as the 2022-23 First-Year Common Reader at the University of Delaware. As the Director of the Patricelli Center for Social Entrepreneurship and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Public Policy at Wesleyan University, Badr stands out as one of the youngest senior faculty members in the U.S. at 25. His journey began when his home in Baghdad was bombed in 2006, leading to over two years as a refugee in Syria before resettling in the U.S. He founded Narratio, a platform that fosters the creative expression of displaced youth, culminating in partnerships like the annual Fellowship with the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Badr’s impact extends to his storytelling and strategy consultancy with the World Bank’s Connect4Climate initiative, co-hosting #Youth4Climate Live, reaching over a billion people across 130 countries. His work has been featured in prestigious venues like Juilliard, UNICEF House, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Educated at Wesleyan University (BA in Anthropology) and Harvard University (Master’s in Education), Badr has been recognized with several awards, including the 2022 Echoing Green Social Innovation Showcase and the Regional Murrow Award. He is also a National Geographic Young Explorer and serves as a UN Young Leader for the Sustainable Development Goals, marking his significant contributions to social innovation and global youth engagement.
NAJLA SAID
Najla Said is a Lebanese-Palestinian-American actor, playwright, and author. She was a founding member of the Arab American Theatre Company NIBRAS, in 2001. Their inaugural production, “Sajji: Record” won the Award for Best Ensemble Performance at the 2002 New York International Fringe Festival. In 2010, her solo show, PALESTINE, had a sold-out Off-Broadway run-in 2010, and she has performed it at over 50 colleges, high schools, institutions, and events all over the world. That same year, she was named one of the “Forty Feminists Over Forty” by The Feminist Press. In 2013, she published a memoir (“Looking for Palestine: Growing Up Confused in an Arab-American Family”) based on her play, which is currently a part of many high school and university curriculums. She has also written two librettos, the first of which- Zabur- was a collaboration with the composer Mohammed Fair that premiered at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and was also performed at Carnegie Hall. Her second libretto, based on the text of her book, was set to music by David Coleman, and performed by the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra under the direction of Daniel Barenboim, all over Europe, most notably at the BBC Proms and Salzburg Festival. As an actor, she has performed Off-Broadway as well as regionally, in multiple productions. Najla had the privilege of working with Vanessa Redgrave on a theatrical adaptation of the memoir “A World I Loved” (written by her Lebanese grandmother, Wadad Makdisi Cortas) which they performed in the UK, Beirut, and New York. Recent TV and Film credits include NCIS: New Orleans, New Amsterdam, and Feud. Her writing has appeared in such publications as The New York Times, The Nation, Guernica, and Mizna, as well as in various anthologies. Najla is a graduate of Princeton University and The Actors Center Conservatory in New York.
ELIAS ZERHOUNI
GARY NABHAN
Dr. Gary Paul Nabhan, widely recognized for his contributions to agroecology, conservation biology, and natural resource science, is a descendant of Sirio-Lebanese refugees. His profound connection to his heritage informs his extensive work in the Middle East, where he has conducted fieldwork and lectured in countries including Syria, Lebanon, Oman, Egypt, and Palestine. A respected author, Nabhan’s writings on Arab gastronomy, agriculture, and spice traditions are published in multiple languages, reflecting his global influence. Nabhan’s research notably tracks the diffusion of traditional foods and crop varieties from the Middle East through various regions to the Americas, underscoring the interconnectedness of global food systems. As a peace mediator and collaborative conservationist, he has engaged with international organizations such as Chefs for Peace and Slow Food International, promoting understanding and conservation through food. In addition to his academic pursuits, Nabhan cultivates heritage fruit trees and spice plants in his experimental garden on the U.S./Mexico border, merging his research interests with practical conservation efforts. His achievements have been recognized with prestigious awards, including the MacArthur Foundation Genius Fellowship and a Lannan Foundation Literary Fellowship, alongside several honorary doctorates. Currently holding the W.K. Kellogg Endowed Chair in the Southwest Center at the University of Arizona, Nabhan continues to impact the fields of conservation and agroecology. His bibliography spans over 30 books, contributing significantly to discussions on sustainable agriculture and the slow food movement in North America. Nabhan’s work not only advances scientific understanding but also fosters a deeper appreciation for the cultural and ecological significance of traditional food systems.
MAGID ABRAHAM
Dr. Magid M. Abraham is an esteemed entrepreneur and corporate leader whose expertise spans market research, consumer modeling, and information systems. Born in Machghara, Lebanon, Abraham’s journey from a fruit farm in a small town to international business acclaim epitomizes innovation and scholarly dedication. His academic path led him from École Polytechnique in Paris to the MIT Sloan School of Management, where he earned both an MBA and a PhD in operations research. Abraham’s professional career is highlighted by his co-founding of comScore, an Internet market intelligence company that achieved a successful IPO in 2007 under his leadership. Prior to comScore, he played pivotal roles at Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), where he developed marketing applications that became CPG marketing standards. In 1995, Abraham founded Paragren Technologies, specializing in CRM systems before it integrated into Siebel Systems, showcasing his foresight and innovation in technology. Beyond his entrepreneurial achievements, Dr. Abraham has ventured into mental health therapeutics as the CEO of NeuraWell, demonstrating his versatility and commitment to making a societal impact. He has also imparted his knowledge as a visiting scholar at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, enriching the academic community with his experience. Dr. Abraham’s contributions to his field have been widely recognized. He has been inducted into the Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame and honored as a “Technology Pioneer” by the World Economic Forum. His seminal work has earned prestigious awards, including from the American Marketing Association, highlighting his impact on marketing research and practice. Serving on several boards, Dr. Abraham’s career blends scientific inquiry with entrepreneurial spirit, marking him as a visionary in corporate leadership. His work not only advances the understanding of consumer behavior and market trends but also inspires innovation across disciplines.
DIMITRI AZAR
Dimitri Azar, MD, MBA, is the Chief Executive Officer of Twenty/Twenty Therapeutics, established by Google/Verily and Santen, and serves as a Distinguished Professor and BA Field Chair of ophthalmic research at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. In his pioneering role, he has advanced the integration of engineering, data science, and artificial intelligence with basic and clinical medicine. Azar is the Executive Dean Emeritus at the University of Illinois College of Medicine and has a significant history of leadership in ophthalmology, including as Director of the Cornea, Refractive Surgery, and Contact Lens Services at Harvard Medical School, and as a senior scientist at the Schepens Eye Research Institute. His educational credentials include completing his residency and fellowship at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, and leading as an assistant professor and founding director of the refractive surgery service at the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute. Azar obtained his MD from the American University of Beirut and an MBA with high distinction from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business. Azar is an internationally recognized innovator in ophthalmic diagnostics, therapeutics, and microelectronics/advanced optics. His work led to the development of the first smart electronic accommodating lens and novel microelectronic therapeutics for the eye. He has made significant contributions to corneal wound healing, angiogenesis, and refractive surgery, supported by continuous National Eye Institute R01 funding from 1993 to 2021. Authoring more than 500 scientific articles and book chapters, and editing 23 ophthalmology books, Azar holds over 75 patents in ophthalmic pharmacology and bioengineering. His accolades include consistent listings among The Best Doctors in America, the Life Achievement Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Distinguished Professor Award. Azar has served on multiple prestigious boards, including the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society and the Himalayan Cataract Project, exemplifying his leadership in the field.
RIMA KADDURAH-DAOUK
Dr. Kaddurah-Daouk is a Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Department of Medicine at Duke University. She is a graduate of the American University of Beirut, Department of Biochemistry, with subsequent training at Johns Hopkins (worked with Nobel Laureate Hamilton Smith), Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She has been a pioneer and seminal force in using big data (metabolomics) and AI approaches to enable precision medicine. She has been one of the top-funded researchers in the United States where she established and led large consortia funded by NIH (more than 120 scientists from over 30 academic institutions) aiming to optimize health and treatment outcomes for each patient. A significant part of her research addresses brain health. The Alzheimer’s Disease Metabolomics Consortium that she leads is one of six consortia under the Accelerating Medicines Partnership for Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease (AMP-AD) set to respond to President Obama’s challenge: “National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease” to treat or prevent Alzheimer’s disease (AD) by 2025. The Alzheimer Gut Microbiome Project is a national initiative to define gut microbiome influences on brain metabolic health and the development of neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. The Mood Disorder Precision Medicine Consortium is redefining our understanding of depression and its treatment. Dr. Kaddurah-Daouk is an inventor with 60 patents and patent applications. She co-founded three biotechnology companies including Metabolon a leader in metabolomics applications in medicine. She also co-founded a not-for-profit scientific organization the Metabolomics Society that has grown to over a thousand members globally. Currently, she is establishing a dashboard where millions of data points from each individual can enable better tracking of health in real-time and towards proactive health and prevention of disease.
ANTHONY R. ABRAHAM FOUNDATION
The Anthony R. Abraham Foundation, anchored in Miami’s diverse cultural landscape, stands as a philanthropic leader with initiatives extending across the United States and globally. Its significant contributions to pediatric healthcare are exemplified through support for institutions like Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which are at the forefront of treating and researching catastrophic childhood diseases. In the realm of education, the foundation’s generosity spans from elementary levels, including support for Care Elementary, to higher education, significantly enhancing the educational experiences at institutions such as the University of Miami, Christopher Columbus High School, Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, Cornell University, and NYU Law School. These contributions aim to promote academic excellence, character development, and prepare future leaders in various fields. The foundation’s dedication to environmental conservation is evident in its partnership with the Everglades Foundation, focusing on the restoration and preservation of a critical ecosystem. Additionally, Thomas Abraham, the foundation’s chairman, has ventured into sports philanthropy as the first ambassador for blind soccer, a collaboration with the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes, emphasizing the foundation’s commitment to inclusivity and empowerment through sports. Internationally, the foundation’s impact is felt in Lebanon, through partnerships with the Lebanese American University, the Lebanese Red Cross, and organizations like Society St. Vincent de Paul and Teach for Lebanon, supporting healthcare, education, disaster relief, and social development. In Haiti, the foundation contributes to disaster relief and recovery, underlining its humanitarian ethos. The Anthony R. Abraham Foundation’s comprehensive philanthropy reflects a steadfast dedication to nurturing potential and fostering progress across healthcare, education, environmental conservation, and sports inclusivity. By aligning its resources with institutions and causes that mirror its vision, the foundation continues to honor the legacy of its founder, impacting countless lives and shaping a promising future.