Our Team
Meet the people behind Amala's work: a remote Global Team, our Jordan and Kenya teams, governed by a Board of Trustees. Volunteers, coaches and advisors also play a vital role in supporting our mission.
Global Team
Our Global Team lead the day-to-day operations of the organisation, and work across four continents in seven countries.
Together with Polly, Mia founded Amala in 2017. She brings with her over ten years of experience in project management, volunteer management, entrepreneurship and international education from working at UWC (United World Colleges) where she managed a network of 3,000 volunteers selecting more than 1,200 students for prestigious secondary education scholarships every year and founding Danish Students Abroad, a country-wide network supporting young Danes to access higher education opportunities abroad. She has an BSc in Arabic and Development Studies from SOAS, University of London. Her role at Amala focuses on strategy, programme management, organisational development, team leadership and finance.
Co-founder and Co-Executive Director
Polly is the Co-Executive Director and Co-founder of Amala. She has over ten years of organisational leadership, management, fundraising and communications experience. She has worked in refugee education for over eight years, and is responsible for overall management of Amala’s programmes, monitoring and evaluation and communications. Prior to her time at Amala, she led alumni, community engagement and outreach programmes with United World Colleges (UWC). She has an MA in Modern Languages from Oxford University and has acted as a working group leader and contributor to the OECD’s Education 2030 project on the skills, knowledge and dispositions young people need to develop to thrive.
Co-founder and Co-Executive Director
Lizzie believes deeply in the power and impact of education to create sustainable, positive change in the world. Lizzie has worked as a teacher; a head of school; a principal; accreditation evaluator and curriculum leader. As the Director of Education Programmes, Lizzie brings more than thirty years of educational experience to Amala, ensuring that the development of Amala programmes aligns with our mission and strategic direction.
Director of Education Programmes
Louie is responsible for facilitator development, Amala curriculum and assessment. Louie is an experienced content developer and has worked for Teach for Cambodia and UWCSEA in Singapore. Louie also has over eight years of classroom experience. He holds an MA in Educational Leadership from the University of Manchester alongside a BA in Biochemistry from Imperial College London and is an alumnus of Teach First.
Senior Lead, Learning and Innovation
Mayen is responsible for the implementation of the project and financial tracking. Mayen has worked for several organisations within the Kakuma camp coordinating the delivery of different projects, around IT support and educational provision, these include: Jesuit Worldwide Learning (JWL), Windle International Kenya (WIK) and UNHCR. Mayan obtained a BA in Business Management (Logistics and Operations) from The Southern New Hampshire University in 2020, through an online study programme.
Ajak Mayen Jok
Head of Programmes (Kenya)
Lamis has a passion for both working in education and with refugee youth, and has experience of working with organisations such as War Child and UNDP. She fell in love with the Amala programme because it aligns with her beliefs about what is important in education, and believes that what Amala offers is perfect for the Jordan context.
Head of Programmes (Jordan and Online GSD)
Jess has been working with Amala since 2019. She is responsible for coordinating the successful delivery of Amala's global educational programmes. This includes working closely with locally-based Amala programme teams and facilitators, as well onboarding and coordinating new partnerships to deliver Amala programmes around the world. Jess has a MSc in Migration, Mobility and Development from SOAS University of London.
Global Manager for Changemaker Courses, Bespoke and Special Projects
Elissavet is committed to creating systemic change to ensure that the most vulnerable learners can access equitable educational opportunities of high quality. She has studied Politics and Education in the Netherlands, Argentina and the UK. She has previously worked in peace education in Cyprus and refugee education in Greece and the UK.
Global Manager for the Global Secondary Diploma
Carol is the Head of Finance at Amala Education. She has over 25 years of charity finance, management, governance, HR and compliance experience having worked in a number of roles across the sector. She has worked in several Education and International Development Charities, most recently International Needs UK, until joining Amala in June 2023. She has a BSc in Industrial Economics from Warwick University and is a member of the Chartered Accountants of England and Wales. Carol also acts as a trustee on two UK based charities and advises on a number of finance groups and committees for small organisations and churches
Carol Thomson
Head of Finance
Chloe has ten years of experience working in education, learning and development and business operations. She has an MA in Classics from the University of St Andrews and has previously worked as a primary and secondary teacher in Hong Kong and Japan, student recruitment and widening participation roles at the University of St Andrews and the University of Cambridge.
Chloë Cupid
People, Culture and Operations
Co-ordinator
Francesca is a seasoned leader with over 18 years of experience in partnership development and social impact strategy. With a strong foundation in the not-for-profit sector, she has led high-performing teams in forging transformative partnerships and driving income growth across diverse sectors.
Francesca’s work has spanned global community development initiatives, with a particular focus on Gender Equity, Economic Inclusion, and Climate Justice.
At the heart of Francesca’s approach is a deep belief that positive change is always possible—and that bold, collaborative partnerships are the engine that drives it.
Head of Transformational Partnerships and Funding
Hannah has previously worked in fundraising, communications and project management roles within arts and cultural organisations, educational settings overseas and most recently in the voluntary sector working with refugee communities in the North East of England. Her role at Amala focuses on income generation, working with trusts and foundations, partners and individual donors, to support the delivery of Amala’s mission.
Partnerships and Funding Manager
Bridgette has nine years of experience working on humanitarian and development refugee programmes. Having held roles in grants management, programme development and operational leadership in Thailand, Jordan, Myanmar, Nigeria and Libya. She has a strong motivation for climate and social justice, having completed academic studies focusing on peacebuilding, climate change and international development.
Trust and Foundations Manager
In her role as Communications Manager, Cloe looks after Amala's external communications channels such as the website and social media, and collaborates with members of the Amala community to produce student and alumni stories which demonstrate Amala's impact. Previously, Cloe worked in the media and communications and education and outreach teams at the UK Supreme Court, has experience in third sector communications, and has been a secondary-level English Language Assistant with the British Council. She holds a BASc in Arts and Sciences from University College London.
Communications Manager
Jordan and Kenya Teams
Alongside the Global Team, Amala works from Learning Centres in Amman, Jordan and Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya. A group of dedicated educators plan and deliver the Amala Global Secondary Diploma, and are responsible for the teaching, learning, and overall wellbeing of students. The majority of Amala’s Jordan and Kenya teams have lived experience of displacement, and several team members are Amala alumni.
Jordan Team
Lamis has a passion for both working in education and with refugee youth, and has experience of working with organisations such as War Child and UNDP. She fell in love with the Amala programme because it aligns with her beliefs about what is important in education, and believes that what Amala offers is perfect for the Jordan context.
Head of Programmes (Jordan and Online GSD)
Fatima became involved with Amala after taking the peace-building course in 2019. She was passionate about the transformative type of learning that Amala provides and decided to be part of it. Fatima believes education is a basic right of all humans, and so she is strongly motivated to develop and expand Amala programmes to help change people’s lives.
Fatima Abualenein
Senior Learning Lead
Shahed is an educator and humanitarian practitioner , with a background in architecture and extensive experience in education and training within NGO settings. Before joining Amala Education as a GSD Educator, she worked with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) as a Pre-Departure Orientation Trainer and previously with UNICEF and the Jordan River Foundation on the Makani programme, supporting youth through community-based education and capacity building.
Learning Lead
Hasan is an Amala alumnus; he's an innovative person and change-making enthusiast, with extensive experience in social and humanitarian work. Hasan is passionate about education and humanitarian work as a way to make a positive impact in the world.
Hasan Matroud
Global GSD Coordinator
Vivian is an Amala alumna and facilitator. She is passionate about working with refugees and education and she aspires to reduce social injustice. Vivian believes that everyone deserves to have the chance to access education and Amala has been the place for her to make positive change.
Vivian Shaima
Coordinator and Educator - Global Secondary Diploma
Tegwyn has a background in younger years education and working with refugee youth. She holds a BA(hons) in Spanish and Arabic Language and is currently studying a Masters in Social Work with Refugees and Migrants at the German Jordanian University in Amman, Jordan.
Educator - Global Secondary Diploma
Sham is an Amala graduate and a part-time educator. She first joined Amala in 2025, where her experience on the Global Secondary Diploma (GSD) sparked an interest in teaching. During her GSD journey, she volunteered with teaching initiatives to develop her skills and experience. She is excited to return to Amala as an educator and support learners through a journey that shaped her own.
Educator - Global Secondary Diploma
Karina has a background in languages, education, and translation, with a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish and English and a Master’s degree in Audiovisual and Mass Media Translation. She has experience teaching university students and working in translation. At Amala, she works as an educator, supporting learners, creating an engaging learning environment, and helping young people achieve their goals.
Educator - Global Secondary Diploma
Remas is a recent graduate of Georgetown University, holding a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (BSFS) with a major in International Politics and a certificate in Media and Politics in collaboration with Northwestern University. She has a passion for helping others and giving back to communities, which is where Amala's mission comes through.
Educator - Global Secondary Diploma
Yara is a learning and education professional with over five years of experience in teaching, training and programme coordination. She holds an MSc in Psychology from Liverpool John Moores University and a BA in Translation and Interpretation. Prior to joining Amala, Yara worked with IOM Jordan, delivering educational and cultural orientation programmes. As a GSD Educator at Amala, she supports students through inclusive, engaging and student-centred learning.
Educator - Global Secondary Diploma
Kenya Team
Mayen is responsible for the implementation of the project and financial tracking. Mayen has worked for several organisations within the Kakuma camp coordinating the delivery of different projects, around IT support and educational provision, these include: Jesuit Worldwide Learning (JWL), Windle International Kenya (WIK) and UNHCR. Mayan obtained a BA in Business Management (Logistics and Operations) from The Southern New Hampshire University in 2020, through an online study programme.
Ajak Mayen Jok
Head of Programmes (Kenya)
Holli trains, supervises and supports the educators. Holli also holds overall responsibility for tracking and monitoring the learning progress of students. Holli has solid experience in project coordination within the Kakuma camp, having worked for organisations such as Jesuit Worldwide Learning (JWL) and Lutheran World Federation (LWF). Holly holds a BA in Management and a Diploma in Liberal Arts.
Holli Ghaisen
Learning Lead and Educator - Global Secondary Diploma
Faridah is passionate about advocating for more higher education opportunities for refugees worldwide. With 6 years of working experience in higher education in a refugee camp, she believes refugees also deserve better.
Faridah Naimana
Programme Coordinator and Educator - Global Secondary Diploma
Moses gained extensive experience in teaching at Lutheran World Federation, as an ICT-Coach at Windle International Kenya and as a facilitator at IsraAid. He feels this experience is great to share with youth. At Amala, his passion is to help youth unlock their potential future careers by providing them with the knowledge and skills through education and mentorship.
Educator - Global Secondary Diploma
Jimmy is passionate about transformative education for youth in a refugee context and their integration in the workforce. He joined Amala in 2022 because he was inspired by the transformative education model of curriculum delivery. Prior to joining Amala, Jimmy worked with Jesuit Worldwide Learning as a Personal Facilitator for online students. His vision is to see all refugee youth gain access to education regardless of their status and ability.
Onono Jimmy Ongwech
Educator - Global Secondary Diploma
Yuhana has previously facilitated the Amala Changemaker Course, Using Online Technologies to Make Change, and is currently studying for a Bachelor of Arts in Sustainable Development with Jesuit Worldwide Learning (JWL) and Xavier Institute of Management University. Yuhana’s professional background is in facilitation, translation, community mobilisation, and non-renewable energy.
Yuhana Luka Nabashti
Educator - Global Secondary Diploma
Kisembo is passionate about transforming society through education and empowering youth with skills for a better future. He has worked with the Lutheran World Federation and Windle International Kenya in partnership with Vodafone to integrate technology in secondary schools. Kisembo also previously facilitated Changemaker Courses with Amala. At StepUp.One, he trained youth in social media marketing and helped them access remote work opportunities.
Educator - Global Secondary Diploma
Board of Trustees
Our Board oversees our work as a Charity and Company in England and Wales. Polly Akhurst and Mia Eskelund Pedersen are also Trustees.
Keith spent 17 years with UWC International as Executive Director. Keith continues to work with schools and international organisations, focusing on governance, management, organisational development, strategy, structure and leadership recruitment.
Chair
Stela is the Co-founder of Galápagos Team, an impact consultancy. She has 20 years of experience in senior HR roles partnering with teams across the Americas, Asia and Europe, focused on developing leadership, building teams, and leading change at scale.
Colin’s background is in finance, having trained as a Chartered Accountant with Arthur Andersen. He has served as Finance Director of several companies. He is co-founder and co-funder of GoMakeaDifference and Treasurer of the UWC International Board.
Amin Neghavati is Director of Education Futures at Cambridge University Press & Assessment and brings over 25 years of experience across education, EdTech, and leadership development in 10 countries. He has worked closely with global institutions to design education and digital learning strategies, particularly in education in emergency contexts. His work focuses on the ethical and effective use of emerging technologies to expand access to quality learning.
Caroline is the Chief Partnerships Officer at AVPN, a network of funders of social impact in Asia. She has lived and worked in 8 different countries and has 15 years of experience in fundraising and creating partnerships and collaborations for impact.
Bob Harayda is a finance professional who has held a broad range of management and Non-Executive Director positions in the hospitality, property development, sport and energy sectors. Bob is currently the Treasurer of the UWC International Board and also serves as an Independent Director and Chair of the Audit Committee for the International Tennis Integrity Agency, the independent body established to manage anti-corruption and anti-doping programs on behalf of professional tennis governing bodies.
Jessica is a researcher and Education Consultant. She has worked in the education in emergencies sector for the past decade, including protracted urban and camp refugee settings, internal displacement, resettlement, and transitory contexts globally.