Message from Conference Chair
Advancing Advancement in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
The advancement profession has received great attention in recent years because of increasing economic challenges. This is especially true in the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) region. All of us in advancement — including fundraising, alumni relations, advancement services, communications and marketing — are being challenged to do more, and we must work hand-in-hand to be successful. As the number of non-profit organisations and institutions in the region increases and philanthropic initiatives become ever more essential, there is a growing appreciation for the importance of the advancement profession and its effectiveness.
The CASE Advancement Conference in Middle East (MEAC) 2020 is the third edition of MEAC, and will attract local and regional professionals with global experience and deep understanding of the MENA region’s best practices. This year’s programme has been designed to address issues that were raised during our first two conferences, as well as emerging challenges that have been identified. There will be sessions for people new to the profession and for seasoned professionals, including opportunities for us to get to know each other. We all have a lot to contribute and we can learn from each other to make an impact on society and further the visions of our institutions.
I am delighted to be working with seasoned professionals and colleagues at CASE and on the Planning Committee. We are selecting topics and putting together a programme that addresses the different areas of advancement, including how to reach alumni, ways to increase engagement, case studies on various fundraising programmes, new and time-tested fundraising tools, factors that make a strong institutional brand and matters related to communications and marketing.
We look forward to meeting you at #CASEMEAC 2020 and working with you to strengthen the advancement profession in the MENA region.
Soha Hmaidan
Soha Hmaidan is currently the Chief Advancement Officer at King’s Academy, a day and boarding independent school for grades 7-12 in Jordan. In her role, Hmaidan is responsible for leading fundraising efforts, advancement services, alumni relations, and parent engagement to help King’s Academy successfully launch its campaign in support of the school’s strategic priorities and to ensure financial sustainability.
Prior to King’s, Hmaidan was Associate Vice President for Advancement Services and University Events at American University of Beirut (AUB), a position she last held for over 22 years. With a diversified experience in higher education and independent boarding schools, Hmaidan brings best practices in advancement strategies and operations, international fundraising, and campaign planning and execution, in addition to good prospect research and donor relations, bridging different cultures of advancement, between west and east, and the United States and the Middle East.
Hmaidan holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from AUB and is a certified professional in human resources and compensation.
