Alaa is originally from Lebanon and moved to the United States in 2023 to pursue a Master’s in Nonprofit Organizations. He graduated in December 2024 and then joined First Year Cleveland as Department Fiscal Coordinator, where he oversees departmental finances and contribute to the organization’s mission of improving birth outcomes and supporting families.
His journey in the nonprofit world began during his undergraduate studies at the University of Balamand, where he earned a Bachelor of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering. While pursuing his degree, he became deeply involved with several disaster response organizations, supporting communities during some of Lebanon’s most challenging times. Later, he served as a Regional Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for the International Network for Aid, Relief, and Assistance (INARA), where he helped ensure the effectiveness of humanitarian programs for vulnerable populations.
Although he began his academic path in the STEM field, his experiences in service and humanitarian work shifted his passion toward the nonprofit sector—a space where he found both purpose and impact.