Akademos Society is governed by a board comprising of highly motivated individuals, who are all based in Australia. We are pursuing higher education goals and careers in our adopted country with a firm resolve to collectively support the community by focusing on improving education outcome for the disadvantaged members of the community.
The board consists of eleven volunteer executive directors who work with our partner organisations and individuals to ensure effective operations of the organisation and successful delivery of our programs.
Arif is an Accountant and Financial Analyst by profession and holds a Bachelor of Professional Accountancy degree. He is responsible for preparing our financial reports and budgets. Have queries? contact him as he loves talking about Akademos.
A blogger by instinct, and a photographer out of boredom, Hadi Zaher holds a Juris Doctor (JD) from Monash University, and currently works in the public service. Hadi is the program manager for Akademos Study Grant and Akademos Australia Student Assistance Program.
Dr. Homa Forotan has studied science at the University of Queensland majoring in Biomedical and Neuroscience, followed by a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at Griffith University. She is a cardiologist and works at the Royal Melbourne Hospital subspecialising in advanced cardiac imaging. Homa is the program manager of our Kids Off The Streets program, and assists with fundraising activities.
Gulnaz is a Human Resources Specialist at the Australian graphic design company Canva. She holds a Bachelor of Science from Sydney University, and a Diploma in Human Resources Management from Swinburne University. At Akademos, Gulnaz is our Communications Director and responsible for all things, Comms and Social Media!
Mehdi is a graduate of Business Management and Information Technology from Western Sydney University, and currently works as a Business Development Manager with Fujitsu Australia in Sydney. At Akademos, Mehdi is our IT Director with additional responsibilities for digital transformation of our operations.
Haider has a postgraduate degree from University of Melbourne, and is a qualified CPA. At Akademos, Haider shares responsibility for writing content for our publications including website and provides support for administration and financial matters.
Formerly a policy officer a the NSW Department of Education and Refugee Council of Australia, Shukufa holds a law degree and was named one of the fifteen Australian woman championing human rights by Amnesty International Australia in 2017. At Akademos, Shukufa oversees our fundraising activities and is responsible for engagement with our stakeholders.
Ghulam is a graduate of Transportation Engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore and currently works as traffic engineer with Tafman Solution in Melbourne. At Akademos, Ghulam is the project officer for our Akademos Scholarship program.
Sidra serves as a Project Support Officer at the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and holds a Master's degree in International Relations with a specialization in Gender, Peace, and Security from Monash University. Sidra is the program manager for the Akademos Scholarship Program, offering direct support to our scholars as they embark on their college journey.
Machid is a senior mental health clinician at Queensland Health, specialising in early psychosis, and is dedicated to promoting mental health and well-being within CALD communities, specifically youth. Machid completed her Masters of Mental Health from Monash University. At Akademos, Machid ensures effective and impactful relationship with Akademos stakeholders and assists with financial reporting and administrative support to our program managers.