Executive Leadership
Dr. Gary Darmstadt, MD, MS
Co-Founder | Co-Director
Gary L. Darmstadt, MD, MS, is Associate Dean for Maternal and Child Health and Professor of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine at Stanford Medicine. He recently led The Lancet Series on Gender Equality, Norms, and Health. Previously, as Senior Fellow in the Global Development Program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, he led gender equality initiatives and directed strategies for family health, including nutrition and maternal, newborn, and child health. Darmstadt was also the founding director of the International Center for Advancing Neonatal Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. His training includes pediatrics at Johns Hopkins, dermatology at Stanford, and pediatric infectious disease at the University of Washington, Seattle.
Laila Soudi, MS
Co-Founder | Co-Director
Before her current role, Laila received funding from the Stanford President and the Dean of Stanford Medicine to assess Stanford’s role in addressing the ongoing refugee crisis, particularly the Syrian conflict. Born and raised in the MENA region, Laila has dedicated her career to supporting displaced populations across the Middle East and Europe. A staunch advocate for refugee health, her work has been featured in Stanford Medicine Scope, Huffington Post, SF Chronicle, Washington Post, and The Guardian, and she frequently speaks on the critical, often overlooked role of mental health in humanitarian aid. She holds a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and psychology from UC Berkeley and a master’s in global health from UC San Francisco.
Palestine P.A.L.s Executive Team
Dr. Ru’a Rimawi
Co-Chair
Dr. Ru'a Rimawi is a Palestinian physician and researcher. She obtained her medical degree from Al-Quds University in 2022. Dr. Rimawi has a keen interest in building research infrastructure and improving scientific research in Palestine. She is a member of the Palestinian Neuroscience Initiative (PNI) and a co-founder of PALs at Stanford and Al-Quds. Currently, she works as a postdoctoral fellow at the Science Health Education (SHE) Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI). Her research focuses on oncology, pediatrics, and global health.
Zeena Khazendar
Co-Chair
Zeena is a Palestinian global health researcher who grew up in Jordan and recently graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Human Biology and a concentration in Global Health. Zeena has worked extensively with refugee and migrant mental health and is currently leading the adaptation and scaling of the Youth Readiness Intervention delivery by community health workers to Somali refugee youth in Kenya. Zeena was a D1 beach volleyball player and nominated by President Marc Tessier-Lavigne as the sole Stanford representative for the National Civic Newman Fellowship Award and awarded for her commitment to service.
Dr. Hala Abdo
Communications Lead
Dr. Hala Abdo earned her medical degree from Al-Quds University, a testament to her commitment to pursuing a career in medicine. Her journey continued with an internship in 2023, where she gained valuable hands-on experience and sharpened her skills in the medical field. In 2017, Dr. Abdo played an important role in the successful organization of the Biddo Open Medical Day. As the head of the steering committee, she took charge of planning and organizing the event. Dr. Abdo offered a wide range of free laboratory tests and physician check-ups for the families residing in the area.
Dr. Nadine K. Jawad
Outreach Lead
Dr. Nadine K. Jawad is a fourth-year medical student at Stanford on the Knight-Hennessy fellowship. She previously completed her BA in public policy at the University of Michigan Ford School and Mphil. in Social Policy while a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University. She is pursuing a preventive medicine residency and is passionate about community health and conflict medicine.
Lina Abu Taweeleh
Development Lead
Lina graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology and a concentration in Global Health. She is passionate about community health and healthcare delivery improvement in the United States and the Middle East. As a Stanford Community Impact Fellow, she currently works in a Federally Qualified Health Center to improve the health of underserved communities in the Bay Area. She also conducts research within CETA Global at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to develop interventions that address the mental health needs of youth living in conflict zones.
Dr. Mayar Danadneh
Recruitment Lead
Dr. Mayar Danadneh is a dentist and emerging researcher from Bethlehem, Palestine. With an honorary Research Affiliate appointment at the Oral Research and Promotion Unit, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem and leadership roles as the Dental Research Club President and General Secretary of the International Association of Dental Research, Dr. Danadneh is committed to advancing dental care and research on a global scale. Her research on dental students' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic earned recognition from the WHO. Her leadership at the Arab Innovation Network drives initiatives for educational excellence and development. Through her unwavering commitment to innovation and excellence, Dr. Danadneh continues to make an impact in dentistry and academia, both locally in Palestine and internationally.