LEADERSHIPAMENA-Psy Executive Board
 PresidentGermine Awad, Ph.D.Full Professor, The University of MichiganDr. Germine "Gigi" Awad is a Full Professor at the University of Michigan. Her research centers around race and racism, Arab/Middle Eastern American psychology, body image among women of color, and multicultural research methodology. She is the co-author of the Handbook of Arab American Psychology and her work has been published in books, journals, and newspapers/magazines. She is a founding member of AMENA-Psy and served in several leadership roles including Treasurer and Membership Chair. When asked about what the organization means to her, Dr. Awad said "Having an organization like AMENA-Psy is a professional dream for me." On her (very little) downtime, Dr. Awad enjoys swimming, reading, and spending quality time with her husband and two beautiful children.
President-ElectLamise Shawahin, Ph.D.Assistant Professor, Governors State UniversityLamise Shawahin is an assistant professor of psychology and counseling at Governors State University. Her research centers on Arab and Muslim health. She was the program coordinator for the Muslim Mental Health Conference, and a steering committee member of the American Middle Eastern North African (AMENA) Psychological Association. She is a scholar-activist and was the inaugural chair of the AMENA-Psy advocacy committee. She currently serves as a board member of Arab American Family Services and as the Division 45 MENA Member at Large. She also serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Muslim Mental Health.
 SecretaryDanna Bismar, Ph.D.Post-doctoral Fellow - Boston Child Study Center (Los Angeles & Maine)
Dr. Danna Bismar is a post-doctoral fellow at the Boston Child Study Center - Los Angeles and Maine. Her clinical work is tailored to the unique strengths, struggles, and cultures of every client and family. Danna’s research has primarily focused on multicultural identity development among children of immigrants. Prior to her role as Secretary, she served on the AMENA-Psy Student Committee for two years and is committed to the advancement of knowledge, research, and practice related to MENA populations. Not only has AMENA-Psy become a professional home for her, but also a community of life-long friends.
TreasurerNabil El-Ghoroury, Ph.D., CAEPsychologist & Principal, Executive Therapy & ConsultingNabil El-Ghoroury, Ph.D., CAE, is a psychologist and principal at Executive Therapy & Consulting. He has 13 years of experience as a nonprofit executive, including 4 years as CEO of a $6 million association. Nabil is a licensed psychologist who can see patients in over 30 states via telehealth, including DC, MD, VA, IL, TX, and NJ. In addition, as a global speaker, Dr. El-Ghoroury has spoken to a number of organizations on mental health topics such as stress and wellness, burnout, impostor experience, and creating a culture of employee well-being. He earned his Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Binghamton University. Dr. El-Ghoroury is proud to have been a founding member of AMENA-Psy. He enjoys photographing street art on his travels and is great at taking selfies, especially at AMENA-Psy events.
Member-at-Large - Research/EducationRawan Atari-Khan, Ph.D.Assistant Professor; Purdue UniversityDr. Rawan Atari-Khan is an assistant professor of counseling psychology at Purdue University. In her research, she uses a cross-cultural psychology framework to critically consider how Western models of mental health fall short in capturing meanings of wellness and healing for Arab/MENA American communities. She has focused on topics of wellbeing, intergenerational trauma, resilience, and identity development. Prior to being elected as a board member, Dr. Atari-Khan served as a Co-Chair for the 2022 AMENA-Psy Virtual Conference and was the recipient of the 2021 Distinguished Dissertation Award. She is grateful to be part of our leadership team as the Research/Education Member-at-Large and is looking forward to deepening her involvement with AMENA-Psy.
Member-at-Large - Practice/AppliedNicole Fleischer, Psy.D.Pediatric Psychologist, St. Christopher's Hospital for ChildrenNicole Fleischer, PsyD, is a pediatric psychologist at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, PA. Her clinical and research interests center around the relationship between chronic illness and mental health in children and adolescents, health disparities, and the role of trauma in mental and physical healthcare. Dr. Fleischer has a myriad of experiences working with diverse populations, and aims to expand the research and clinical practice of working with MENA populations within academic medical and community settings. She is engaged in local and national efforts to increase visibility of MENA patients, families, and clinicians within the Medical and Psychological communities. Since joining AMENA-Psy, Dr. Fleischer has engaged in efforts through the Advocacy Committee, and hopes to continue advocating for this community. In her free time, Dr. Fleischer enjoys reading, hiking, traveling, and experimenting with new cuisines. Dr. Fleischer is extremely appreciative of AMENA-Psy and the community she has found since joining in 2020. She is appreciative of the wonderful personal and professional relationships she has formed through her involvement with AMENA-Psy.
Member-at-Large - StudentKatherine Sadek, B.S.Counseling Psychology, University of Texas at AustinKatherine is a third-year Counseling Psychology doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin). She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Her experiences growing up as a second-generation Egyptian-American inspired her interest in MENA psychology. As a researcher, her interests center around ethnic and racial minority mental health outcomes, including somatization and paranoia, and help-seeking attitudes and behaviors, particularly among Arab/MENA communities. As a clinician, Katherine is currently training at UT Austin’s Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC) where she works with ethnically diverse students on various issues. Katherine is particularly passionate about improving the integration between research and practice and improving awareness and attitudes (i.e., decreasing stigma) towards seeking psychological help. In her free time, Katherine enjoys yoga, reading, weight lifting, and improving her Arabic vocabulary.
ADDITIONAL DETAILSGermine Awad, President (2-year term, Jan 2022 - Dec 2023) Email: gawad[at]umich.edu Lamise Shawahin, President-Elect (2-year term, Jan 2022 - Dec 2023; followed by a 2-year term as President, Jan 2024 - Dec 2025) Email: lshawahin[at]govst.edu Danna Bismar, Secretary (3-year term, Jan 2020 - Dec 2023) Email: drdannabismar[at]gmail.com Nabil El-Ghoroury, Treasurer (2-year term, Jan 2021 - Dec 2023) Email: drnabilpsy[at]gmail.com Rawan Atari-Khan, Member-at-Large - Research/Education (2-year term, Jan 2023 - Dec 2024) Email: ratarikh[at]purdue.edu Nicole Fleischer, Member-at-Large - Practice/Applied (2-year term, Jan 2022 - Dec 2023) Email: nicole.fleischer[at]towerhealth.org Katherine Sadek, Member-at-Large - Student (1-year term, Jan 2023 - Dec 2023) Email: ksadek1[at]utexas.edu |
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