Meet The Team

Wa'el Alzayat is a veteran diplomat, policy advisor, and civic leader with extensive experience in U.S. foreign affairs and national security. Wa'el served for a decade at the U.S. Department of State in a range of senior policy and advisory roles, including as senior policy advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and as special assistant to the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq. His work spanned conflict stabilization, counterterrorism, and governance reform across the Middle East.

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Beyond government service, Wa'el has contributed to public policy and education as a non-resident fellow at the Middle East Institute and adjunct faculty member at Georgetown University, where he has taught graduate courses on U.S. foreign policy. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Middle East History and Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Science in Foreign Service, awarded with distinction, from Georgetown University.

Alaa Kamnaksh previously served as Director of Operations at both the Syrian American Council and the American Coalition for Syria, where she led strategic operations and national advocacy efforts. She mobilized Syrian American communities to champion human rights, justice, and accountability, overseeing grassroots engagement programs, coalition-wide campaigns, and policy initiatives that elevated the voices of Syrians in U.S. and international policymaking spaces.

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Before transitioning to advocacy, Alaa spent nearly a decade as a research scientist with the U.S. Department of Defense, specializing in blast-induced traumatic brain injury (TBI). Her research focused on the pathophysiology of TBI and the identification of clinically relevant diagnostic biomarkers. She holds an MBA from Georgetown University, with a certificate in non-market strategy, a Master of Science in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University, and a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences, awarded with distinction, from Penn State University.

A global business executive, communicator, and strategist, Mike Pascual has advised Presidents, Cabinet members, and C-suite executives over his 20+ years working in high-profile roles in Washington, D.C., Asia, and the Middle East. From senior-level roles at the White House, State Department and Capitol Hill to international regional roles at multinational corporations and global advisory firms, Mike combines his deep understanding of the private and public sectors with on-the-ground know-how in Asia and the Middle East to deliver impactful results for clients in the areas of government affairs, national security, strategic communications, crisis management, trade, pharmaceuticals, national and economic security, and investigations.

Mike received a master’s degree in national security strategy from the National War College, the nation’s foremost graduate-level institution for the education of future generals, admirals, and ambassadors in preparation for the highest leadership positions. He holds a JD from the William and Mary School of Law and has taught international affairs at the University of Maryland, College Park.

David Consoli is a global strategist and former U.S. diplomat with over two decades of experience operating in high-threat and post-conflict environments across Latin America, Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. He has led national security and justice initiatives, built elite task forces, and advised governments on countering organized crime, terrorism, and kleptocracy. As a Senior Strategy Advisor at the U.S. Department of State, David shaped global programs to advance security, strengthen governance, and promote stability in complex regions.

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Beyond government service, David co-founded ventures focused on sustainable development and post-crisis reconstruction, including Chufly Imports and Skapaa, and continues to advise international organizations and academic institutions. He holds a Bachelor of Science in International Affairs and Political Science from the University of Connecticut and a Master’s in Law from Arizona State University. David is fluent in Italian and Spanish and proficient in Portuguese and French.

Todd Clark is a senior technology leader and systems architect with more than a decade of experience in designing and managing enterprise IT environments. As a Senior Technical Support Engineer at Microsoft, he provides advanced advisory support on Windows deployment, configuration management, and security. He resolves critical system issues and partners with engineering teams to enhance platform performance and reliability.

Prior to Microsoft, Todd led enterprise modernization initiatives at the National Center for Biotechnology Information at the National Institutes of Health, where he designed large-scale SCCM infrastructures, directed Windows migration and patch management strategies, and strengthened endpoint security across complex networks. Known for his strategic vision and technical depth, Todd has proven expertise in systems architecture, automation, and secure deployment solutions. Todd holds a bachelor’s degree from Shepherdstown University.

Hamza is a business-driven technology executive with more than two decades of experience leading modern software development and engineering innovation. He specializes in cloud-native architecture, AI integration, observability, and DevOps, combining deep technical expertise with a sharp focus on strategy, profitability, and execution. As an advocate for open-source software and community engagement, he is passionate about bridging the gap between people, business, and technology to deliver measurable impact.

Hamza's prior roles include Engineering Manager at Amazon Web Services, VP of AI Engineering at Pearson, and Distinguished Engineer at several other companies, including Tivo and Casenet Inc. (now part of Zyter|TruCare). He holds a Master's degree in Information Technology from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Science in Information Science from Penn State University, where he graduated with distinction and honors.