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Mehdi Hasan is an award-winning British-American journalist, broadcaster, and author. He is the founder, CEO and editor-in-chief of the new media company Zeteo. Mehdi is also a Guardian columnist, host of ‘Head to Head’ on Al Jazeera English and the best-selling author of ‘Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating, Persuading, and Public Speaking’. He previously worked as an anchor at MSNBC and columnist for The Intercept.

Dr. Mohammed Mustafa is a British-Australian Palestinian doctor and former professional rugby player, widely known on social media as “Beast from the Middle East.” Through his platform (@beastfromthe_middleeast), he documents the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, drawing from his first-hand experiences on medical missions. Combining his medical expertise with his athletic resilience, Dr. Mustafa has become a powerful advocate for the Palestinian people, using his voice to raise global awareness and inspire action.

Dr. Dorotea Gucciardo is the Director of Development at Glia, where she has been leading medical delegations through the World Health Organization’s Emergency Medical Team system since January 2024.

In this role, she has worked on the frontlines of humanitarian response, raising global awareness about the severe aid restrictions and devastating conditions in Gaza.

Noora Sharrab earned her Master’s in Political Science with a specialization in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies from York University. In 2009, she co-founded Hopes for Women in Education to provide scholarships, training, and language development for refugee women in Jordan. Her work with UN agencies and refugee communities led to the establishment of a Women’s Centre in the Gaza Refugee Camp, which employs over 30 refugees and serves thousands.

In 2013, Noora co-founded Sitti, a social enterprise that empowers refugee communities through employment and sustainable income opportunities, including a subscription box launched in 2021. She has served on advisory councils with UNHCR Canada and WeConnect International and mentors impact-driven ventures with Sheridan College’s EDGE Hub. Recognized as a SheEO Venture Winner, she has received the Muslim Awards of Excellence “Woman of the Year” and the BMO for Women Award (2021).

Nabil Ali is an international development and humanitarian leader with more than a decade of experience across nonprofit leadership, humanitarian response and sustainable development. He has spent 10 years at IDRF, joining the organization in 2016 as a Program Manager and progressing through increasingly senior leadership roles before serving as Chief Operating Officer and, in 2026, being appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer.

Throughout his time at IDRF, Nabil has helped lead the organization’s humanitarian and development work across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, South America and Canada. His experience spans program strategy and delivery, organizational operations, donor and partner engagement, financial stewardship, fundraising, marketing and people leadership. He has managed complex humanitarian and development portfolios across more than 30 countries and has helped strengthen the systems, partnerships and teams that support IDRF’s continued growth.

Before joining IDRF, Nabil worked in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia as a research consultant with international organizations and UN agencies. His work included leading the UNICEF Rapid Education project in Somalia, which assessed education infrastructure across approximately 6,000 schools. At IDRF, he has also helped design major long-term initiatives, including Guyana’s first national non-clinical mental health intervention program, launched with support from Global Affairs Canada.

Nabil has represented IDRF in engagements with governments, institutional partners and international organizations, including at United Nations General Assembly sessions and international humanitarian and development forums. He has served on the boards of Cooperation Canada and the Ontario Council for International Cooperation, contributing to governance and leadership within Canada’s international cooperation sector. His leadership has received national recognition. In 2020, Nabil was named one of Corporate Knights’ Top 30 Under 30 Sustainability Leaders, and in 2024 he was recognized among The Peak’s Emerging Leaders in Social Impact.

Nabil’s leadership is grounded in the belief that effective humanitarian and development work should be locally led, accountable to the communities it serves and built through strong partnerships. His work continues to focus on strengthening organizations and partnerships that can deliver meaningful, sustainable impact for communities in Canada and around the world.

Mahmood Qasim is a distinguished leader in the nonprofit sector, bringing over 20 years of transformative leadership across continents. With a remarkable ability to blend vision with action, Mahmood has redefined charity management and business development, leaving a legacy of innovation, sustainable growth, and meaningful impact.

Renowned for his strategic acumen and collaborative approach, Mahmood excels in governance, resource mobilization, and mission-driven execution.

Under his stewardship, organizations have achieved unprecedented success, marked by inclusivity, operational excellence, and expanded community impact.

His leadership ethos centers on capacity building and fostering partnerships that deliver tangible, lasting change.Throughout his career, Mahmood has spearheaded groundbreaking international development programs, cultivated deep relationships with donors, and forged strategic alliances with governments, corporations, and grassroots movements.

His expertise spans program design, financial stewardship, and stakeholder engagement, positioning him as a trusted authority in driving equitable opportunities and systemic change.

A visionary and compassionate changemaker, Mahmood is committed to empowering communities and reimagining the future of the nonprofit sector. His unwavering dedication to innovation and impact continues to inspire and shape the path forward for organizations worldwide.