The success of In-Sight Collaborative’s Mentorship Program relies on a number of staff and volunteers behind the scenes, including our program directors who are responsible for overseeing the English, Spanish, and Arabic programs. Program directors assist with recruiting and selecting participants, managing logistics, recruiting and hiring mentors, and assisting with monitoring and evaluation and curriculum development.
“I’m living in this environment—the migratory way environment. I’d like to communicate the things I’ve seen to those who haven’t had to go through it. This is one of the ways I’m trying to help as much as possible.” - Hadi al Gomaish, Arabic Program Director
Ahead of the 2025 Mentorship Programs—a 10-week program in English running January through April and 6-week programs in English, Spanish, and Arabic running June through August—In-Sight Collaborative has appointed three new program directors: Anna Kafkoula (English program), Juanjo Ladines (Spanish program), and Hadi Al Gomaish (Arabic).
Each director brings a unique background and purpose to their role, and we know they will thrive as we continue to expand the Mentorship Program in size and scope.
Anna Kafkoula is a previous Mentorship Program participant. “I fell in love with the program and the people. The program provided me with a new perspective on humanitarian work and forced displacement,” Anna says, noting that she particularly enjoyed learning about the beginner’s mind-set, the way language shapes the way we see and understand ourselves and everything around us, and the nonprofit industrial complex, as well as the program’s emphasis on reflection and critical thinking.
After completing the program, Anna spent 10 months as an intern for In-Sight, working with the leadership team on Mentorship and marketing as well as projects such as the 2023 Giving Tuesday campaign and the quarterly Digital Culture Box.
“I’ve completed different kinds of classes and courses in the past, and In-Sight’s mentorship is by far the most unique one,” Anna says. “I am looking forward to making the upcoming programs a unique learning experience for the participants. I believe that participants can take a lot out of this program and see things differently (just like I did) with more empathy and deeper knowledge of themselves and the system. I am excited to support them as much as I can.”
Based in Peru, Juanjo Ladines has been active with In-Sight for 4 years, including joining the Board of Directors after a year of spearheading the monitoring and evaluation team and leading initiatives to bring more Spanish speakers to In-Sight’s blog and webinar series in order to highlight voices of displaced people from Latin America. He’ll continue this mission as program director for the Spanish Mentorship Program, as well as leading translation for In-Sight’s other educational materials and programs.
“When I started collaborating with In-Sight Collaborative in 2021, the concept of putting humanity first and being human in our approach resonated with me and the way I handle the things I do,” Juanjo says. “I wanted to help the organization expand and grow, and I was excited to see how the knowledge could be applied to my country and continent.”
Juanjo’s mission draws from his own experience: “The idea of seeing all those resources being translated, being directly involved in the process, and having a team of people that share this passion to break that language barrier is truly a dream come true for me,” he says. “Listening to the program in my own language was a treat. For a lot of the mentorship participants, it was the first time in their lives that they could discuss these topics in their own language. You could feel how incredibly liberating it was. I’m excited to continue providing all that I can to see this expand and to bring these resources to people in their native language.”
Hadi Al Gomaish first connected with In-Sight Collaborative in 2021 while volunteering within his refugee community in Europe. His first-hand experience as both a member of the community and a community volunteer made him a perfect fit to become a mentor for In-Sight in 2023.
“It was a learning process for me to be a mentor, but it was a fun, amazing experience,” Hadi recalls. “The mentees were amazing and Bella, my co-mentor, was too. It inspired me to do more.”
Along with being a mentor, Hadi has been helping In-Sight translate mentorship and educational materials into Arabic. As he embarks on the Program Director role, Hadi draws on the personal perspective he brings to participants. “I’m living in this environment—the migratory way environment,” Hadi says. “I’d like to communicate the things I’ve seen to those who haven’t had to go through it. This is one of the ways I’m trying to help as much as possible.”
Like most of the staff, board members, and volunteers at In-Sight, Anna, Juanjo, and Hadi each bring their unique experiences to their roles and to their commitment. If you are interested in learning more about the humanitarian sector from amazing leaders like Hadi, Anna, and Juanjo, the application process for In-Sight Collaborative’s next Mentorship Program is now open. Learn more and apply here.
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