|
‘Student Nurses’ Voices from the Middle East’
Session One available here >>> Session Two available here >>>
Session Three available here>>> Session Four available here>>> Session Five available here>>> Session Six available here>>> |
Co-Hosts
Co-Sponsors
|
Session Eight of our global ‘Student Nurses' Voices Speaker Series’
Session Eisgh of our 'Student Nurses’ Speaker Series’ features leading Student Nurses, their Professors and distinguished nursing leaders from Bahrain, Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Pakistan and Qatar — engaged to be inspired and informative thought-leaders across the global public space—to advocate for achieving UN SDG # 3 and to influence the listening ears of everyone!
Building on the success of our Nurses’ Voices Speaker Series— this Student Nurse’ Voices Session continues our innovative global multi-media outreach of eight Sessions broadcasted from across the world. This Session was webcast on June 10th, 2025 and Co-Hosted by the United Nations Institute for Training & Research (UNITAR), UNITAR's CIFAL York Centre for training at York University in Toronto, Canada, and the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health (NIGH). This Session was Co-Sponsored by the Commonwealth Nurses & Midwives Federation (CMNF), the Global Academy for Holistic Nursing (GAHN) and the Integral Nurse Coach Academy (INCA).
Building on the success of our Nurses’ Voices Speaker Series— this Student Nurse’ Voices Session continues our innovative global multi-media outreach of eight Sessions broadcasted from across the world. This Session was webcast on June 10th, 2025 and Co-Hosted by the United Nations Institute for Training & Research (UNITAR), UNITAR's CIFAL York Centre for training at York University in Toronto, Canada, and the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health (NIGH). This Session was Co-Sponsored by the Commonwealth Nurses & Midwives Federation (CMNF), the Global Academy for Holistic Nursing (GAHN) and the Integral Nurse Coach Academy (INCA).
|
|
This Session brings Student Nurses' Voices
into a dynamic global dialogue toward achieving a healthy & peaceful world. |
Presenters’ Bios
Pre-Recorded Regional Introduction
|
Dr. Naeema Al-Gasseer Speaking at minute
Dr. Al-Gasseer has more than 35 years of experience at global and regional levels — serving the World Health Organization (WHO) for 25 years. She is the immediate former WHO Representative in Egypt and was formerly the Senior Adviser to Office of the Regional Director, and the WHO Representative in Sudan. Dr Al-Gasseer joined WHO in 1999 as Senior Scientist for Nursing and Midwifery (Chief Nurse / Midwife) in Geneva — responsible for the coordination and integration of nursing and midwifery issues in the work of WHO policy a and programmes. She later served as the WHO Representative in Iraq, before being reassigned to the post of Assistant Regional Director in 2010, where she focused on
|
strengthening health systems based on research and evidence. Prior to joining WHO, she was Regional Advisor for Reproductive Health & Family Planning at UNFPA from 1996, where she conducted health system assessments, including reproductive health situation analysis in countries of the Middle East. From 1992 until 1996, she worked at the Bahrain Ministry of Health planning unit on developing their strategy for health. She was also active at national level in preparing documents for the United Nations and WHO on progress made in relation to resolutions on health and development.
Panelists
|
Dr. Rubina Barolia Speaking at minutes
Dr. Barolia is a Professor and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Nursing Education at the Aga Khan University, School of Nursing & Midwifery in Pakistan. She is a seasoned nurse leader, holding RN, Post-RN BScN, and Master’s Degrees from AKU-SONAM, and a PhD from the University of Alberta, Canada. She has been with AKU since 1991, serving in diverse clinical and administrative roles. Currently, as Professor and Assistant Dean for Clinical Practice, she leads initiatives to enhance clinical nursing and midwifery education and services. Her research is primarily focused on the prevention of non-communicable diseases in under- served populations and the promotion of evidence-based practices. Dr. Barolia's
|
scholarly contributions are well-recognized, with numerous publications in both national and international journals. She has been honored with several prestigious awards, including the IDRC Doctoral Award and a Medical Research Council (MRC) grant, recognizing her dedication and impact in the field of health sciences.
|
Neeplam Mushtaq Speaking at minutes
Neelam Mushtaq is a passionate and accomplished nursing professional. She is currently a first-year MScN student and works as a Nurse Educator in the Nursing Education Services Department. She began her nursing journey with a Diploma in General Nursing, followed by a Post-RN BScN from the Aga Khan University, reflecting her strong commitment to academic growth and professional excellence. With expertise in maternal and child health, she is currently working on her thesis project focused on the capacity building of midwives. Her scholarly engagement extends to authorship as well—she recently published a blog in the Nurse Knowledge Journal titled “Breastfeeding and Beyond: The Overlooked SDG Strategy for
|
Through advocacy, she has participated in working groups and RCN-led trials focusing on improving the student nurse experience and shaping future policy. Supporting fellow students — especially those who are mature, disabled, or facing unique challenges — has become a core part of her identity in this profession. Now, nearing the end of her student journey, Natasha is preparing to take on her first role as a renal nurse — a speciality she is incredibly passionate about. It’s the beginning of an exciting new chapter where she can combine her clinical skills, lived experience, and advocacy work to make a real difference. This journey hasn’t been easy, but it’s been one of growth, purpose, and resilience. She is proud to be part of the future of nursing. And, she will continue to advocate for a profession that supports and uplifts every student who chooses to walk this path.
|
Iffat Allana Speaking at minute
Iffat Allana is a final-year BScN student at the Aga Khan University, School of Nursing and Midwifery. She has consistently maintained academic excellence, earning a place on the Dean’s Honour Roll throughout her studies, while actively contributing to academic, research, and co-curricular platforms. Her nursing journey is shaped by a deep interest in educational innovation, student involvement, and inclusive representation. She is currently leading the Self-Assessment Review process at the university as the undergraduate student representative where her contributions span academic committees, policy consultations,
|
and student societies. She also serves as Director of Academics at the Student Research Forum, where she works on initiatives to strengthen the research culture at the university. In her second year, she was the youngest presenter at AKU’s Teaching and Learning Conference, where she received the Best Pecha Kucha recognition for her presentation on literature circles as a learner-centered pedagogy, reflecting her early commitment to collaborative and participatory approaches in nursing education. She later represented Pakistan as a delegate at the AKU-Model WHO Assembly, which sparked her interest in global health and policy. Additionally, she contributed to the President’s Challenge for Climate Solutions, where she and her team developed a proposal for a solar-powered shuttle to improve campus transport sustainability. Beyond university, she actively participates in community outreach and health promotion initiatives, volunteering at vaccination and health camps, supporting the Community Emergency Response Team, and serving as a Master Trainer in Basic Life Support. Her professional interests include holistic care, health equity, and raising the profile of nurses. She is passionate about building inclusive systems and driving meaningful change in nursing education, policy, and practice that respond to both community needs and global health priorities.
|
Dr. Julie Benbenishty Speaking at minutes
Dr. Julie Benbenishty is a widely recognized nursing leader serving an Academic Consultant and Associate Professor with the Hadassah Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine. Born in the United States, Dr. Benbenishty made aliyah on her own in high school and studied medicine at the Henrietta Szold Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Nursing, where she now teaches. An expert critical care nurse, she also serves as Vice President of the European Federation of Critical Care Nurses. She is a founder of Nurses in the Middle East, an
|
organization that began with outreach to Palestinian colleagues and now encompasses countries throughout the Middle East. She has also taught critical care nursing and trauma medicine in Tanzania and on the Polish border with Ukraine. Dr. Benbenishty has been a nurse since 1978, graduating from the Hadassah Hebrew University School of Nursing. She has worked as an ICU staff nurse, head nurse, trauma coordinator, teacher and researcher. She has trained in psychology at the University of Vermont, then going on to receive her Masters’ Degree in Nursing from Ben Gurion University. She achieved her PhD in Critical Care Nursing from the University of Plymouth. The World Federation of Critical Care Nurses recently named Dr. Benbenishty as their newest Ambassador. Of this, she has said, “The key aims of the World Federation of Critical Care Nurses are to represent critical care nursing at an international level and to help improve critical care nursing practice worldwide. My job as an ambassador is to establish standards for education, practice and management of critical care nursing, to contribute to international guideline development and to collaborate with other international organizations in conducting global research, which impacts on patient care.”
|
Saar Zelig Speaking at minute
Saar Shalom Zelig is highly organized and detail-oriented while also describing himself as a creative thinker with a strong ability to think outside the box. He is currently a Doctoral Student Nurse at the Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Nursing. He where completed his 2023 Master of Science Degree in Nursing and his Bachelor of Science in Nursing both at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He has recently served as Pediatric Nurse / Hadassah Ein Kerem, Pediatric Internal Medicine Managing — providing comprehensive nursing care for multiple patients ranging in age from a few days to 18 years, working as part of a multidisciplinary team in the pediatric ward. He has also served as an Internal Medicine
|
Nurse / Hadassah Ein Kerem, Internal Medicine C — providing comprehensive nursing care and managing treatment for a designated group of patients in the department, working as part of a multidisciplinary team in the internal medicine ward. Additionally, he actively contributed to department enhancement as an Infection Control Liaison and Stoma Care Liaison. From September of 2016 to April 2019, he served as a Squad Commanders Course Instructor/ IDF at the Training Base in the Negev — directly commanding five squad commanders and overseeing the training and management of 60 soldiers for a three-month course. He was awarded the Independence Day Excellence Award in 2018 during the role. Since September of 2020, he has volunteered as a phlebotomist performing blood draws at The Open Clinic, which provides anonymous assistance and professional guidance on sexually transmitted infections, with a focus on HIV. He is also a Chemistry Tutor at the Henrietta Szold School of Nursing — Conducting weekly review sessions, developing lesson plans, mentoring students, and providing answers to academic and professional questions.
|
Dr. Elam Alshawish Speaking at minutes
Dr. Eman Alshawish is an Associate Professor of MCH and Head of Pediatric Nursing, Maternity and Midwifery Division/ Faculty of Medicine and Health Science at An-Najah National University. Board Member of Center of Excellence for Research, The Scientific Society of Arab Nursing Faculties. Peer reviewer for universities and program accreditation according to international standards in higher education, the Association of Arab Universities. She started her professional life by completed her Baccalaureate in Nursing from Al Quds University and then worked at Augusta Victoria Hospital. She completed her Master’s degree in Maternal and Child Healthcare also from Al Quds University. She worked as Nursing Director for an Arab specialized hospital and then as Project Manager at CARE
|
International Organization. She completed her PhD program in Maternal and Child health from Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK from 2009-2013. She has achieved the status of Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, in recognition of attainment against the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and learning support in higher education. Her special research areas of interest are mixed method research, Child health, women’s health and need, reproductive and adolescent health, ethnic minority groups, refugee health, inequity in health, health services, competency care and active learning (e learning).
|
Zeyad Musbah Daraghmeh Speaking at minute
Zeyad Musbah Daraghmeh is a 34-year-old second-year PhD student at the Faculty of Nursing at An-Najah National University. He works as a registered nurse in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) at An-Najah National University Hospital. With strong experience in critical care nursing, he is passionate about combining clinical practice with academic research to improve patient outcomes and contribute to the advancement of nursing practice.
|
|
Kamel Ahmad Dababseh Speaking at minutes
Kamel Ahmad Dababseh is a 36-year-old nurse who lives in Nablus. He currently serves as Head of the Cardiac Perfusion Unit at Al-Arabi Specialized Hospital. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from An-Najah National University, then completed a Post-Graduate Diploma in Cardiovascular Perfusion, which qualified him to work inside open-heart operating rooms. He went on to finish a Master’s in Public Health Administration at the same university, and is now in his second year of a PhD in Nursing at An-Najah. His doctoral research focuses on patients undergoing cardiac surgery and on strategies to improve their clinical outcomes.
|
|
Dr. Abdulkarim Agga
Speaking at minutes Dr. Agga is a passionate advocate for lifelong learning, compassionate care, and innovation in healthcare education. He currently serves as the Head of the Education and Training Department of a private institution in Qatar, where he leads a dedicated team focused on delivering meaningful and transformative learning experiences for nurses and other healthcare professionals all throughout Qatar. His work is deeply anchored in the principles of Caring Science, integrating critical thinking, caring, empathy, and evidence-based practice into all educational programs. Driven by the belief that education is a catalyst for change, he continuously seeks opportunities to collaborate, innovate, and inspire.
|
|
Nada Sattar Speaking at minutes
Ms. Nada Sattar is a dedicated healthcare professional and nurse educator based in Doha, Qatar. Holding a Master of Nursing (MN) Degree- Major in Psychiatric Nursing and registered as a nurse (RN) both in the Philippines and Qatar. Currently, she is taking up her Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing and specializes in hemodialysis care. Ms. Sattar is a strong advocate for professional development and is a passionate advocate for mental health awareness. Her commitment to patient education and community outreach is evident through her involvement in various initiatives locally and internationally.
|
Co-Moderators
|
Dr. Deva-Marie Beck Speaking at minute 1:58 and throughout the Session Dr. Beck is a Canadian American nurse, global citizen, and award-winning Nightingale scholar. For 20 years, she has served as a volunteer International Co-Director for the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health — leading workshops, keynotes, webinars, feature articles, videos, UN briefings, and to achieve NIGH’s UN ECOSOC ‘Special Consultative Status.’ She has recently been recognized as an Honorary Scholar of the Global Academy of Holistic Nursing (HSGAHN) for her leadership to promote and sustain global health care transformation and
advocacy to achieve the United Nations SDGs. After a 30-year clinical career in Critical Care |
and Women’s Health settings, she received her doctorate in 2002, from Union Institute & University, for her groundbreaking research to articulate Florence Nightingale’s relevance to today’s international health, development, education, and media. She has since authored and co-authored articles for numerous peer-reviewed journals and textbooks. Dr. Beck has recently achieved the highest-level Education Award from Toastmasters International — as a Distinguished Toast Master ‘DTM’. She now aims to use this ‘credential’ to develop innovative ways to encourage and engage nurses and concerned citizens to share their voices and tell their stories in the global public arena.
|
Dr. Maria Theresa 'Tess’ Panizales
Speaking at minute 7:43 and throughout the Session Dr. Panizales serves on NIGH's Board of Directors as NGO-United Nations Representative in New York City. She also shared her original language and culture by serving as NIGH’s Language Advisor to establish the Tagalog/Filipino language version of the ‘Nightingale Declaration for A Healthy World.’ Tess has years of professional nursing experience in education, quality and compliance, leadership and management across the spectrum of healthcare both local and international. She has done and continues to be involved in volunteer service globally. Her sustaining work in Mongolia awarded her an an Honorary
|
Doctorate Degree—Honoris Causa from Etugen University in June 2017. Her professional work led to several publications published in peer-reviewed journals and invitations to various national and international conferences for oral and poster presentations. Her Nursing creative arts work was featured on the International Honor Society of Nursing’s (STTI) The Hearts of Nursing. She has published two books as a co-author, including one about Filipino Nurses in “Living the Journey Across the Globe in Love, Courage, and Honor" — available at Barnes & Noble and from Amazon online.Tess completed her Baccalaureate in Nursing from West Visayas State University in the Philippines. Her Master’s in Nursing was completed with a dual specialization from Hunter College City University of New York. She completed her Doctor in Nursing Practice with specialization in Public Health from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Her first nursing professional work was with the Red Cross. Tess is currently working at the Veterans HealthCare Administration in Nursing Quality and Informatics.
|
Lynne Chase Speaking at minute 7:43 and throughout the Session
Lynne Chase serves on the Board of Directors of the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health and has served as an informal Advisor to NIGH’s Core Team for more than a decade. She is an American Registered Nurse currently practicing at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. The majority of her career has been in emergency medicine while traveling across the United States where she has noted vast differences and disparities in health care delivery. This observation was further accentuated upon moving to the Middle East where she investigated this subject further by obtaining her Masters in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Liverpool, UK and a Masters for International Health
|
Leadership (IMHL) at McGill University, in Canada. Her MPH program provided insight into public health from an international perspective—recognizing similarities and differences in health outcomes determined by the type of delivery system and location of population receiving care. Notably, wherever people live, the social determinants of health remain the most important factors in determining overall well-being. Lynne believes it is important for nurses to engage with nurses of all cultures—outside their organizations—so that they may be able to learn from one another, respect one another, and thus provide culturally competent inclusive care to all people.
