Profile
Rasheed Roussan, General Manager:
Prior to managing WriteLabs, Mr. Roussan held different media and public relations positions in local and international companies throughout his 8-year career, these include Chemonics International (AMIR Program), Talal Abu Ghazaleh (TAGI), iRelations, The Star English Weekly, Arabia Online and Arab Radio & Television Network (ART). Rasheed has developed and implemented communication strategies for regional projects in Jordan including: The First JIPA Intellectual Property Week (2003), The Arab ICT Regulators’ Network Meeting under the chairmanship of TRC – Jordan (project included writing two speeches for Muna Nijem), Nokia “Connect” media outreach plan in Jordan, the Jordan e-Learning Forum and the Annual Microfinance Awards Ceremony. In 2000, Roussan was nominated to represent Jordan in the Asia Press Delegation to EXPO 2000 in Hanover: the world’s largest technological and cultural exhibition. He holds a BA in English Literature from the University of Jordan.
Dr. Marwan Asmar, Head of Research & Analysis:
Dr Asmar is responsible for managing the company’s Research Labs. He is a seasoned researcher/analyst in the fields of social, economic and political research and journalism with a professional experience spanning over 15 years. While working as a senior researcher at the renowned Gulf News Daily in Dubai, Asmar wrote and published various research articles in the daily newspaper tackling pan-Arab politics, culture and economy. His mastery of the journalistic form is the result of 10 years experience working as a managing editor of Jordan’s The Star English Weekly. Dr Asmar works also as a freelance book editor for Prota, a US-based organization concerned with the dissemination of Arab culture and civilization to Western readers. Books he edited include Religion, State and the Application of Sharia, Democracy and Human Rights, both by Arab intellectual Mohammad Abed Al Jabberi, Arabs in Israel, an Inside View, by Dr. Azmi Bishara, and Oil, Tribe and Globalization by Osama Abdel Rahman. Asmar is the author of Intifada II: Media and Politics, which was published by Ad Dustour Commercial Press. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science (The State and Politics of Migration in Kuwait) from the University of Leeds, UK.
Abeer Abu Saud, Marketing Communications Specialist:
With over 25 years of experience in the fields of broadcast media and marketing communications Abeer Abu Saud is responsible for designing strategic communication campaigns for healthcare and family planning initiatives. In 1986 she joined UNICEF’s Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa Region as chief information and communication officer. For 12 years, Abu Saud helped implement UNICEF’s communication policies in the region, and worked on info-communication programs in Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Syria. She has a rich experience in Radio and TV working in Qatar Radio/English Service and Voice of America. During her 10- year period in Qatar she authored the first book in English on Qatari women titled; Qatari Women Past and Present, published by Longman, U.K.1984. Abu Saud holds a B.A. in Political Science and Economics, Cairo University.
Barbara C. Zadina, Communications, PR and Marketing:
Ms. Zadina has 20 years experience managing marketing and communications campaigns in the fields of technology, entertainment, politics and international development. She is currently guiding communications in support of business development projects in Jordan, Afghanistan and Southern Africa for Chemonics International, the largest USAID contractor in the US.
Focus areas include capital market development, privatization, sustainable microfinance, information technology strategy, intellectual property protection, trade and investment promotion, private sector development, customs reform, pharmaceuticals, tourism, and science research. Ms. Zadina earlier served as the director of the AMIR Program Communications Department for three years, where she hired and trained a local 5-person communications staff and played a key role in developing major Jordan initiatives such as the Jordan ICT Forum, the launch of the Amman Stock Exchange’s electronic trading floor, Jordan’s Annual Micro Entrepreneur Awards, Jordan IP Week, and others. Barbara holds a BS in Journalism from Boston University, and a Master of Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
Dr. Abdel Hakim Al Husban, Anthropology Researcher & Analyst:
With over 15 years of experience in the field of anthropology Mr. Husban contributes to the implementation of strategic research and communication projects managed by WriteLabs. Mr. Al Husban recently completed an anthropological research paper on the emotive branding of XPress and the diffusion of iDEN technology innovations across power groups in the Jordanian industrial sector. Dr. Husban holds a PhD in Social and Cultural Anthropology-University of Bordeaux II, France.
Salim Quna, Public Relations & Media Specialist:
Mr. Quna brings in 26 years of experience in public service with focus on media, communication and public relations. He worked in different departments of the Jordanian Ministry of Information including Television, Press and Publication. Quna was closely involved in national and international events in Jordan including Arab summits, parliamentary elections, and the World Economic Forum in Jordan. He was behind the development and implementation of a strategic marketing campaign for Jordan-US Business Partnership, he also developed newsletters for ASEZA, wrote travel articles on touristic sites in Jordan and the Arab region. Mr. Quna holds a Masters Degree in International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University.