Dr. Roger Martin

His Excellency Dr. Roger P. Martin, Honorary Ambassador of Belgium, has had a long and distinguished political career. He was Belgian Ambassador for the Port of Antwerp 1995—2008, for Athens 1986, for Rome 1983, for Tehran 1981, for Addis-Ababa and Djibouti 1978, for Brazzaville and Libreville 1973. He was appointed Consul-general in Rotterdam in 1992.
Among the decorations and honors he holds are Grand Cross of the Phoenix (Greece), Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau (Netherlands), Order of Merit (Germany), Leopold’s Order and Order of the Crown (Belgium), Grand Cross of Saint Philip of Hierapolis (UK).
Dr. Martin has studied and practiced law. He was a Military Prosecutor, and also served as Judge Advocate in Germany, Congo, Antwerp, Brussels, and Turkey. He speaks a number of languages: Dutch, English, French, German, Latin, Old Greek, with a working knowledge of Spanish and Italian.
Roger Martin is Archbishop of Flanders of the Nicene Apostolic Church, and Grand Chaplain of the Religious and Chivalric Order of Saint Philip of Hierapolis. He has a deep interest in, and extensive knowledge of, the cultural and religious traditions of the Holy Land.
His Excellency is now a member of the Ecumenical Center for Pilgrims and Biblical studies (ECPBS). We are honored to have him among us and we welcome the experience and learning his presence brings to our work.

Dr. Thomas S. Dowd

Dr. Dowd is Senior Director of Globalization at the University Of Denver Daniels College Of Business. His past academic administrative experience includes work at the University of Virginia and the University Of Notre Dame. He served as Senior Director of International and National Program Development for the University of Virginia School of Continuing and Professional Studies and has worked on international initiatives for the President of the University of Virginia. At the University of Notre Dame he developed international programs for the Dean of the Mendoza College of Business and the Office of Executive Education and was an international program faculty member. He has extensive experience working with the University of Oxford (UK) and in France, China, Israel, and the West Bank. He is a member of the following organizations: University of Denver Internationalization Council; the Daniels College of Business Management Council and International Issues Task Force; the United States Department of Commerce Rocky Mountain District Export Council; the Association for International Education Administrators (AIEA); the American Bar Association; the Iowa State Bar Association; and is co-founder of the long-running Virginia Festival of the Book.

Mr. Dowd has extensive experience in global strategy development and realization, relationship development and management, domestic and international program design, marketing, adult education, educational travel programs for the post-collegiate market, and international alumni and international student engagement.

Dr. Fadi Kattan

Dr. Fadi Kattan holds a PhD in Accounting from the University of Bradford in the UK in addition to several professional certifications in accounting, auditing and finance. He has been the Dean of the School of Business Administration at Bethlehem University since 2002. Dr. Kattan is the founder and director of the Master’s program in Cooperation and Development offered at Bethlehem University. He is the main lecturer in the accounting department at Bethlehem University. Dr. Kattan is a member of several international accounting professional bodies including the AICPA, the IIA, and the IMA. In addition to his expertise in the field of accounting and finance, Dr. Kattan lectured in the field of development and the role of the private sector in sustainable development not only in Bethlehem University but also at universities in other countries such as Italy, Nepal and Ethiopia. Dr. Kattan serves as a member of several boards of different institutions in Palestine. His experience in local businesses and institutions made him think of the importance of establishing a non-technology business incubator at Bethlehem University in cooperation with the Indiana University in the USA. He works on merging the academic education with the real world scenarios in Palestine.

Mr. Jacobus Jeroon (Jaap) Waverijn

Mr. Waverijn is a citizen of Netherland, born in 1955, and graduated from The University of Maastricht and from IVA Driebergen Business School. He has worked for more than 30 years as a manager of an international pharmaceutical company. Later as arbo adviser and client confidant at a metropolitan home care organization with approximately 13,000 clients. He helps in mental health with people who have autism; Mr Waverijn is a part of a large network and has a lot of managerial experience. He is one of the founders of the professional association of Health and Safety Consultants (BvAA) where he has been a treasurer for more than 10 years. He is very active in the Dutch community seeking dialogue with all faiths and communities and encourages the unity of the Christian Churches. Mr. Waverijn is a Commander Knight of Saint Christophorus and their office is in contact with all religious convictions. They have consultations with ecclesiastical families. At the same time, they are counselors and trying to assist the monasteries and associations who are in need of consultancy and help in order to continue their missions; Mr. Waverijin is a valuable member of the ECPBS’ Advisory Board.

Dr. Frank Hurl

Dr Frank Hurl is a teacher in Blackrock College in Dublin, Ireland and a tutor to graduate students of education in Hibernia College, Dublin. He has degrees in Philosophy and Theology as well as a Ph.D in Education and has served on a number of school and charitable boards. As a member of Catholic Voices International, Dr Hurl has appeared on Irish and British media contributing his Church's viewpoint to public debate on social issues. He is a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and has visited the Holy Land previously. As the Pilgrimage Director for the Irish Lieutenancy of the EOHSJ he hopes to assist pilgrims in their knowledge and understanding of the Middle East and in their support for Palestinian Christians.

Hanna Salameh Nu’man

Mr. Nu’man was born in Amman, Jordon. He attended the National Patriarchal School; he then continued his studies in Philosophy and Sociology at the University of Damascus. Mr. Hanna is considered one of the most active researchers and writers in Jordan and the area. He is a member of the Jordanian Writers Union and a member of the Jordanian Association for Human Rights and is known for being a peace activist. He has several publications and is currently concentrating on writing and participating in political, cultural and media activities on the local and international level.

Mr. Nu’man is married and has four children.

Henry A Daboub II

Mr. Daboub is a researcher and public speaker for the IBM Corporation in the area of information storage technologies, challenges, and solutions. He presents data storage related topics and technology demonstrations to audiences all over the world, with a particular focus on the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. He is an IBM Certified Professional Consulting Information Technology (IT) Specialist and is recognized as a Master Certified IT Specialist by the Open Group. He received a BA degree in Computer Science from the University of Texas in Austin, Texas, USA.

Mr. Daboub’s family has deep roots in the Roman Catholic Church, going back centuries in Bethlehem, Palestine and the Czech Republic. He lives in Austin, Texas, USA with his wife and two young sons and he is a vocal advocate for peace and coexistence between Christians, Jews, and Muslims in the Holy Land.

Christopher Villiers

Mr. Villiers is a British theologian and poet who has written about religious matters for a wide variety of publications, both academic and popular, and published three books of poetry. He holds the Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Theology from Durham University, United Kingdom, with a specialization in the history of Christian doctrine. Villiers is a practicing Catholic layman with an interest in ecumenism, particularly in relation to the Eastern Orthodox churches, and has written for the ecumenical theological journal "Sobornost." Villiers is also the winner of the 2008 Jean Cowling Prize in Theology and the first prize-winner of the 2015 Sonnets for Shakespeare Poetry Award.

Dr. Antonia Sapia

Dr. Antonia Sapia was born in Italy. She speaks Italian and English. She earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University if Catania in Italy in 2006; she completed her master’s degree from the same university in Planning and Analysis of Social, Economic and Cultural Process Development. She earned her PhD in Inter-cultural Education and Sociology from University of Messina in 2009. Her PhD thesis topic is: The Mosaic As An Identity: The Case of Bethlehem.

Dr. Sapia is a member of AIS (Italian Association of Sociology), and worked as a visiting researcher at Bethlehem University. She was a member of the Scientific Research Program of National Interest (PRIN) in Italy in 2012. Since April 2013, she is a member of the evaluation committee and external evaluator of the Master in International Cooperation and Development (MICAD) at Bethlehem University as well as the consultant of the MICAD scientific committee for the revision of the master program syllabus. Dr. Sapia is an external collaborator for the University of Messina and has several publications.

Dr. Theodora Issa

(PhD, MMR, MEC, MBA, SFHEA, FAIM, MANZAM, MAOM, WCC_CCM, CC_EEFC, WCC_CC_PCCCM)

Theodora Issa holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Management, her award-winning PhD thesis was under the title “Ethical mindsets, aesthetics and spirituality: a mixed-methods approach analysis of the Australian services”. Theodora is currently a Senior Lecturer at the School of Management, Faculty of Business and Law, Curtin University, Western Australia, Australia. Theodora came to academia from the Financial World where she served as a High-Ranking Executive in an International Bank for several years. Theodora is the recipient of multi awards and grants from the faculty, university, and external bodies. Theodora is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Business Ethics: A European Review since 2015, and a member of editorial committees of several international journals and a member of organizing committees of international conferences, also a reviewer of journals such as the Journal of Business Ethics. Theodora volunteers locally, e.g. http://soca.cjb.net, http://noohro.cjb.net, and internationally, e.g., since 2012 Theodora became involved with World Council of Churches (WCC), Switzerland representing The Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch.

Ms. Petra Possen

Ms. Petra (Maria Wilhelmina) Possen is a citizen of the Netherlands. She graduated from The University of Maastricht (Master of Law) and Financial Management. She finished a Strategic Leadership Program and also has her grade as a teacher in Dutch language and communications. She has worked for about 10 years for The University of Maastricht.

In 2008 she started to work for the Province of Limburg where she worked as a legal advisor enforcement, policy officer Culture, Well-being and Care, and Secretary of the Parliamentary Commission in the Social Domain. Her current job is Parliamentary advisor, legal advisor, and strategic management and leadership.

Ms. Possen also is an honorable Ambassador for the International Think Tank Senatus Conscriptus Electus. She worked as a volunteer for the Dutch refugee center, gave free legal advice to less fortunate people, and worked as a volunteer to help victims of violence and crime.

Esther Caswell

Esther Caswell is the daughter of Missionary parents. She grew up in northern Canada. After three years of studies at a Catholic Liberal Arts college in New Hampshire, USA. She Entered the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in Ann Arbor Michigan. As a Dominican Sister, She completed her B. A. in Education at Eastern Michigan University. She went on to pursue her Masters in Theology at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. Esther expressed her love to Christ through teaching and evangelizing.

In the Year of Mercy after a profound year of Grace, Christ called Esther into a new ministry by highlighting the great need for families, especially mothers to know the Church as a Mother with struggling families at the cross. Pursuing this call, Esther Founded Vidi Aquam a ministry of accompaniment and formation for the restoration and strengthening of the HOME. Expressing this ministry of restoring home, Esther resides in Austin, Texas at Loreto House a home modeled on the first home of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Loreto House is a place of encouragement, formation and encounter where mothers and families can receive the healing graces of Mary’s love. Esther continues her consecration through private vows and lives a life dedicated to Christ alone.

Mrs. Shelley Hyde

Mrs. Hyde is the founder NDSI direct solutions of Dallas, Texas, USA, a full service direct marketing company which is now a part of PrintMPro, LTD., headquartered in Austin, Texas. She currently manages the sales and operations of the Dallas facility. Mrs. Hyde has been in the mailing industry for 24 years. Throughout her career she has participated in trade associations dedicated to professionalism within the mailing industry; she has served on the board of the Greater Dallas Postal Customer Council and the Mail Systems Management Association. Mrs. Hyde holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, USA. She is a certified Mailpiece Design Consultant, and a Certified Mail and Distribution Systems Manager. Mrs. Hyde lives in Arlington, Texas, USA with her husband and three children and is an active parishioner at Saint Maria Goretti Catholic Church.