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26
8:00 AM PST 11:00 AM EST |
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| Dr. Mahasin Saleh, Ph.D., MSW, FHEA, Associate Professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, is an international scholar who has worked in full-time academic posts in 4 countries, including the USA, Palestine, England, and currently in Qatar. Some of her research focuses on Arab Intergenerational Family Storytelling and Arab Family History. Dr. Saleh served as a US Fulbright Scholar at Bethlehem University in Palestine, where she taught and worked on establishing their Master of Social Work program. She also served as a US Fulbright Specialist and has cooperated on other projects at Bethlehem University. Dr. Saleh also received a research fellowship from the Palestinian American Research Center. |
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| Haydar Alyassry serves as the Arab World Account Manager for FamilyTreeDNA, a leading commercial genetic testing company. He has been with FamilyTreeDNA for six years, where he also works as a Senior Information Specialist and Big Y Specialist, leading the Big Y customer support team.
Originally from Baghdad, Iraq, Haydar has lived in the United States for over 15 years. He graduated with honors from the University of Houston, earning a degree in Anthropology and is bilingual in Arabic and English. His work supports individuals and communities in uncovering their ancestral roots through advanced DNA testing. |
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| Natali Lenning is a multilingual global marketing executive with extensive international experience. She currently serves as the FamilySearch Marketing Manager for the Middle East and Africa North region, where she works closely with archivists and record custodians to enhance access to records for individuals tracing their ancestry. As an integral member of the outreach and experience teams, she educates and supports people from the region in researching, documenting, and preserving their family histories. With her own deep roots in the Levant, she is passionate about helping families from the region preserve their heritage through family trees, stories, photos, and documents. |
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| George Harb has been a Community Historian at Arab American National Museum since 2022. He focuses on oral histories, national outreach, and preserving family history. His work includes conducting oral histories, connecting with Arab American institutions, and digitizing archival materials. With extensive experience in historical preservation and cultural efforts, he has worked closely with the Arab American diaspora with a focus and concentration on the Palestinian American diaspora. With respect to his work, Harb created his own family preservation project, Zaman Project. |
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| Dr. Akram Khater is a University Faculty Scholar, Professor of History, and holds the Khayrallah Chair in Diaspora Studies at North Carolina State University where he also serves as the Director of the Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies. A native of Lebanon, he holds a Ph.D. degree in History from the University of California, Berkeley. He has written several books and produced multiple documentaries on Arab American history. In addition, he is the senior curator for Turath: An Exhibit of Early Arab American Culture, and Arab American Labor. Most recently, he has received a $500,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (USA) to develop Arabic handwriting text recognition. |
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| We will wrap up Arab Family History Day with NSAB Connect, a special community discussion space to share research ideas, challenges, and best practices in Arab & Arab American family history research.
Usually members-only, this session is open to all registrants for Arab Family History Day. Let’s learn from each other, build connections, and continue the conversation. A separate email will be sent to all webinar registrants to participate in the discussion. |
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| "Last year I attended the 1st annual event, and it kicked off my interest in researching my Lebanese side of my family." |
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| "I was born in UAE and thought that since I could recite my family names back 10 generations, I knew everything about my family history. I was wrong – I have learned how much more there is." |
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| "I had never considered the research I could do related to my Palestinian family. Besides asking my Teta questions, I learned to record the stories and hope to find documentation tying my family to the land for centuries." |
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| "I have been researching my family for years, but I know there is so much more to do – thanks for the inspiration!!" |
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Dearborn Blog 