Meet The Team
The United For Dignity Alliance operates through a locally led alliance model. Our Gaza work, UFDA's flagship alliance, works to build lasting systems that center Gazans.
Gazan professionals identify priorities and lead implementation. International leaders provide technical expertise, safeguarding, compliance, and resource mobilization.
Executive Leadership
Musallam Abukhalil, MD
Co-Founder
Dr. Abu Khalil is the founder of the Gaza Cancer & Chronic Care Network, which merged with partners to create UFDA in December 2025. He is a Palestinian physician and humanitarian leader with extensive experience in internal medicine, emergency response, and health system coordination in conflict settings. He served as Health Technical Lead for Project HOPE in Gaza, overseeing medical strategy and health services across primary care clinics and Emergency Medical Teams. In 2024, he launched a humanitarian initiative, providing care to over 100,000 displaced people, and continues to shape its mission and operations. Dr. Abu Khalil founded and leads GC3N’s work in Gaza, overseeing strategy, coordination, and on-the-ground implementation.
Danielle Levi
Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer
Danielle co-founded United for Dignity Alliance in 2025. Her early career included managing civil and human rights campaigns with organizations such as the ACLU and Amnesty International. She holds a B.A. in Global Health and an M.A. in Public Policy with a focus on Conflict Resolution and Mediation. Danielle is UN-trained and certified in international mediation and negotiation and has been a shared-society advocate for over a decade.
Board of Directors
Sulaiman Abuhaiba, MD, PHD
Board Treasurer
Professor Dr Sulaiman Abuhaiba is a renowned Portuguese Palestinian professor of clinical neurophysiology and neuroimaging. In addition to his vast experience in epileptology and neuroscience research he has been involved with several international aid programs in the Palestinian Territories. He is an expert in public health awareness programs and telemedicine with an interest in providing quality care in resource-limited regions.
Larry garber
Board Member
Larry serves as a member of our Board of Directors. He is an adjunct faculty at George Washington University, William & Mary, and the University of Denver. Larry previously served as a senior official at USAID, CEO of the an international social change organization, and Legal Director of the International Human Rights Law Group.
Eian Katz
Board President
Eian serves as President of our Board of Directors. He is a human rights attorney and former US foreign service officer with a focus on the MENA region. Previously served as Legal Advisor at the American Bar Association Center for Human Rights and as Counsel at Public International Law and Policy Group.
General Assembly
Walaa Ezraiq
General Assembly Member
Walaa serves as Rapporteur of our Fiscal Council. Walaa Ezraiq has a Masters Degree in clinical laboratory analytics and has worked as a clinical laboratory technician for three years at the Palestinian Red Crescent. She finished her bachelor education in Gaza before getting her license to practice and her masters equivalent degree from the University of Coimbra. In addition to her scientific work, she also has worked with international aid organizations in Rafah and Egypt for the last two years to manage the entry of aid into Gaza.
Jessy Ferguson
General Assembly Member
Jessy serves as Secretary of our General Assembly. She is a representative for the Communities for Palestinians Alliance and Co-Director of Cwtch Pals, a women-led humanitarian organization supporting local economies and urgent needs in Gaza. Her work focuses on the direction of objectives and creative design.
Elicia Yoffee
General Assembly Vice President
Elicia serves as Vice President of our General Assembly. She is a Jewish-American peace and justice advocate with a long-standing commitment to Palestinian human rights. Elicia holds a Master’s degree in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University and has been active in cross-cultural dialogue, advocacy, and nonprofit organizing for over a decade.
Fiscal Committee
Abeer Abukhalil
Fiscal Committee Member
Abeer serves as Secretary of our Fiscal Council. With a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the Islamic University of Gaza and professional experience at the Islamic Arab Bank, a founding member of the Bank of Palestine group, Abeer brings both financial expertise and deep local knowledge to her advisory role. Drawing on a wide network of supplier relationships built prior to the war, Abeer supports the team in vetting vendors, reviewing documentation, and guiding procurement decisions, while also advising on financial workflows and logistical coordination to keep operations responsive and organized under highly constrained conditions.
Emma Huwaida Sharkeyeh
Fiscal Committee Member
Emma serves as a member of our fiscal council. Currently she studies mathematics while working as a sales and data executive at RDC. Emma has been working and volunteering with humanitarian organizations since 2018.
Richard Yoffee
Fiscal Committee President
Richard serves as President of our Fiscal Council. He is a semi-retired finance professional with over 40 years of business experience across several different industries. He currently serves as Director of Finance at SAS Geospatial, LLC. Specialize in Financial Modeling, Budgeting, Forecasting and Reporting. Previously served as Treasurer at Temple Judea of Bucks County, Pennsylvania for 6 years.
International Advisory Council
Abdelkareem Assalqawi, MD
Deir al-Balah, PS
Dr. Assalqawi is an emergency physician and orthopedic surgeon with extensive experience in trauma and emergency care at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital and MSF field hospitals. He specializes in amputations, case management, and telemedicine, and is currently completing orthopedic residency training at Nasser Medical Complex.
Yaroup Ajlouni, MD
Jordan
Dr. Ajlouni directs regional health, humanitarian aid, and resilience efforts through the Jordan Health Aid Society. With a medical degree, a Master’s in Politics, and an MBA, he combines clinical expertise with strategic leadership in complex humanitarian and development settings. He serves on multiple boards of global and MENA-based alliances, contributing to policy, advocacy, and collaborative action on health and social issues across the region.
Anas Ismail
Tyne, UK
Medical doctor who studied and gradauted in Gaza from Al Quds University. Anas holds a master's degree in global health and has experience working in the NGO sector in Gaza and with the World Health Organization HQ in Geneva. Currently, Anas is doing his PhD in population health at Newcastle University in the UK, where he focuses of experiences of patients and families who have been medically evacuated from Gaza.
Yasmeen Jabri
London, UK
Yasmeen is a London-based founder of Palestinian and Syrian heritage (raised in Lebanon), working at the intersection of science, wellness, and social impact. She is the founder of Amphi Botanicals, a purpose-driven brand that bridges modern science with holistic traditions. Yasmeen is the founder of Aswat Li Phalastine, an initiative dedicated to amplifying Palestinian voices, culture, and storytelling. She holds an MSc in Entrepreneurship from UCL and brings a multidisciplinary approach to her work, combining business, storytelling, and social impact.
Talah Kaddourah
London, UK
London-based journalist of Palestinian heritage specialising in documentary and current affairs. Her work centers on underreported stories and marginalized voices. Alongside her journalism, she has led fundraising and advocacy for grassroots initiatives in Gaza. She has experience producing long-form journalism across broadcast and digital platforms, and holds a background in Political Communications.
Mira Kruger
Washington, DC
Kruger is an accomplished business development professional with a proven track record of sustaining and expanding support in the health access space. She has held leadership roles at several nonprofit organizations in the health sector, and throughout her career, Mira has raised hundreds of millions of dollars to improve access to care for patients nationwide.
Sammy Nabulsi
Boston, MA
Sammy serves as Partner at Rose Law Partners, LLP, specializing in environmental and real estate compliance and litigation. Sammy has been recognized for assisting Americans in Gaza and serves on multiple municipal boards.
Michael Morse, MD, MPA
Washington, DC
Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Georgetown University and Director of Psychiatric Education at The Chesapeake Center. Michael has advanced mental health systems in the West Bank, Gaza, and West Africa.
Ahmed Rezeq
Gaza, PS
Digital projects manager specializing in leading digital project initiatives for mission-driven brands and NGOs. Ahmed holds a background in Management of Information Systems and Communication Technologies from The American University in Cairo. Alongside his professional work, Ahmed advocates for Palestinian voices and grassroots initiatives, using digital platforms to amplify underrepresented stories and causes.
Nima Sheth, MD
Washington, DC
Director of Policy and Networks at The Reilly Group, leading the Mind the Gap Initiative on perinatal mental health policy. Nima previously served at HHS as Associate Administrator for Women’s Services and Senior Medical Advisor.
Philippa Whitford, MD
Edinburgh, SCT
Member of Parliament for the Scottish National Party in Central Ayrshire. Philippa trained as a breast cancer surgeon at the University of Glasgow before entering politics.
Jennifer Winestock
Bethesda, MD
Public health and development specialist and epidemiologist with extensive experience designing and evaluating community-driven health programs across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and Associate Faculty at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Luna M. Mehrain MD, MSc, Ob/ Gyn
istanbul, TR
Dr. Mehrain is an Obstetrician, Gynecologist, and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) specialist with over 20 years of global experience in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the MENA region. Luna has extensive direct experience in humanitarian settings, including with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), IPPF- Humanitarian, MERLIN, and the United Nations (UNFPA). Luna’s SRH programs are grounded in evidence, data, and global guidelines, and ensure stakeholder engagement and systems strengthening while providing acute, high-quality SRH support. Dr. Mehrain also founded a grassroots initiative for families in Gaza in 2025.
Governance & Accountability
UFDA is governed by a Board of Directors and supported by an Advisory Council comprising professionals with expertise in medicine, public health, humanitarian response, law, policy, and development.
Our governance structures are designed to:
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Safeguard independence and neutrality
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Ensure financial and ethical accountability
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Protect affected communities
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Maintain transparency with donors and partners
We are committed to strong safeguarding policies, responsible financial management, and continuous learning.