Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, Founder and CEO, Teshkeel Media Group
Keynote Speech -
Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa is a Kuwaiti clinical psychologist and creator of THE 99, the first group of comic superheroes born of an Islamic archetype. Recently, Forbes named THE 99 as one of the top 20 trends sweeping the globe and most recently, President Barack Obama praised Dr. Naif and THE 99 as perhaps the most innovative of the thousands of new entrepreneurs viewed by his Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship.
Al-Mutawa has a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University Columbia University and an MBA, also from Columbia University Tufts University
He received the Eliot-Pearson Award for Excellence in Children's Media from Tufts University
Dr. Al-Mutawa is the Clinical Director of The Soor Center for Psychological Counseling and Assessment, Kuwait
Dr. Khaled Al Maeena, Editor-in-Chief, Arab News, KSA
Keynote Talk with Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa
Dr. Khaled Al-Maeena is the Editor-in-Chief of the Arab News, one of the most widely-read English-language newspapers in Saudi Arabia Iraq , Morocco , China , Russia
Dr. Khaled was educated in Pakistan , the United States , and the United Kingdom Saudi Arabia
Dr. Tarek Shawki, Director, UNESCO, Egypt
Panel: Social Media and Educational Institutions
Tarek Galal Shawki (Arabic: طارق جلال شوقى ) (born June 12, 1957 in Cairo, Egypt) is the Director of UNESCO's Regional Bureau for Science in Arab States (since June 2008) while he served as the Chief of the Section for "ICTs in Education, Science and Culture" within the "Information Society Division" in UNESCO (Paris, France - Nov 2005 - May 2008). Dr. Shawki has served as the Regional Advisor for Communications and Information at the UNESCO Cairo Office (UCO) between January 1999 and November 2005. Dr. Shawki manages UNESCO's file on public-private partnerships with the IT private sector and he was the key architect behind the signing of the UNESCO-Microsoft Cooperation Agreement on November of 2004. In addition, Dr Shawki is the architect behind the emerging UNESCO framework for ICT Competencies of Teachers besides being directly responsible for a number of national, regional and global UNESCO projects in the fields of ICTs, Education, Science and Culture. Dr Shawki has been a Professor of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics for many years, University of Illinois
Educated at Cairo University in Egypt and Brown University in Rhode Island , U.S. , Shawki spent 13 years as a researcher and professor of theoretical and applied mechanics at the University of Illinois
Tony Proudian, General Manager- PAN ARAB Research Company, Saudi Arabia
Social Media around the World: What’s the buzz?
Mr. Tony Proudian is presently the Managing Director of Pan Arab Research Company (PARC) in Saudi Arabia
He was a student of Computer Science with interests in subjects of behavioral sciences particularly the Human Psychology. His keen interest in the subject drove him to the field of Market Research to explore the dynamics of Consumer Behavior and attitudes & how the diverse institutions interact & function in the society.
Dr. Ghazi Bin Zagr, Binzagr Group of Companies, Jeddah , Saudi Arabia
Serving My Community: Lessons from the Jeddah Floods
(Panel Discussion)
Ghazi Binzagr who holds a B.S. in Physics and a Ph.D in Management and Organization Development is a fourth generation member in the Binzagr Group. The group started as a trading company in the Arabian Peninsula more than one hundred and thirty years ago. He is the Deputy Chairman of Arabian Stores Co Ltd (Sarawat Superstores). He is also a Board Member of Binzagr CoRo, Binzagr Avon, Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance (Middle East) Limited, Binzagr Barwil Marine Transport company and he is also the President of Wisaal, a company he founded for human and community development. He is an active volunteer in the community where he serves in different capacities through various institutions including the Jeddah Chambers of Commerce and the Madinah Community Center Effat University , the first private University for women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Dr. Kholod Ashgar, Assistant to the Dean of Student Affairs, Effat University
Serving My Community: Lessons from the Jeddah Floods
(Panel Discussion)
Dr. Kholod Abdulla Ashgar is currently Assistant to the Dean for Student Affairs at Effat University
Dr. Yeslam Al-Saggaf, RCI Director, Effat University
New Media and the Rise of the Public Sphere in Saudi Arabia
Dr. Yeslam Al-Saggaf is the Director of the Research and Consultancy Institute and Associate Professor in Information Systems at Effat University Australia Malaysia
Dr. Saddiga Al-Ghalib, Dean, Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, Effat University, KSA
Panel : Social Media for Social Change
Session Leader for Track 3: Investigating the use of social media by educators in Saudi Arabia
John Smith, Learning Alliances, USA
Panel : Social Media for Social Change
Bayan Abuzinadah, Co-founder of Rumman Company, KSA
Panel : Social Media for Social Change
Bayan Abuzinadah is the co-founder of Rumman Company -an Innovative Media and Publishing House. She started her media career in 2006 as an Art Director for Al-Wataniya Group for Advertising and Publishing. After only one year of work experience Bayan and her partners decided to create Rumman Co., which is best described as a social enterprise and its common belief is creating new businesses and services that engage the community.
Under the umbrella of Rumman, two concepts were formed Destination Jeddah Magazine – an English monthly magazine which serves as a comprehensive guide to Jeddah and delivers unique content to a 70,000 loyal readership base, and Fainak.com - The first and currently the most active youth platform in Saudi Arabia to develop and empower the youth to achieve their goals.
Apart from creating the company Bayan was also involved in creating and managing the Art Department for the first 2 years. Currently she has undertaken the position of Chief Operating Officer overseeing all activities for both Destination and Fainak.
Bayan is a Graphic Design graduate from Dar Al Hekma College. She is also a devoted mother and wife. Throughout the years she has been able to juggle both her family life and professional life.
Dr. Michael Fast, Senior Education Advisor, Global Education Center, Academy for Educational Development ( AED), USA
Panel : Social Media for Social Change
Session Leader for Track 2: Producing an educational program on social media, for high school students and above.
Dr. Fast is Principal Research Analyst in the International Division at AIR and as Director of Latin American/Caribbean Programs has been responsible for the development of IDD’s business portfolio in educational development, health, youth development and labour within this region. He has extensive experience directing, managing and providing technical support for educational projects, in the international and national arenas. From November 2004 to June 2007 he was project director based in Honduras for a USAID-funded project focusing on educational reform in Honduras through the design of curriculum-aligned educational standards and a national formative, summative, and diagnostic testing system. He has worked in Brazil, Guatemala, Haiti, Nicaragua, Pakistan, the Maldives and Ukraine on educational standards and testing programs. Within the national arena, Dr. Fast has worked on the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) tests of foreign language, the National Adult Assessment of Literacy (NAAL) and ESL tests for No Child Left Behind compliance. Prior to joining AIR, Dr. Fast was Professor in Applied Linguistics at the Universities of Massachusetts, Iowa, and Deusto, Bilbao in Spain, spanning a 25-year period. He has published extensively in the areas of applied linguistics, computer-based language acquisition, distance education, and standards-based assessment.
Dr. Nazeeh Alothmany, Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering Dept (Biomedical Option), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah
Panel : Social Media for Social Change
PhD from the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA and MSc from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
Received more than 70 awards and certificates of appreciation for community services from diverse public and private organizations (Pittsburgh city council, University of Pittsburgh, Saudi Cultural Mission, Society of Muslim Health Physicians in Pittsburgh, and more)
Research interests include Signal Processing, Rehabilitation engineering, Image processing, Biomedical Instrumentation, Gifted abilities and innovation, Active learning, and speech processing.
Mr. Ziad Jarar, CEO of SpotMedia, Jeddah, KSA
Panel : Social Media for Social Change
As a marketing and communication expert, Ziad's experience taught him to always look at the big idea, the big picture and always keeping the objective clear and in focus by simplifying it, Ziad a dresses the details of the big picture but in a way that keeps the perspective simple, practical and purposeful.
As an entrepreneur, Ziad helped start a Digital Signage company called Spotmedia, in it's eighth year of operation, Spotmedia is the largest Digital Signage company in the Middle East with clients such Panda, HSBC and DU in Dubai. Ziad is also a part of the Entrepreneurs organization worldwide.
Ziad has also ventured into social media platforms targeting the youth and getting the private sector involved to create benefit and added value in the lives of the youth.
Today, Ziad adds two more responsibilities to his resume, he is currently the Head of Communication for Al Aghar, a local think tank in Saudi Arabia aimed at transforming the kingdom into a knowledge society. The second responsibility is a recent one where Ziad launched "insanniah" at the recent TEDx Arabia, Insanniah positions Ziad as a Life Coach, one who is able to engage people to provoke their thinking and share ideas on how we may look at things from a different perspective, one that could help us change for the better.
As an entrepreneur, Ziad helped start a Digital Signage company called Spotmedia, in it's eighth year of operation, Spotmedia is the largest Digital Signage company in the Middle East with clients such Panda, HSBC and DU in Dubai. Ziad is also a part of the Entrepreneurs organization worldwide.
Ziad has also ventured into social media platforms targeting the youth and getting the private sector involved to create benefit and added value in the lives of the youth.
Today, Ziad adds two more responsibilities to his resume, he is currently the Head of Communication for Al Aghar, a local think tank in Saudi Arabia aimed at transforming the kingdom into a knowledge society. The second responsibility is a recent one where Ziad launched "insanniah" at the recent TEDx Arabia, Insanniah positions Ziad as a Life Coach, one who is able to engage people to provoke their thinking and share ideas on how we may look at things from a different perspective, one that could help us change for the better.
Hanan El-Maghraby, Information Systems Student, College of Engineering, Effat University, KSA
Panel : Social Media for Social Change
A wanna-be-photographer that tweets way too much, has a very a limited memory span, complains a lot about silly matters. She enjoys her own imagination while being a social butterfly, is very random and loud, and a people pleaser whom abuses a BB currently yet will never give up her lonely crappy iPhone. A student by day and a blogger by night.
A 19 year old Egyptian, born and raised in Jeddah, KSA. She is an Information System student in Effat University of Jeddah. She cherishes all her social connections and does her best to maintain them. Blogging is her window to the world, writing is her tool. She makes friends from bloggers, and bloggers from friends. Tweeting is part of her life, as suddenly all her thoughts come in 140 characters or less.
As for her academics, the nerd within always makes an appearance or two to help maintain her GPA above 3.5,is the founder and Editor in Chief of Effat's first official student-run magazine "Be" , and participates in a lot of activities on and off campus.
Dr. Annette Lagman, Dean, Quality Assurance, Effat University, KSA
1001 Platforms (Facilitator)
Dr. Annette Lagman is currently the Dean for Quality Assurance at Effat University. Prior to joining Effat in 2002, she was on the faculty of the College of Integrated Science and Technology at James Madison University (Virginia, USA). Between 2002 and 2009 she served as the Chair of the Computer Science Department and then as the Vice Dean for Information and Educational Technology Services at Effat University.
Dr. Annette holds a PhD in Computer Science and an MS in Mathematics from Colorado State University (Colorado, USA). Her professional interests lie in the fields of Information Systems, Quality Assurance in Higher Education, and Educational Technology. She hails from the Philippines and loves to travel.
Tiffini Travis, Director of Information Literacy & Outreach Services, California State University, USA
1001 Platforms
Administrates the library’s comprehensive strategic plan for library instruction; assesses current instruction services; develops measures for assessing information literacy student learning outcomes; coordinates campus ETS ICT testing; acts as main contact for campus-wide information literacy initiatives; liaisons with various programs on campus including Student Orientation, Advising and Retention (SOAR), Learning Assistance Center and Beach Beginnings Learning Community; schedules team of outreach librarians and library workshop series; organizes collaborative efforts with feeder high schools and community colleges; maintains the library’s online tutorials Students Understanding Research Fundamentals (SURF) and first year program (University 100) online library component (via BlackBoard);collaborates with the EOP office, informal mentoring groups and student organizations to improve student retention of at-risk students; partners with the Faculty Center for Professional Development, Writer’s Resource Lab and the Thesis Office to present joint workshops for faculty, undergraduate and graduate students.
Dr. Malak Al-Nory, Assistant Professor, Computer Science and the Information System Departments, Effat University, KSA
Dr. Malak Al-Nory is an Assistant Professor at the Computer Science and the Information System Departments at Effat University. Dr. Al-Nory holds a PhD degree in Information Technology, from George Mason University, USA. After graduation she worked at the Computer Sciences Corporation’s (CSC) Science, Engineering, and Mission Support Group in the United States. She led several IT projects as a lead developer. She is also certified project manager by Georgetown University and the Project Management Institute (PMI).
Rodrigo Arias Palomo, CEO, GLIFOS, Guatemala
1001 Platforms
Master in Computer Science from Rutgers University and US Fulbright Scholar.
GLIFOS’ co-founder and Chief Executive Officer. GLIFOS develops software products for digital and physical libraries, collaborative digital archives, rich-media, and Enterprise Content Management (ECM). GLIFOS has among its clients The Academy of Television Arts and Science (Emmy Awards), The University of Texas at Austin, Briscoe Center for American History, and Lyndon B Johnson Presidential Library & Museum. Recent awards: “Most Innovative Archives on the Web” in 2010, and Best Project Presentation at the ACM/IEEE Joint Conference on Digital Libraries 2009.
Mr Arias has been Director of the Computer Science Department at del Valle University and Professor of Human Factors and Interface Design, Analysis of Algorithms, Artificial Intelligence, Database performance and Data structures. Current research and development: social rich-media, digital archives, and mobile rich-media.
Learning technologies consultant for USAID, World Bank, governments and higher education institutions.
Nora Al Shiha, Social Media specialist – Marketing, Cisco, KSA
1001 Platforms
Nora Al Shiha is a Social Media Marketing Specialist with Cisco Systems, covering Saudi Arabia, Gulf countries & Pakistan. Nora is responsible for planning and executing marketing strategies, aligning the social media with the marketing campaigns and events, and for analyst relations to increase market and customer awareness for revenue growth.
Nora joined Cisco in 2008 as a Co-Op handling the Web Marketing of Saudi Arabia. Six months later, she joined the marketing team officially in Social Media Marketing, & she was the first one to handle this job in the Emerging Market.
Prior to Cisco Nora worked part time job as Microsoft Student Partner, which includes marketing Microsoft products in the academic community. Nora is an Information Technology graduate from King Saud University with first honor degree.
Cristina Costa, Research Technologies Development Officer, University of Salford, UK
1001 Platforms
I am currently the Research Technologies Development Officer for the Research and Graduate College, University of Salford. I work with research staff and students across the University in a range of activities related with the effective and creative use of the web 2.0 for learning, teaching and research. I am doing a PhD on Networking cultures. I am also interested in Communities of practice, teacher training and language learning (the topic of my MPhil).
As co-founder of the EVOLVE network, the formally sponsored JISC Network, I host monthly online seminars aiming at bringing together researchers in Technology Enhanced Learning in an open forum to debate the current issues surrounding educational technologies and discuss how and where research impacts on practice and where practice drives research.
Khayra Bundakji,Computer Science Student, College of Engineering, Effat University, KSA
1001 Platforms
Khayra Bundakji is a computer science student at Effat University and a freelance social media copywriter. She is the founder of the institution's Islamic environmentalist organization, Faseelah(فَسِيلَةُ) (http://faseelah.effat.edu.sa) and is enthusiastically involved in the ecological conservation efforts of Jeddah.
She is an avid student of how the Internet's customs of self-ownership, decentralization, and collective wisdom is seeping into society to create innovative organizations and individuals and past participant of the Learning and Technology Symposium.
Maria Mahdaly, General Manager, Fainak , Jeddah, KSA
1001 Platforms
With only two years in business 22 year old college student Maria Mahdaly has developed a successful youth platform attracting over 30,000 members by developing a first of its kind venture in the region. Her aim was to attract business owners to invest in the development of the youth where they consist of more than 70% of the Saudi population.
Started her first job at the young age of 15; Maria grew to become a business owner by the age of 19.
Recently Maria was named one of the top 30 student entrepreneurs in the world at the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards. Currently she is developing a social entrepreneur program in collaboration with top organizations for young adults in her city.
Her specialties are: media, start ups, marketing, designing, technology, social advocacy, publication.
Dr. Rania Ibrahim, Dean, Students Affairs, Effat University, KSA
Debate: Choices, Responsibilities, Friendships: Should My Teacher be My (Facebook) Friend? (Facilitator)
Dr. Rania Ibrahim is the Dean for Student Affairs at Effat University. Dr. Ibrahim has a Ph.D. in Linguistics jointly from University of Reading, UK, and the University of Alexandria, Egypt; an MA in TEFL from the University of Reading, UK, and a Diploma in Applied Linguistics from Alexandria University. Her BA is in English language and literature. She has worked at Effat College, now Effat University, since 2001 as a faculty member, a director of preparatory program and language testing services; a director of enrollment management and a vice dean, and dean for Student Affairs. Her research interests are in the areas of leadership in education, language assessment and student affairs development.
Graham Attwell, Director of Pontydysgu, UK
Debate: Choices, Responsibilities, Friendships: Should My Teacher be My (Facebook) Friend?
Session Leader for Track 1: Developing the Jeddah Flood event into a case study for academic use.
Graham Attwell is Director of Pontydysgu, an Educational Research and Development organisation based in Wales. He is an Associate Fellow of the Institute for Employment Research, University of Warwick and a Visiting Fellow at the University of Bremen.
His research interests are focused on technology enhanced teaching and learning and web-based learning environment development. This includes research and development into pedagogies for Technology Enhanced Learning, recognition of informal learning, training of teachers and trainers and development of open source software for education and Open Educational Resources. His recent work has focused on research and development of new applications and approaches to e-Portfolios and Personal Learning Environments and the use of social software for learning and knowledge development.
His blog, the Wales Wide Web, can be accessed at http://www.pontydysgu.org/blogs/waleswideweb.
Dr. Kathleen Guillaume, Dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Effat University, KSA
Debate: Choices, Responsibilities, Friendships: Should My Teacher be My (Facebook) Friend?
Dr Kathleen Guillaume, Dean of the College of Humanities & Social Sciences at Effat University, has always served simultaneously in academia and in the private sector.
Previous academic positions: English Department Chair, Prince Sultan University (Riyadh); Senior Lecturer in English, translation, EU politics & law at, respectively, the Universities of Paris 8, Toulouse-Le Mirail and the Institut de Sciences Politiques; Lecturer in English & linguistics at the universities of Kharkov State (Ukraine) and Moscow State (Russia).
Private sector roles: EU Law Consultant, Press Attachée, Translator, Conference Interpreter and pro bono Business Manager and Webmaster for a NGO.
Dr Guillaume is an enthusiastic, professional end-user of ICT, with which she began a relationship in prehistoric times, before Word and Excel (the early 80s), when she built her own database to write a dictionary. Since then, she has used ICT in translation, to teach interpreting, and as a webmaster.
Hebah Al Omari, Student, Effat University, KSA
Debate: Choices, Responsibilities, Friendships: Should My Teacher be My (Facebook) Friend?
Hebah Al-Omari is a Saudi Effat University senior student in the College of Engineering majoring in Computer Science. She was born on July 11 1989 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but two months after her birth, she and her family fled to live in the United States. She grew up in the state of Virginia and enrolled in the Islamic Saudi Academy school which set the basis of her educational foundation and social development. On January 2002, Hebah and her family moved to live in Riyadh where she enrolled in Manarat Al-Riyadh International School. In the beginning, she had difficulties adapting to a new cultural and social atmosphere, in addition to a new academic system. Two years later, her and her family moved to Abu Dhabi. She attended The American International School of Abu Dhabi (AISA). Her experience in AISA was full of challenges and self-discovery. In her senior year, she attended and graduated from Thamer International School in Jeddah. Hebah was a member in the Debate Club in Effat University, which won the Club of the Year in 2008. She has a passion for writing and plans to complete her studies in film making.
Dr. Amani Gandour, Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Effat University, KSA
Session Leader for Track 2: Producing an academic program to teach social media, for high school students and above.
Dr. Amani Gandour is the Curriculum Development Director at Effat University. She joined the Faculty of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Effat College; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia as an Assistant Professor of physics in Fall 2007. Dr. Gandour obtained her PhD from Uppsala University, Sweden in 1995, together with a Fil-lic degree in Physics in 1993. Dr. Gandour graduated from the University of Khartoum, Sudan 1986 with a major degree in Mathematics with an Honor in Physics, and received her M Sc in 1991. Her teaching experience spans more than 20 years of teaching mathematics, physics, physical science and chemistry. Dr. Gandour’s primary research interest concerns material physics, computational physics, biophysics, multiple light scattering techniques and electronics. Recently she became very active in the field of Physics Education, where she received grants and achieved excellent progress among physic teachers in the middle and high school levels. Dr. Gandour has many publications in Mössbauer Spectroscopy, Hyperfine Interactions, and Local Density Calculations.
