Founders

Founders

Ihsan Ibraheem

Ihsan grew up in southern Iraq throughout the 1990s, under sanctions, dictatorship, and numerous wars. In 2016, he began working with the team that would become HUMANITE on the frontlines of the war against ISIS, from Fallujah to Mosul and beyond.

Ihsan is a veteran frontline peacemaker who has survived airstrikes, bombings, and sniper attempts as he has served those in need. Ihsan’s analysis and insights have been shared across every major global news outlet.

Before HUMANITE, Ihsan served as government liaison to the Prime Minister’s Office for Preemptive Love Coalition, and senior video producer for the Middle East.

Ihsan cofounded HUMANITE to protect and build up the interests of local peacemakers around the world.

Ihsan lives in Iraq with his wife and two children.

Inas Basim

Inas fled her home in Baghdad after sustaining serious injuries and almost losing her life in a car bombing during Iraq's civil war.

After years of displacement and rebuilding from nothing, Inas joined the team that would become HUMANITE in 2017. In the years since, Inas has spent ~10,000 hours helping refugees like her rebuild their lives, instilling confidence, and coaching hundreds of new businesses to life.

Before HUMANITE, Inas served as the senior business coach for refugees at Preemptive Love Coalition and team lead for hygiene at Qatar Red Crescent.

Inas cofounded HUMANITE to rebalance the power of the global aid industry toward locals.

Inas lives in Iraq with her husband.

Michel Tannous

Michel came of age on the streets of Beirut in the twilight of Lebanon's 15-year civil war. The son of a Christian priest, administering hope to the weary is at Michel’s core.

Michel led the team that would become HUMANITE into the Syrian civil war after the fall of Aleppo in 2016, leveraging his personal history to try and make a difference amidst airstrikes and terror attacks.

Michel has been integral in feeding, sheltering, and helping to provide medical care and income for hundreds of thousands of people across Syria and Lebanon.

Before HUMANITE, Michel served as the regional lead for Syria and Lebanon at Preemptive Love Coalition.

Michel cofounded HUMANITE to give global donors and local experts a better chance to partner without the inefficiencies and power imbalances of industrial aid.

Michel lives in Lebanon with his wife and three children and splits his time between Lebanon and Syria.

Rawand Rasul

Rawand's earliest memories are largely defined by the genocidal attacks of Saddam Hussein against the Kurdish people. He fled Iraq as a young child and lived in displacement as a refugee for years before returning home and becoming a humanitarian professional helping others going through similar experiences.

Rawand's focus on systems, risk, policy, and compliance have been central to the success he has helped create for hundreds of thousands of people across multiple countries.

Before HUMANITE, Rawand served as country director for Preemptive Love Coalition and field coordinator for Qatar Red Crescent.

Rawand cofounded HUMANITE to better protect locals from the whims of foreign bodies who may not understand the realities of war.

Rawand lives in Iraq with his wife.

Zido Khalaf

Zido's family first experienced the horrors of war at the hands of al-Qaeda in the mid-2000s. In 2014, ISIS took over his village and committed genocide against much of his family. Zido fled to Syria, before being displaced again back to Iraq.

Zido first met the team that would become HUMANITE in 2015 as a refugee who was treated like a friend. Over years of HUMANITE's holistic approach to care, Zido's family climbed out of despair, out of displacement, and returned home to rebuild their lives and begin again.

Today, Zido is the first port of call for refugees across northern Iraq looking to start new businesses, rebuild their towns destroyed by war, and reclaim their lives.

Before HUMANITE, Zido served as a regional lead for relief and job creation at Preemptive Love Coalition.

Zido cofounded HUMANITE to try and protect those experiencing erasure at the hands of an "other", and to try and unite with any and all who would partner for true enfranchisement.

Zido lives in Iraq with his wife and 5 children.

Jessica Courtney

Jessica moved to Iraq at the height of the civil war years hoping to make a difference.

During a taxi ride where she was redirected to an unknown location, Jessica was introduced to a little girl with cerebral palsy. As she applied therapeutic techniques she’d learned from her own mother, a specialist, Jessica began meeting families across Iraq who needed palliative and lifesaving care. These relationships nurtured and cemented the legacy Jessica had inherited of service to others.

Before HUMANITE, Jessica served as Chief Program Officer of Preemptive Love Coalition, with work across 11 countries, providing aid, job creation, and communal repair for 2M displaced people trying to rebuild.

Jessica cofounded HUMANITE in hopes of innovating the next chapter in global humanitarian design with local refugees and war survivors.

Jessica lives in Iraq with her husband and two children.

Jeremy Courtney

Jeremy moved to Iraq at the height of the civil war years, splitting work between the embattled city of Kirkuk, Sulaymaniyah, and remote Islamist strongholds.

A chance encounter in a coffee shop introduced him to a father whose little girl was dying from a life-threatening heart condition. She was just one of thousands suffering from birth defects, seemingly related to the war. The encounter moved Jeremy toward a life of humanitarian peacemaking.

Before HUMANITE, Jeremy served as CEO of Preemptive Love Coalition and helped grow the organization to 10+ offices around the world, raising nearly $100M, and serving 2M people.

Jeremy cofounded HUMANITE in hopes of improving on decades of leadership and pioneering a more equitable model for resource collection and distribution with local experts around the world.

Jeremy lives in Iraq with his wife and two children.

Staff

For logistical and security purposes, HUMANITE does not maintain a public directory.

Board of Directors

Staff

For logistical and security purposes, HUMANITE does not maintain a public directory.

Meet the Board of Directors ▸

Shared leadership. 🔑

Want greater control over your own happiness? From what you work on to how tensions get resolved, we’ve removed useless hierarchy.

Built on the principles of holacracy, HUMANITE operates in circles of shared responsibility.

What it's like to work with us...

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"This team gave me great opportunities. They really care about you. I had strong encouragement from the top and everyone around me felt really supported."

Sana M.

Development Officer, Czech Republic

"It was an honor for me starting my humanitarian work with you. Your work and motto improved the lives of millions."

Elias Z.
Relief Member, Lebanon

"HUMANITE has great experience and local knowledge. You can trust this team in any country."

Galawezh B.
Grant Manager, Iraq
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"We were able to meet the needs of so many! I was very honored to work with you. Thank you for being a wonderful team."

Charbel N.

Head Chef, Relief Kitchen, Lebanon
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"A legit dream team!" 

Cayce H.

Major Gifts Team Lead, United States

"The founders' open-door policy really showed care for the team over the three beautiful years I worked with them. I'd love to work with you again!"

Testimonial headshot.
Zahraa Y.
Recruitment Officer, Iraq

I worked in hard-to-reach places with this team for years. If you get the chance to join them, don't hesitate. You'll join a team with so much humanity.

Tarif M.
Photographer, Syria