Van Azad

Van Azad was born and raised in Iraq and has spent over 17 years dedicated to professional endeavors spanning Europe, the Middle East, and the USA. Throughout her career, she has engaged in extensive research, design, and implementation of international development programs, specifically focused on enhancing the institutional capacity of women's organizations in the MENA region.

Her expertise encompasses various aspects, including gender equality mainstreaming, conducting context-driven needs assessments, and developing analytical tools for multilateral institutions. Van has collaborated with both NGOs and corporations in diverse settings, including developing countries and areas affected by conflict and post-conflict situations. Notably, she has been actively involved in supporting women-led organizations, offering psychosocial and legal services for survivors of domestic violence.

Van holds a Master of Arts in Global Affairs from Yale University and a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering from Iraq. In 2020, she founded WANi organization with the mission of promoting equality for women and girls in the MENA region. Currently, Van serves as the President and Executive Director at WANi, driving initiatives towards achieving gender equality in the region.

Evin Hadi is the Director of Programs at WANi, bringing over a decade of rich experience collaborating with multilateral institutions and local partners across Iraq. In her role, she is dedicated to ensuring the effective delivery of programs, initiatives, and projects, ensuring they meet their intended objectives. Aveen excels in developing and enhancing monitoring, inspection, and evaluation protocols, while also providing mentorship to junior team members, guiding them in monitoring project activities and assessing progress towards desired outcomes. Moreover, Aveen conducts thorough capacity assessments of local women-led organizations’ existing M&E structures, facilitating the development of tailored indicators and monitoring strategies for their projects. 

Aveen holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Dohuk University in Iraq. 

Lina Waheed is the Senior Finance Manager at WANi. With over 15 years of experience in finance management and accounting across nonprofit, academic, and corporate sectors, Lina has demonstrated expertise in financial planning, budget analysis, and grant management. Currently, at WANi she plays a pivotal role in overseeing budget proposals, conducting audits, and ensuring financial compliance for grant programs. Her previous roles at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) include Head of Office and Senior Finance Officer, where she led program coordination, managed budgets, and maintained financial controls. Known for her excellent communication and interpersonal skills, Lina is fluent in English, Arabic, and Kurdish and proficient in Microsoft Office, Excel, ERP, and database systems. Her strong organizational abilities, adaptability, and capacity to remain calm under pressure have consistently enabled her to succeed in multinational and multicultural environments. 

Lina holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Mustansiriya in Baghdad.