Theme: Leadership

TEDxTAMUQ aims to expand our organization’s vision, by promoting different viewpoints and ideas of how Leadership is manifested, across a wide range of sectors and industries. This is done by having speakers from sectors such as corporate, academia and government.
Additionally, TEDxTAMUQ aims to uplift and bring together the diverse community present within Education City and Qatar, through its talks, industry engagement, and networking opportunities.

Multaqa BlackBox Cinema
Education City, Education City Student Center, Al Huqoul St, Doha
Doha, Ad Dawḩah, 00000
Qatar

Abdulnassir Al Tamimi

Prior to joining Qatar Foundation as the Executive Director of Student Services, Abdulnassir served as the founding Dean for the College of Education and Arts at Lusail University in Qatar from August 2020 to February 2023. From August 2018 until August 2020, Dr. Al-Tamimi served as the Vice President and Head of School for DeBakey High School for Health Professions-Qatar. He was selected by Houston Community College to serve on the founding leadership team that helped establish the Community College of Qatar (CCQ) where he served as its founding Associate Dean of Student Services as well as Associate Dean of Workforce Education and Community Development from June 2010 to August 2018. Dr. Al-Tamimi started his career as an Academic Advisor and International Student Services Coordinator at Lone Star College System in Houston, Texas. He later held several leadership positions at Lone Star College System, including Dean of Educational Programs and Organizational Development, Dean of Instructional and Organizational Development, Dean of New Program Development, Corporate Training and Continuing Education and Manager of Continuing Education. Dr. Al-Tamimi served on international and local boards and was Chair of the Houston Forum for Advisors to International Students as well as the Secretary for the National Alliance for Community and Technical Colleges (NACTC). He was also an active member of the Texas Association of Continuing Education (TACE), National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and the Rotary Club of Cypress-Fairbanks in Texas. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Administration from Texas Southern University, a Master of Arts Degree in Cross-Cultural Studies from the University of Houston at Clear Lake, and a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration from the University of Texas at Austin.

Al Walid

I am an aspiring undergraduate looking forward to making a difference whenever presented with the opportunity. I would love to be not only a speaker, but a narrator. The speaker will share his ideals while my narrator self would love to share my own story and experience, what I have been through to believe in what I believe and stand for. My journey as an individual who sought out leadership only to later find out that leadership itself seeks out the leader within. I would like to share my own endeavors in my high school days, how I discovered a new side of me by speaking and debating. I really look forward to sharing my ideals and get a meaningful message across to the audience.

Brittany Bounds

Dr. Brittany Bounds is a distinguished educator and leader, currently teaching U.S. History at Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ). She instructs the foundational survey courses and has pioneered two innovative classes incorporating exercises and simulations. In 2022, Dr. Bounds was elected as the Caucus Leader for the Faculty Senate at TAMUQ, where she advocates for faculty interests and governance. As TAMUQ transitioned towards closure, Dr. Bounds led the Faculty Transition Advocacy Committee, guiding her colleagues through this significant change with a focus on support and continuity. Additionally, she co-chairs the Women Leaders in Higher Education, a collaborative initiative among female faculty from various Qatar Foundation (QF) universities, fostering connections and professional development across Education City. Previously, Dr. Bounds served as Co-Chair of the Women’s Faculty Forum at TAMUQ from 2020 to 2022, where she played a crucial role in promoting gender equity and creating a supportive environment for women faculty. Her dedication to academic excellence and leadership continues to make a significant impact within the TAMUQ community and beyond.

Haitham Al-Haidari

Haitham is a serial entrepreneur who grew startups to international markets and led Qatar Living®️ - the largest platform in Qatar with over one million monthly active users. With a degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University in Qatar, Haitham has successfully built tech companies with large social impact. His expertise in growth strategies, artificial intelligence, and the impact of technology on communities has positioned him as a leader in driving digital transformation and fostering meaningful connections between people and businesses in the region.

Hamad Al-Hajri

With over 20 years of experience, Al Hajri is an expert in technology and innovation, strategic planning, and fundraising. He has successfully co-founded 12 startups and is recognized for his expertise in risk and conflict management. His leadership has been instrumental in driving Snoonu's strategic direction and growth.

Hamza Sohail

Khadeja AlbuHaliqa

Khadeja Ahmad Albuhaliqa is a distinguished leader and advocate for sustainable development and youth empowerment in Qatar. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Hamad Bin Khalifa University and a B.A. in International Studies from the University of Oregon, with a focus on the Middle East, Media, Communication, and Journalism. Additionally, Khadeja has completed various prestigious leadership programs, including the Rising Leader Program at the Qatar Leadership Center and courses at Harvard Business School, the University of Chicago, Georgetown University, Duke University, HEC Paris, Cambridge University, and Oxford University. As the Founder and Director of the Aladaam Youth Ambassadors Program, Khadeja has successfully graduated over 90 youth ambassadors since 2021, all under the umbrella of the Ministry of Sports and Youth.

Khalid Yassin

Khalid Yassin is an accomplished educator with over 20 years of experience in various leadership roles within the field of education, demonstrating a commitment to fostering growth and development among students, staff and professional athletes. As an Education Expert at Aspire Academy, he empowers individuals and inspires teams to reach their full potential. Khalid is passionate about creating inclusive learning environments that promote collaboration and engagement. His leadership is widely recognized for its positive impact on both individuals and educational communities, and he actively mentors aspiring educators. At TEDxTAMUQ, he aims to share insights on nurturing amazing leaders in education, emphasizing the importance of purpose and community. Khalid believes that by investing in others, we create a brighter future for all.

Lee-Ann Rudd

Dr. Mysti Rudd earned her Ph.D in English Composition/TESOL from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and has 25 years of experience teaching writing at the university level. Dr. Rudd's research background in student persistence and engagement has informed a transnational pedagogy of inclusion that she continues to develop, particularly as it applies to the first year writing classroom. In addition to her current teaching position as Associate Professor of English at Georgetown University in Qatar, she also coordinates the instruction of first-year writing. Outside of the classroom, she enthusiastically promotes projects that champion student voices and experiences. That is why she founded the Best Writing annual anthology at Texas A&M University at Qatar and the student-led podcast, "Aggies Rising." She has also served as the principal investigator in a cross-institutional Education City study replicating the Meaningful Writing Project originally conducted in the U.S. Although she has often considered herself to be a reluctant leader, the desire to create programs and growth opportunities for students has spurred her to assume leadership roles and become an advocate for student agency in the academy.

Multiple Speakers

Nawaal Akram

Nawaal Akram is a comedian, content creator, consultant and disability rights campaigner. She was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy when she was 6, and started using a wheelchair six years later. At the age of 10, Nawaal was denied rights to an education because of her physical disability, and in the years since she has strived to advocate for the rights of education for people with disabilities throughout the MENA region. She made the BBC 100 Women list in 2017 signifying her as one of the 100 most influential women in the world. Nawaal is a youth advocate for Education Above All . Founder of The #EqualAccess which aims to spread awareness about the rights and needs of persons with disabilities. Equal access promotes disability inclusion between countries through disability diplomacy and exchanges on social, economic, and cultural levels through talks, exhibitions as well as educational programs. Nawaal is currently a student at Awsaj Academy.

Neil Gunnion

Neil Gunnion is currently the Qatar Country Manager and Vice President for Operations where he is responsible for the daily strategic and overall operational direction for the Qatar business region. Under his leadership over the last 3 years, the business has grown significantly with revenues increasing more than 3x over this period. Formally served as Senior Vice President, Center of Project Excellence for McDermott in the Corporate office in Houston Texas, where he also was a member of the Executive Committee. Neil has more than 25 years of energy industry experience with broad leadership and technical experience in engineering, procurement, and construction for onshore, offshore, and subsea facilities in four different geographical regions. Neil previously led McDermott’s offshore operations for North, Central and South America. Before joining McDermott, he spent 19 years at Technip in a large variety of roles. Most recently he served as the Senior Vice President at Genesis for the Americas Region. Before joining Genesis, he was the Vice President of Commercial for Technip for their offshore and subsea business in North America. He has also served in a corporate role and project management in both subsea and onshore for Technip. Neil holds a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland.

Patrick Linke

Dr. Patrick Linke is a Professor of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University. He currently serves as the Executive Associate Dean at Texas A&M University at Qatar. Dr. Linke is a process systems engineer, and his activities focus on the design of efficient materials, processes, integrated systems and associated infrastructures with a focus on sustainability and resource efficiency. His research has resulted in a number of systematic methods for computer-aided molecular design, for the design and optimization of efficient production processes, and for the development of integrated resource management strategies across the materials and energy nexus. Dr. Linke has active research collaborations with multinational energy companies including Shell, TotalEnergies and ExxonMobil. In teaching, his focus is on project-based learning and the nexus of sustainability (environmental, economic, human, social sustainability) and engineering and systems design, which includes new course development for Humanitarian Engineering. He obtained his Ph.D. in Process Integration from the University of Manchester (UMIST) in the UK.

Robin Slocombe

Robin Slocombe is the MENA basin technology director for SLB Reservoir Performance Division and is based in Qatar. He has over 25 years of experience in the energy industry having worked in many sales, leadership and technical roles in Argentina, Colombia, Indonesia, France, Libya, UK, and USA. In his role as technology director, Robin is responsible for leading Fit-for-Basin go to market strategy, which aims to deliver customized and integrated solutions for different reservoir types and challenges. Additionally, he manages a portfolio of basin lead projects and pursues initiatives with local companies and institutions across MENA to boost in-country value. He holds Master Degrees in Natural Sciences and Chemical Engineering from Cambridge University in the UK.

Salman Abuhaliqa

Soha Mousa

I am a passionate advocate for inclusive leadership, blending experiences from academia and the professional world to inspire others to embrace their leadership potential. As a teaching assistant and a chemical engineering master’s student, aim to empower individuals to take initiative, learn from their experiences, and lead with purpose in all areas of life.

Taisha Nurse

Taisha Nurse is the Global Senior Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for McDermott – a global Energy company with over 37,000 employees worldwide. Taisha has over 23 years of experience across several industries – Investment Banking, Telecommunications, Oil & Gas, and Consultancy in the USA, Europe, Caribbean, and the Middle East with experience across several HR disciplines including – Operations, Compensation, Benefits, Global Mobility, HRIS, and Recruitment, Performance Management, and DE&I. Taisha is also a Solutions-focused, Results-oriented certified coach offering coaching to internal and external clients alike and leveraging these skills to problem solve, innovate, and drive change. With extensive experience across geographies – one thing is true – at the core, people are more similar than different and she enjoys developing DE&I strategies that cultivate culturally adaptably, diverse, and inclusive teams and better equip our employees to lead, embrace change and support the overall business cross culturally.

Timmy Davis

Timmy Davis, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister-Counselor, was confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to the State of Qatar on August 4, 2022. Prior to his confirmation, Ambassador Davis served as Executive Assistant to Secretaries of State Pompeo and Blinken. He also served as U.S. Consul General in Basra, Iraq. His other overseas tours include Guatemala City; Najaf, Iraq; Canberra, Australia; and Bogota, Colombia. His domestic assignments include Senior Watch Officer in the State Department Operations Center, Special Assistant to Secretary of State Clinton, Director for Iraq at the National Security Council, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Special Presidential Envoy to Counter-ISIL, Senior Advisor to the Counselor of the Department, Chief of Staff to the Undersecretary for Political Affairs and Acting Chief of Staff of the Department of State. Ambassador Davis holds a Distinguished Honor Award and multiple Superior and Meritorious Honor awards. He is also the recipient of the Department’s Ryan C. Crocker Award for Outstanding Leadership in Expeditionary Diplomacy and the American Foreign Service Association’s William R. Rivkin Award for Constructive Dissent. A native of Virginia, he considers New Orleans his home. Ambassador Davis attended the University of Alabama and served in the United States Marine Corps for nearly a decade prior to joining the Foreign Service. Ambassador Davis speaks Spanish and Arabic.

Valeria Mazzei

Valeria Mazzei’s entrepreneurial journey is deeply rooted in her Italian heritage and the inspiration drawn from her late grandmother, a former businesswoman in fashion. Valeria’s relocation to Qatar in her adolescence, channeled her creative energy into founding Venus Karma at just 16 years old. What began as a tribute to her grandmother quickly evolved into a flourishing streetwear brand known from limited-edition capsule collections to customizable pieces, gathering attention throughout the MENA region. Balancing entrepreneurship with academic growth, Valeria pursued a BFA in Graphic Design at VCUarts Qatar, graduating in 2024 with “Magna Cum Laude” honors while honing her skills in creative direction, branding, and marketing, expanding Venus Karma’s reach to B2B and B2C markets.

Walid Tayel

Walid Tayel is an accomplished Talent Management and Organizational Development Professional with more than 25 years of international experience across North Africa, the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Western Europe. His expertise spans human resources management, organizational and leadership development, education, banking, and governmental affairs. Since 2021 Walid is the Group Chief Human Resources Officer for Elsewedy Electric Group. He also serves as a board member for several business units within the group, driving key change initiatives across these businesses. Before Elsewedy Electric, Walid held senior roles in both the private and public sectors, including as HR Center of Excellence Director and Global HR Director for the Supply Chain at Unilever. He has also worked in senior HR positions for various international family businesses. Throughout his career, Walid has been recognized regionally and globally for his achievements in organization and talent management. A certified global practitioner in multiple learning disciplines, he has designed training programs and established learning academies within the organizations he has served. Walid is a sought-after panelist and guest speaker at regional HR forums and conferences. He holds two master’s degrees—one in financial management and the other in human resources—from Université Panthéon-Sorbonne in Paris. He is passionate about research, learning, building talent, and transforming organizations.