I had the pleasure of working with Leena in 2018, when she was a consultant and facilitator on the Qaddumi Foundation’s program Sparking Dialogue on Education. Leena helped introduce our cohort of 25 Palestinian teachers and principals to the Finnish education system, through a study visit to Helsinki followed by workshops back in Ramallah in Palestine.

We then collaborated with Leena on preparing a paper on integrating technology in education in the Palestinian context. Leena explained how technology is not the end goal, but rather a tool that should help us achieve certain educational objectives that are part of the overall strategy of any education system.

During our collaboration, I have observed her way of interacting with the teachers in our workshops, how responsive she is, how she creates a cooperative and creative space for them. With Leena, teachers and principals feel heard, encouraged, and validated. That’s ultimately what matters most.

Leena embodies what leadership in education should look like. She understands the interplay between high-level educational strategy and the day-to-day reality of teachers, how one affects and shapes the other and vice versa. I wholeheartedly endorse her candidacy to the OAJ presidency.

Rana Diab

Executive Director

Qaddumi Foundation