Dr. Rasha Roshdy, Executive Director
Dr. Rasha Roshdy is a native Egyptian who is a naturalized American citizen of 20 years. She has weathered the process of adjusting to Western culture while keeping ties to her Arab roots. This experience has shaped her vision for a better world – a world in which people of all backgrounds and cultures can come to the United States for a better life.
Dr. Roshdy earned her Doctor of Educational Leadership from San Diego State University in 2014. She holds a Master of Science in Data Science and Decision-Making from Minerva School at KGI in San Francisco and a Master of Arts in Modern Languages from Kansas State University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in French Literature from Ain-Shams University in Cairo. She received her Higher Diploma (Master of Arts equivalent) from La Sorbonne in Paris. She is a former Research Fellow at Norwich University’s Institute for the Study of Culture and Language in Northfield, Vermont, and a past Mentor at Sierra Nevada College’s MIDDcore Leadership and Innovation Program. She has lectured at institutions in India and the United States.
Christy Gay, Director of Operations
Christy Gay, developed an intimate understanding of poverty and development while growing up along the U.S./Mexico border in San Diego, California. Her exposure to the many complex and inter-related issues in the region sparked a personal interest in the development process.
After completing her undergraduate degree in International Relations at the United States International University in Mexico City, Christy’s personal and professional goal was to actively participate in the development process and to apply specific knowledge and practical skills to the evaluation of its impact on marginalized populations. She devoted her energy to acquiring practical experience and expertise through work in community and economic development, low-income housing, community outreach and mobilization, workforce development, international health, higher education, and academia. After receiving her Master of Science degree in Population and Development from The London School of Economics and Political Science, she continued to work as a consultant to various development institutions and organizations around the world.