Experience

Kareem Elzein (Ph.D, mph), Founder and Executive Director

Kareem has spearheaded a breadth of initiatives over the last 20 years, from community non-profit organizing to leading a TV News copy team and founding a diveristy leadership development initiative at the University of California, Los Angeles. Over this period, Kareem gained experience leading research initiatives in medicine, public health, education, and social sciences. A hallmark of his work is a multi-disciplinary approach grounded in diversity, leadership, collaboration, and multi-media communications. Kareem is an experienced researcher, writer, copyeditor, graphic and web designer, video and sound editor, and general creative. His research expertise includes occupational health, healthcare management, renal care, national health registries, prison reform, higher education leadership and organizational change, student leadership development, and non-profit leadership and organizational development. He has co-authored reports for governmental and non-governmental organizations, and articles in peer-reviewed journals and magazines. Kareem’s journey as a community leader in Beirut, Lebanon and Los Angeles, California has granted him a unique eye, perspective, and experience that is an asset to his work with KAEL Consulting.

Dr. Hafez Elzein (MD, MS), Senior Consultant

Dr. Elzein’s health and medical research experience exceeds 30 years and comprises expertise in epidemiology, outcomes and clinical research, with extensive work in data mining of large databases and registries. Dr. Elzein has several decades of experience working in the pharmaceutical industry, most notably with Amgen. Since 2010, he has worked with the Lebanese and Iraqi governments to establish national registries for kidney dialysis and transplants as the founder and Executive Director of Partners in Wellness and Research. Dr. Elzein brings his decades of experience as a medical researcher, grant writer, and technical expert to KAEL projects.

Selected works

    1. Elzein, K. A. (2021). Activist Leadership Development: An Engine for Social Justice Transformation. University of California, Los Angeles.

    2. Elzein, H, & Ali, A. (2018) “The Iraqi Renal Transplant Registry (IRTR): the first step toward Iraqi renal data system”. Iraqi New Med J. 4:86–90.

    3. Habib, RR, Hojeij, S., Elzein, K., & Chaaban, J. (2019). Self-rated health and relative socioeconomic deprivation in the Palestinian refugee communities of Lebanon. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 21, 1257-1265.

    4. Habib, R., Elzein, K., & Younes, N. (2016). "Intersectionality: the value for occupational health research". In Handbook on Gender and Health. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing.

    5. Habib RR, Hojeij S, Elzein K (2014). Gender in Occupational Health Research of Farmworkers: a Systematic Review. American Journal of Industrial Medicine. 57 (12):1344-67.

    6. Habib RR, Zein KE, Hojeij S (2011). Hard Work at Home: Musculoskeletal Pain among Female Homemakers. Ergonomics, 55(2): 201-11.

    7. Habib RR, Zein KE, Ghanawi J (2010). Climate Change and Health Research in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Ecohealth, 7(2): 156-75.

  • 1. Co-Author of annual grant with UCLA Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion [Bruin Excellence & Student Transformation Grant Program (BEST) - 2016-2020 totalling $1,300,000.

    2. Spencer Foundation, Small Research Grant $50,000 for “Civic Leadership as a Means to Improve Campus Climate in Higher Education”

    4. Dean's Diversity Student Support Initiative, Graduate School of Education & Information Studies - 2017-18, $17,000 - with Professor Robert Rhoads.

    5. UCLA Vice Chancellor for Research [Diversity research and advocacy symposium] (Grant 2015, $10,000) with Professor Grace Hong.

    6. Contributing writer to multiple grants between 2012-2019 totaling over $1,500,000 funded by IDRC, ILO, UNICEF, and FAO.

    1. Developed multiple iterations of two-day long summer leadership development.

    2. Co-developed curriculum for a summer leadership development institute.

    3. Created 15 leadership development modules around diverse skills and knwoledge, including membership growth, social media presence, organizational development, and other skills.

    4. Designed and taught 6 month literacy course for Syrian and Palestinian refugee youth (ages 11-35).

    5. Developed and taught service learning course titled Engaging Los Angeles.

    6. Co-developed and taught course on archival research on topics of social justice. Developed an archive on student activism at UCLA.

    7. Developed training manual for new Cal/OSHA regulation on workplace violence in healthcare based on best practices in the literature and feedback from focus groups with key industry informants. Held trainings with nurses and union organizers around incumbent Cal/OSHA regulation.

    1. “MOCA Protest” - https://vimeo.com/208058790 - Advocacy video supporting the organizing work of Mothers of Color in Academia (MOCA de UCLA).

    2. “A Mother’s Journey” - https://vimeo.com/164934816 - Story of a lactating mother / parenting student and the challenges she faces as a result of institutional marginalization and indifference.

    3. “Kenneth Ross, Jr.” - https://www.instagram.com/p/Bno2F0fBqMz/ - Instagram video for #MoreThanAHashtagLA, a living shrine to remember victims of police violence.

    4. “Tamir Rice” - https://www.instagram.com/p/BkgEWH-BnTm/ - Instagram video for #MoreThanAHashtagLA, a living shrine to remember victims of police killings.