Board of Directors
David Collins
CHAIRMAN
David Collins, LMSW is a social worker specializing in child and family policy, systems reform, and evidence-based practice. He is currently the Chief Program Officer at The Children’s Village in Dobbs Ferry, NY. In partnership with ICF, he has represented The Children’s Village on six different training and technical assistance missions to Baghdad since 2009, with the goal of supporting local NGOs, government partners and international agencies responding to the needs of orphans, widows, and victims of war. He previously served as the Assistant Commissioner for Program Innovation and Planning at New York City’s Administration for Children Services, where he helped lead the design, contracting and implementation phases of several large-scale child welfare and juvenile justice reform initiatives. He earned a BA magna cum laude from Simon’s Rock College and a MSW from Columbia University School of Social Work.
“When I first had the opportunity to travel to Baghdad with ICF, I met so many Iraqis striving bravely for the same things that people all over the world want: peace, safety, and the opportunity for a better life. As a social worker, I saw people doing the same work that I do in my day to day life, striving to provide care for vulnerable and traumatized children, but without most of the infrastructure or supports that we sometimes take for granted. I love that ICF channels its resources to local partners, focuses on direct aid to those who need it most, and supports peaceful self-determination for all Iraqis.”
Connect with David on Twitter.
Mohammed Khudairi
PRESIDENT
Mohammed is a native of Baghdad, Iraq and currently lives in Dubai where he serves as the Managing Partner of Khudairi Group. From Dubai, he leads Khudairi Petroleum Services (KPS), Azku Oil and Gas (AOG), and Khudairi CORO JV under his executive oversight. Mohammed has extensive experience in the areas of project management, logistics, project financing, and a deep knowledge of cultural, political and security conditions within Iraq. Mohammed founded the Khudairi Group in 2004 along with his father and brother and was closely involved with the company’s early work with the Department of Defense, USAID, and other multinationals in Iraq. Mohammed attended the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business and received a degree in Finance with an additional focus in Middle Eastern Studies. More recently Mohammed completed executive programs at Singularity University as well as the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley. Mohammed assisted in founding TechHub, Iraq’s first technology focused co-working space, based in Erbil, Iraq, and is a contributor to Bite.Tech, Iraq’s largest online platform for technology news and businesses. In addition to ICF, he is actively involved in several non-profit organizations, including the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and the Bali Process.
“ICF is a key part of my personal life as it provides me a platform to connect to the country of my birth and give back to a country badly in need of support. After decades of war and violence, Iraq and specifically the needy children of Iraq need our support as they continue to develop in various aspects of life and commerce. We used to spend our summers in Iraq and some of our best friends were children who were not provided the same opportunities as myself and my siblings, so it’s a very personal mission to ensure we provide greater opportunity and resources to those that are less fortunate.”
Connect with Mohammed on LinkedIn.
Ward E. Scott II, Esq.
SECRETARY AND GENERAL COUNSEL
Ward, a retired US Marine Corps Colonel, is a graduate of Wharton School of Finance as well as Villanova Law School. In 2005, he served as President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Baghdad as well as with an American foundation focused on relief and reconciliation. Today, as the founder of Scott Advocates, PLLC, he is extensively involved today in the practice of commercial law, particularly related to Afghanistan.
Connect with Ward on LinkedIn.
Layla Fattah
TREASURER
Layla Safwat Fattah is a communication specialist who had led many high profile campaigns for government and private organizations. She has overseen campaigns that impact public behaviour and safety by leveraging multi-disciplinary communication strategies. Her work in public advocacy and strategic communications campaigns focused on effecting positive change in conflict zones in the Middle East including Iraq. She has been residing in the UAE since 2005, working between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Her award winning Child Seat Campaign in Abu Dhabi was a central component in the implementation of child seat legislation in the UAE.
Layla founded White Bird Marketing in 2012, a marketing communications and design firm. She also consultants for The Womanity Foundation, which focuses on women’s empowerment and advancing gender equality to promote more inclusive societies.
Layla, an Iraqi who grew up in London, gained her Bachelor’s degree in Economics and began her career at CNN International, London office, working in marketing and managed the launch of CNN Traveller magazine.
“The Iraqi Children Foundation has made real and tangible change in hundreds of children's lives. As an Iraqi and a mother, I am proud to join the board of such a remarkable organization and to impact the lives of Iraqi children.”
Connect with Layla on LinkedIn.
Grant Felgenhauer
DIRECTOR
Grant is Managing Partner at Euphrates Advisors, one of the largest investors on the Iraq Stock Exchange. The firm sits on the boards of several leading Iraqi businesses and is actively involved in the development of domestic capital markets. Grant travels frequently to all regions of Iraq to source investments and meet with local partners and management teams. Prior to Euphrates, Grant was a partner at Hermitage Capital Management in Moscow and London, where he co-managed the firm’s holdings in emerging market equities. Grant received a BA in Economics and Russian Studies, with honors, from Yale, where he rowed four years on the Heavyweight Crew. He received a JD from Columbia Law School, where he was a Kent Scholar. He lives in Washington with his wife and two children.
“I was drawn to ICF due to its enormous positive impact on the day-to-day lives of underprivileged children in Iraq. It’s hard to overstate the benefits that flow from a square meal, a structured early education and a supportive home-away-from-home. This is local action that pays national dividends.”
Ali Halabi
Director
Based in Washington D.C., Ali is a program manager and international recruitment specialist with 11 years of field experience in the MENA region and the United States. A former humanitarian aid worker, Ali supported USG-funded refugee assistance, local governance reform, and legislative strengthening initiatives and projects across several hot spots in Iraq. He currently leads the recruitment team for a US-based international development consulting firm providing advisory services and technical assistance to government, private sector, and civil society stakeholders in more than 100 countries. Having worked under the dome of Iraq’s Council of Representatives for several years, advising parliamentary staff and members of parliament on best practices in policy, constituents outreach, legislative reform, media and communications training, Ali brings unique insights into the political arena in Iraq, in addition to the country’s cultural nuances and demographics. He is fluent in English, modern standard Arabic, in addition to the Levant and Iraqi dialects. Ali studied Industrial Design at the University of Baghdad, and graduated from the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Academy to join the Agency's Strategic Engagement Office as a volunteer sworn Reserve Police Officer, supporting law enforcement initiatives and patrol operations in the District of Columbia.
“I truly believe that ICF is a lifeline for Iraqi children. Our initiatives to help vulnerable Iraqi children today will have a positive impact on the lives of the future generation of Iraqi children. Iraq is an integral part of our ICF leadership. We all are personally invested and, since the founding of ICF, have dedicated time and effort into helping vulnerable Iraqi children at the front lines of poverty and exploitation. ICF continues to serve as an advocate for vulnerable Iraqi children, and the responsibility we carry on our shoulders is of immense importance.”
Connect with Ali on LinkedIn.
Luma Jaffar
DIRECTOR
Luma is a Managing Principal at The Lawrence Group, a St-Louis-based architectural firm with offices in both Austin and New York. Luma leads The Lawrence Group’s Austin office in a role that encompasses a broad spectrum of responsibilities. As a creative, strategic thinker with over twenty years of professional experience, Luma enjoys solving architectural challenges and moving processes forward in a manner that results in realistic, well-executed design solutions. A native of Baghdad, Iraq, she attended the University of Technology in Baghdad and the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College of London where she received a Master’s degree in Advanced Architectural Studies. A community-minded individual, Luma is heavily involved in organizations throughout the Austin area including the Austin Rotary Club, Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects, Austin Chamber of Commerce, and is a graduate of Leadership Austin program. On a global level, Luma is a member of the National US-Arab Chamber of Commerce and the Royal Institute of British Architects.
“ICF is providing disadvantaged Iraqi children with the education, the legal status, and the social skills to help them dream and flourish in the challenging environment they live in. Supporting Iraqi children through supporting ICF is an investment in a secure and stable Iraq.”
Mike Jason
Director
Mike, a retired US Army Colonel, is a graduate of West Point and holds Masters degrees from the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University and the University of Rome, “La Sapienza.” Having served in uniform for over two decades with leadership and command positions in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan, Mike came to know first hand the impacts of war on non-combatants, especially children. Today, Mike is a defense consultant and a passionate advocate for Iraq and American Veterans.
“As a veteran who served in Iraq, supporting Iraqi children is of special importance to me. It keeps me connected to Iraq, a place where so many Iraqis and Americans already sacrificed and struggled to set the foundation for a better future. There is still so much more to be done. With ICF, the mission continues.”
Connect with Mike on LinkedIn.
Dr. Rafid Aziz
Director
Rafid is an Iraqi doctor who lives and practices in the United Kingdom. He born and raised up in Iraq. He graduated from Baghdad University Medical School.
He moved to the UK where he completed his post graduate studies at Cardiff University and attained the Membership of The Royal College of Anaesthetists London, and the Membership of The Royal College of General Practitioner, London.
In addition to more than thirty year of clinical experience as a doctor, he has more than twelve year experience in health management in his position as Medical Director. He oversees the Clinical Governance, the training and supervision of the doctors and other clinicians and implementing the best ways forward to provide a high standard services to patients and communities.
Part of his passion is innovations in strategic planning for health and developing new pathways to help providing a high standard service in an environment where clinical resources are limited.
He is the President of the United Iraqi Medical Association in the United Kingdom and Ireland (UIMA) since September 2017. He managed to build up bridges between Iraqi doctors and other health allied personnel outside Iraq with their colleagues inside Iraq aiming to support them professionally and provide them with up-to-date training.
He cherishes charity work and he managed to build up a wide platform through UIMA to provide clinical and medical support to the vulnerable patients in Iraq.
He was awarded the National “Quality Improvement Award” from Care UK in 2011.
He was nominated and shortlisted for the National BAME Health and Care Awards for the category of “Emergency and Critical Care Healthcare Professional” 2021.
“I am very excited to join ICF team and I feel that I have the skills and the experience to help and support the team at ICF to provide the best service to the vulnerable children in Iraq. I strive to provide a high standard service to our patients and communities in Iraq and I believe that the children should be highly prioritised to receive such service”