Having been raised for most of her life in Dubai, Chayanka conducted her schooling in the UAE after which she undertook her undergraduate education and her second Master's degree in the United States of America. With a specialized interest in the intersection of Science, Business, and Technology, Chayanka completed her undergraduate education with a degree in Biological Anthropology as well as Communication Studies from University of California, Davis. She then did a Master's in Business with a focus on Innovation & Entrepreneurship from University of Wollongong. In an effort to bridge her education in Business with Science & Technology and her passion for novel therapeutics, she then conducted her second Master's in Bioethics at the coveted Harvard Medical School - Harvard University from which she was awarded the title of 'Bioethicist'.

With a distinct entrepreneurial spirit, Chayanka has consistently focused on finding novel ways to propel education within society. During her first Master's, she single-handedly created a platform for students from a variety of programs to network and collaborate on sustainable projects by facilitating a strategic partnership between University of Wollongong and DU’s 5G Innovation Lab. During her time at Harvard, she worked in collaboration with Pfizer in Boston, Massachusetts and herself created a synergistic framework pertaining to the adoption of novel translational biomarker technology which involves striking a chord between business objectives and ethical responsibilities on behalf of the involved innovators in order to strive towards a term she coined, called 'ethical profitability'.

Born and raised in Ukraine, Olena was leading her path in the tourism and art industries. She has moved around several cities to research her passion and as a result, she has gotten her Master's degree in Tourism Management from the prestigious Ukrainian university in Kharkiv City - V. N. Karazin University. Having internships abroad and locally assisted her to gain practical knowledge in hospitality and tourism management. To fulfill her career goals, she has moved to Dubai in order to challenge herself. She has obtained over 5 years of experience in the customer service field and does not plan to stop. Her goal is to exceed customer service expectations, create a family ambiance and drive herself to a new level of professionalism in client relations.

Gurkriti was born in Amritsar, India and moved to China at the age of 1. Growing up with an exceedingly multilingual, multicultural ethos and in the truest sense, one that encompassed borderlessness within borders, her upbringing developed her taste in fusion cuisines, in-betweens, and fluid identities. She gained fluency in Mandarin, English, Hindi, and Punjabi, all the more strengthening her roots to several homes. With wide-spanning interests including music, theatre, and international relations, her education served formative as an IB student from  elementary school to the diploma program.

Building on these connections, Gurkriti later pursued her higher education at NYU Shanghai, exploring business, math, economics, and political science, before moving on to becoming the institution's first graduate in anthropology. During her four years, she involved herself in endeavors such as the Reality Show—a performance comprising original skits and musical compositions derived by a 12-person cast over a summer in New York depicting life at NYU Shanghai to incoming freshmen. She furthered becoming an active member in the Office of Student Life as an Orientation Ambassador for incoming students and committed her time as a Writing Speaking Learning Assistant at the Academic Resource Centre to support students in effective academic communication. Gurkriti's most rewarding experiences were her study away semesters in Prague and Abu Dhabi, extending her focus in the social sciences to regions that she had not yet been exposed to, and opening up a myriad of opportunities including an internship at Greenpeace Czech. Gurkriti went on to write her senior thesis on the motives of Sikh involvement in the anti-CAA/NRC sentiment in India. As a consistent member of the Dean's List, she later received the Global Leadership Award and a golden tassel as an Honors Scholar along with the NYU Founders' Day Award upon graduation.

Gurkriti's shape-shifting experiences now pull her back to the UAE, another place she deems her (third, fourth, or possibly fifth!) home. In her free time, you will catch her yearning for a cup of chai and ready for a chat on climate change, Hindustani classical music, human emotion and cognition, perfume scents, and otherworldly affairs. With a deep desire to serve humanity, she hopes to contribute to making the world not only more tolerant of differing opinions but contribute to the lives of those less advantaged through a developing social and ethical consciousness in the field of business, non-governmental, and governmental organizations. Gurkriti hopes to hone a varied skill set in order to professionally channel what matters to her.

Andre graduated from the University of Washington, Seattle with a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics and Asian Studies and went on to obtain a Master's Degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages in his hometown of Honolulu, Hawaii. After getting his Master's Degree, he taught ESL courses at the university level in both Honolulu and Seattle where he focused on IELTS and TOEFL preparation. Seeking to work abroad, he moved to the UAE in 2015 where he taught English language courses in both secondary and higher education environments, focusing on IELTS, TOEFL, and EmSAT preparation and even designed his own IELTS course to be used in group classes or with individual students. With over 10 years of teaching experience, he is sure to be able to support all students in reaching their desired scores on their exams.

Born in Pakistan and raised in Dubai, Zoha completed her Bachelor’s in Psychology with distinction from the University of Calgary, Canada. While her time in Canada certainly included enjoying a great deal of ‘Timbits’, Zoha was heavily involved in educational and cultural activities on campus. She was a mentor for international students as part of the Student Leadership Program where she dealt out a great deal of advice and tips to freshmen. She was also a campus tour guide allowing her to interact with prospective students and parents and answer all their general queries regarding the university. Zoha was also involved with the South Asian community and served as the Vice President of the Pakistani Students Society at University of Calgary hoping to make the transition easier for all the international students away from home.

After graduating in 2021, Zoha moved back to Dubai and took up a six-month internship as a social media content creator for a local media agency. She then joined an e-commerce start-up in the same role briefly.

Passionate about helping others, Zoha prides herself on being a great listener. With her curious nature, Zoha has always been fascinated with how people interact with each other. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, reading, and spending time with her family and friends.

Shahamah was born in Oman and raised in Dubai in a Pakistani household. During high school, she held numerous drives and events for the welfare of blue-collar workers in Dubai, in collaboration with many organizations including the Rotary Club.
Shahamah graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a degree in Bioengineering. During her undergraduate career, she was heavily involved in mentorship through the Youth Empowerment Program, an initiative to empower students in underserved communities to help pave a path for their college. She was also a New Student Advisor for two incoming classes at UCLA. Shahamah is passionate about international student causes which she pursued at the university’s student government. She helped establish and was elected as the Undergraduate Student Association Council’s first International Student Representative in UCLA’s 100-year history. She was also an active member in the South Asian community and served as President of the Pakistani Student Association at UCLA. Increasing accessibility for Women in STEM is very close to Shahamah’s heart. She, herself, is passionate about the Biomed industry and has developed an application for early detection of Alzheimer’s through UCLA Centre for SMART Health. Shahamah enjoys traveling, reading, and creating art in different mediums. She is specifically passionate about digital art and loves making precious memories to unique custom art.

Born and raised in Italy, Giulia began enriching her education in 2012 when she moved to the United States. During her one-year program, she developed her interest in volunteering and a passion for the tourism industry. She later completed her bachelor’s degree in Economics and Management from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Milano while participating in various volunteering projects around Italy and abroad. As she was contributing to the development of an English course for children living in rural areas of Sri Lanka, she reaffirmed her interest in the hospitality world. Giulia worked in the events industry, participating in the successful delivery of multiple conferences for non-profit organizations. She later enrolled in Les Roches Marbella to complete her studies in International Hospitality Management. After various opportunities in the European continent, she decided to move to Dubai, where she has been based for the past 3 years.

Candace was born and raised in Durban, South Africa. At the age of 19, Candace pursued her dreams of working abroad and moved to the United Kingdom, London, where she lived and worked in hospitality for 2 years. She then moved back to South Africa and worked for a Tourism Insurance Company for 2 years before moving to Dubai. Candace has spent 8 years in Dubai where she has expanded her professional goals from starting off as a waitress and working her way up in administration roles as an Executive Assistant to General Managers, Executive Chef’s and CEO’s. She has gained many years of experience in Tourism, Hospitality and Administration.

Angie holds a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Antioch University and a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature and Russian from Beloit College. She has over 20 years of experience in college admissions, both as an admissions officer and as a counselor. Angie has coached students, families, and professionals in the admissions process, from New York to Singapore, Moscow and Seoul. Angie has worked for three U.S. colleges; spent four years in Russia administering a U.S. Department of State fellowship program; and has worked in Beijing and Shanghai for the last six years.

Ijaaz holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from The University of Chicago, where he was awarded full financial aid. He has previously interned in China and India, guiding over one hundred students through the US college application process. During his college years, Ijaaz also worked with the Office of College Admissions at UChicago and as the Director of Operations of Maroon Tutor Match, a student-run tutoring program serving over 400 students in Chicago.

Originally from Connecticut, David began his educational journey homeschooling where he had the opportunity to work with tutors and mentors to pursue a robust, educational path tailored to his interests. During this period, David established a connection to East Africa engaging in cultural bridge-building, technological and solar power development, and studying the wildlife and conservation efforts in Tanzania.

David went on to attend Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire for all four years where he started a wildlife conservation club, played three varsity sports as captain of the water polo team, served as a dormitory proctor and peer counselor, participated in the inter-religious community and led Exeter’s community service organization as president, overseeing 70 student-led clubs. As a senior, David received MVP of the water polo team, the Excellence in French and American History prizes, the Wyzanski Prize for ethical impact, the Gifford Pinchot Conservation Prize, and the David M. Bitman Science Prize for genetics research. He held the honor of delivering the opening prayer during commencement for the Class of 2016. Following graduation, David spent the summer in Amman, Jordan studying Arabic and living with a Jordanian family.

David graduated Columbia University (Class of 2020) with degrees in sustainable development and economics. While at Columbia, David played on the club water polo team, was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon and studied abroad in Kenya where he participated in research relating to ecosystem conservation, terrestrial paleoecology, and public health. Throughout college, he worked with asset management and hedge fund companies.

David enjoys photography, exploring nature, cultural immersion, and supporting non-profits like the Global Citizens Initiative (GCI) which fosters youth empowerment around the themes of global engagement, design thinking, and ethical leadership.

Born in India and raised in Dubai, Akshatha graduated from Emory University with a double major in international relations and music (vocal performance). At Emory, she was part of the Emory Concert Choir, the Emory Jazz Alliance, the university acapella group, and Theater Emory. She worked at Inspiritus, an Atlanta-based refugee resettlement agency as an Economic Empowerment Coordinator during the summers of 2018 and 2019, where she strategized wage and benefit negotiation for refugee clients.

She worked for two years as an undergraduate research assistant with Dr. Cherribi, Senior Lecturer in the Economics Department. Her research on populism in the EU, and Indian development linkages has been published in the Journal of International Studies, and Revue interdisciplinaire de sciences sociales. She is also a supporting author in the Routledge Handbook on Arab Media, edited by Noureddine Miladi and Noha Mellor."