December 3, 2021
In a December 3, 2021 Huffpost article by Akbar Shahid Ahmed, “Senators Face A Vital Decision On Joe Biden’s Pro-Saudi Foreign Policy,” Advocacy Director Seth Binder…
November 22, 2021
In a November 22, 2021 Atlantic Council article by Alissa Pavia, Karim Mezran, and Yaseen Rashed, “Tunisia has a new government. How will challenges be addressed?”…
November 9, 2021
In a November 9, 2021 article by Akbar Shahid Ahmed, “Joe Biden Promised To Take On Saudi Arabia Over Jamal Khashoggi. The Saudis Won,” Advocacy Director…
MISSION STATEMENT
Established in 2005, the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to examining how genuine democracies can develop in the Middle East and how the United States can best support that process.
Through advocacy, research, and partnerships with regional civil society organizations and advocates, POMED seeks to empower and support the citizens of the Middle East and North Africa in pursuit of their legitimate aspirations for greater democratic rights.
Research
The research program produces original analysis of key issues and trends in democratic change, political reform, human rights, and authoritarianism in the countries of the Middle East and North Africa and of U.S. policy as it pertains to democratic development in the region. Our research publications include Snapshots, Policy Briefs, Expert Q&A’s, Backgrounders, Reports, and Fact Sheets. Authors include POMED’s Nonresident Fellows, our resident staff, and other experts based in the MENA region, the United States, and Europe.
Advocacy
The advocacy program directly engages a broad network of U.S. policymakers, while working closely with the coalition of activists and advocates who share a commitment to democracy and human rights in the Middle East and North Africa.
Civil Society PartnershipS
The civil society partnerships program aims to build the capacity of emerging regional policy centers through technical assistance trainings and regular guidance and mentorship. We work with nascent civil society organizations across the MENA region to strengthen advocacy and policy writing skills and promote improved institutional practices to help ensure organizational viability and impact.
OUR STAFF
Stephen McInerney
Executive Director
Stephen previously served as POMED’s Advocacy Director from 2007 to 2010. He has extensive experience in the Middle East and North Africa, including graduate studies of Middle Eastern politics, history, and the Arabic language ...
Arwa Shobaki
Managing Director
Arwa Shobaki is POMED’s Managing Director. She has spent her career dedicated to the nonprofit sector, helping to manage, design, and lead Middle East and North Africa rights-based initiatives.
Amy Hawthorne
Deputy Director for Research
Amy is a Middle East expert with extensive policy, analytical, and practical experience on Arab political reform and democracy promotion. Prior to joining POMED in October 2015, Amy served as Resident Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council
Cynthia Nassif
Director of Civil Society Partnerships
Prior to joining POMED, Cynthia developed a deep understanding of the Middle East and North Africa region while working with the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington and several U.N. agencies and international organizations.
Seth Binder
Director of Advocacy
Prior to joining POMED, Seth was the program manager and research associate at the Center for International Policy’s Security Assistance Monitor program, where he focused on U.S. security assistance and arms sales policy.
April Brady
Communications Director
Prior to joining POMED in 2017, she was an editor and designer at the Arms Control Association, an editor and designer for the Atlantic Council, the Iran policy intern at POMED, and the managing editor and PR director at JOY Publications
Merve Tahiroğlu
Turkey Program Coordinator
Prior to joining POMED, Merve was a research analyst at the Washington-based think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies, where she focused on Turkey's domestic politics, foreign policy, and relationship with Washington.
Ons Mhimdi
Program Coordinator for Civil Society Partnerships
Prior to joining POMED, Ons served as a Subgrants Officer for Search For Common Ground Tunisia, managing its grantees working on the reintegration and rehabilitation of ex-detainees as well as the reform of the security sector in Tunisia. Before that, she was a project coordinator within the International Institute of Debate, promoting non-formal social and […]
Cyrine Elbir
Program Associate for Civil Society Partnerships
Prior to joining POMED, Cyrine served as a program manager at I Watch Organisation, managing the portfolio of local governance and the partnerships with local authorities in Tunisia. Before that, she held the position of CSO’s coordinator, managing the partnerships with civil society organizations working on local governance and anti-corruption mechanisms. Cyrine holds a Bachelor’s […]
Yasmeen El-Hasan
Program Associate
Yasmeen is POMED’s Program Associate. Prior to joining POMED, she was an Editorial and Research Assistant at the Gulf International Forum, as well as an intern on youth education initiatives for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in Palestine. She is also the founder of Sawtek al’Aalam (“Your Voice is the World”), a youth […]
Sheridan Cole
Advocacy Associate
Prior to joining POMED, Sheridan worked as a Research Assistant at The Washington Institute and was a Visiting Student Research Fellow at Gulf International Forum.
Clare Ulmer
Communications Associate
Clare previously served as a regional policy intern at POMED. She has also worked as a data researcher for the Chicago Project on Security and Threats and as a politics reporter for the Des Moines Register.
Zachary White
Editorial Associate
Prior to joining POMED, he worked on global security issues at The Soufan Center and edited Janine di Giovanni’s book The Vanishing. He also participated in the Fulbright Program in Turkey and the Peace Corps in Georgia.
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