.svg)
Meet the Team
A core team and a trusted network, connected by shared values
Small, on purpose
We lead with a core team that guides our strategy, partnerships, and quality standards. Around this, we work with a network of consultants, researchers, and facilitators who bring deep knowledge of the places, themes, and people we work with.
.webp)
Co-Founder & Technical Director
Aya is the co-founder and Technical Director of NSDation and a board member of the Syrian Evaluation Association, with over 15 years of experience leading research, evaluations, and MEAL systems across crisis-affected contexts.
She leads the design of NSDation’s research and learning work, while also shaping the organisation’s strategic direction and positioning within the humanitarian and development space.
Aya has led a wide range of multi-country evaluations and research initiatives for international organisations, producing insights that inform programme design, organisational strategy, and policy dialogue.
She brings a strong focus on localisation, critically exploring how partnerships function in practice and how more equitable and accountable systems can be built.
She is known for translating complex analysis into clear, actionable recommendations that support better decision-making and more grounded, locally relevant responses.
Aya is a certified Sphere and Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) trainer, with a strong commitment to quality, accountability, and ethical research. She holds a BA in Finance and Banking from Aleppo University and an MSc in International Development from SOAS, University of London, and is fluent in Arabic, English, and Turkish.
Co-Founder & Finance Advisor
Waleed is a Co-Founder and Financial Advisor at NSDation, with over ten years of experience spanning the private sector and complex humanitarian settings. He brings strong expertise in financial management, compliance, and organisational systems, supporting NSD’s financial integrity, operational efficiency, and strategic growth.
His background includes senior finance leadership roles within international humanitarian and development contexts, where he managed large and complex financial portfolios across emergency and longer-term programmes. Prior to his humanitarian work, he led the finance department of a major contracting company in Saudi Arabia, gaining extensive private-sector experience in corporate finance, internal controls, and risk management.
At NSDation, he provides strategic financial oversight while also contributing across organisational functions as needed, combining hands-on operational support with high-level advisory input. He is recognised for his ability to translate financial systems into practical tools, strengthen accountability, and support sustainable, well-governed operations that enable effective and impactful programmes.
Ahmad is the Operations and Training Coordinator at NSDation with over thirteen years of experience leading and supporting field teams across complex humanitarian contexts in the Middle East and North Africa. He brings strong expertise in field operations coordination, training delivery, and curriculum adaptation, with a consistent focus on safety, security, and compliance in volatile environments.
He has extensive experience quality-assuring field implementation, third-party monitoring, evaluations, and data collection processes, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and accountability across all stages of delivery. Ahmad has led the training and supervision of enumerators and field staff, providing hands-on support to address operational challenges and ensuring alignment between technical M&E requirements and on-the-ground realities.
Across his career, Ahmad has worked across multiple crisis-affected contexts, supporting emergency and protracted responses through robust operational systems, adaptive field methodologies, and context-sensitive implementation approaches. He is recognised for his practical problem-solving skills, strong field leadership, and ability to bridge strategic objectives with operational execution.
Ahmad holds a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering, specialising in Hydraulic Engineering, from Gaziantep University.
Anna-Lena is a Research and Business Development Specialist at NSDation, supporting applied research, evaluations, and strategic development initiatives across humanitarian and recovery contexts. Her work contributes to NSD’s focus on locally grounded research, equitable partnerships, and evidence that informs both programme design and policy engagement.
She brings experience from localisation-focused research in Syria and other crisis-affected contexts, examining the roles of local actors, community-led responses, and the lived realities of conflict-affected populations. Through qualitative research and stakeholder engagement, Anna-Lena has contributed to studies that foreground local perspectives, equity, and context-sensitive approaches, closely aligning with NSDation’s commitment to participatory and locally led methodologies.
Anna-Lena holds an MSc in Global Health Research from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and a background in International Relations. She brings strong qualitative research skills, including focus group discussions, key informant interviews, participatory tools, and qualitative analysis using ATLAS.ti. She is fluent in English and German, with conversational proficiency in French and Dutch.
Emily Scott is an Associate Professor and Director of Research in the International Development Department at the University of Birmingham in the UK. She is a scholar of humanitarianism, international relations of the Global South, conflict and crisis, civilian protection, and organizational behaviour, with specialization in the Middle East. Her research is published in journals and outlets, such as Perspectives on Politics, Global Studies Quarterly, World Development, Deadulus, the Journal of Global Security Studies, and The New Humanitarian. Dr Scott received her Ph.D. in political science from the University of Toronto and is a Fulbright Alumna. She has worked in research and humanitarianism in India, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Turkey, amongst others, and with organizations like Global Affairs Canada's Afghanistan Task Force, Doctors Without Borders, The Carter Center, and the United Nations Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People and Kvinna till Kvinna in the East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Jen is a social impact communications consultant specialized in translating monitoring and evaluation findings and other technical evidence into clear, compelling narratives that inform decision-making and support organizational accountability. She is the founder of Bright Island Communications, where she has worked extensively with international development and humanitarian organizations as well as university-based research groups to produce high-stakes evaluation reports and grant proposals, book chapters, journal articles, white papers, and digital content and stories. Her work bridges rigorous analysis and engaging storytelling, ensuring that evidence is communicated with accuracy, nuance, and respect for local and cultural contexts. Jen holds an undergraduate degree from Northwestern University, a Master’s degree in International Public Policy from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and a Graduate Certificate in Monitoring and Evaluation from American University.
Jerry Li is a Research & Policy Intern at NSDation. He holds an undergraduate degree in Sociology and Politics from the University of Edinburgh and is currently pursuing an MSc in Global Development at SOAS, University of London, with a focus on labour and activism.
Prior to joining NSDation, Jerry worked across roles focused on policy briefings and strategic communications, supporting both regulatory and advocacy processes. His experience includes translating complex technical information into clear, accessible messaging across diverse cultural and linguistic contexts.
At NSDation, Jerry contributes to the design and implementation of mixed-methods evaluations, supports qualitative and quantitative analysis, and helps translate evidence and findings into policy-relevant insights for a range of stakeholders.
Kouteba is a humanitarian and education governance specialist with over 15 years of experience working in fragile, conflict-affected, and high-risk environments. His work focuses on the design, leadership, and oversight of protection and education systems in complex emergencies, with particular expertise in protection and MHPS programming.
He has led the establishment and implementation of PSEA, Accountability to Affected Populations and community engagement (AAPCE) systems, and whistleblowing frameworks across highly sensitive operational contexts. He has also served as a lead investigator on serious cases of breaches of PSEA policies, managing complex, multi-stakeholder investigations and ensuring compliance with international safeguarding and accountability standards.
In the education sector, Kouteba has extensive experience in education system strengthening, policy reform, and the design and delivery of school-level education programmes in conflict and early recovery settings.
He currently works as a policy advisor and consultant on education and protection for government entities, international donors, and implementing agencies, providing strategic guidance on governance, risk management, compliance, and conflict-sensitive programme design.
Academically, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Arabic Language, a Diploma in Business Administration, and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Management. He is currently a PhD researcher in Diplomacy and Education Governance at the University of Manchester, where his research examines the interaction between humanitarian actors, political authority, and education policy-making in post-conflict contexts.
Mohieddin Allaham is a designer supporting NSDation’s research and learning work through clear, thoughtful design. He has experience collaborating with NGOs and international organisations, helping translate complex ideas into practical and accessible outputs.
Across his career, Mohieddin has contributed to a range of cross-sector projects, working closely with different teams to develop communication and design solutions that respond to real operational needs. His work often sits at the intersection of strategy and visual storytelling, ensuring that key messages are both clear and engaging.
At NSDation, Mohieddin plays a key role in shaping how insights and evidence are communicated, turning research, analysis, and learning into outputs that are easy to understand and use.
Saeed Hobi is a data management and analysis specialist with nearly a decade of experience in humanitarian research and MEAL systems. He has designed databases, developed research tools, and led independent verification processes at CARE International in Turkey, supporting large-scale assessments and evidence-based programming. Proficient in R, Power BI, Python, and SQL, Saeed specializes in transforming complex data into clear insights that strengthen accountability, research quality, and program impact.
.webp)
Sima is a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research Assistant at NSDation, with over three years of experience supporting international organizations across all phases of the project cycle, including planning, design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. Sima has worked across different departments and humanitarian responses, contributing to both project execution and broader organizational support.
Her work focuses on developing data collection tools, conducting assessments, analysing findings, and supporting evidence-based decision-making. With a background in applied statistics and information systems, she brings a strong combination of technical expertise and contextual understanding to each project.
Fluent in both Arabic and English, she collaborates effectively across diverse teams and contexts, supporting organizations to generate insights that strengthen impact, accountability, and learning.
