"My entire family and myself are so grateful to God and to SANAD for having given my Mom such a smooth take off."
SANAD’s interdisciplinary team members – the doctors, registered nurses and psychologists – work closely to achieve a holistic approach to care.
Our team focuses on addressing the medical, social and psychological challenges that patients and their families are facing due to the underlying terminal illness.
MEDICAL TEAM
Dr. Rosa Rhimi
MD - Beqaa Office
Dr. Rhimi’s professional experience began as a Family Medicine Specialist at the Miguel Enriquez University Hospital and Wilfredo Perez Polyclinic in Havana, Cuba. She has been practicing in Lebanon since 1992. She is a member of the medical staff in the Department of Family Medicine at AUBMC and of the Lebanese Order of Physicians, the Lebanese Society of Family Medicine, the Cuban Order of Physicians, and the Cuban Society of Family Medicine.
Dr. Zeina El Hachem
MD - Medical Coordinator
Dr Zeina El Hachem received her MD from the American University of Beirut in 2004 and her Family Medicine specialization diploma from the Universite Saint Joseph in 2011. She has been working at the day-care oncology center at Hayek hospital since October 2011 and has an extensive experience in the supportive care of cancer patients.
Saria Gerges
Head of Nursing Unit
After graduating in 2007 from the Lebanese University with a BS degree in nursing, Saria worked at St. Charles Hospital in the surgical and intensive care units until 2009. She then worked at AUBMC for seven years in the Obstetric Gynecology (Oncology, Gynecology) department. She has a certificate from the National Collaboration Prenatal, Neonatal Network and another certificate on acute pain. During her years at AUBMC, Saria was a member of the Pain Committee at the hospital. She was also awarded the Best Ob-Gyn Registered Nurse. She has been a member of SANAD since April 2016.
Hamsa Bou Hadir
RN
Mrs. Bou Hadir attained her BS degree in nursing from the Lebanese University in 2012. She worked at Sacré Coeur Hospital for a year and then moved to Levant Hospital where she worked for two years. Mrs. Bou Hadir completed her nursing studies at the Lebanese University, after which she became a surgical Registered Nurse for two years at la Clinique du Levant. She has also served as a pediatric RN at Sacre Coeur Hospital. In March 2017, she joined SANAD as a hospice nurse. She is passionate about working with and supporting terminally ill patients, which motivated her to become part of SANAD’s team.
Ali Attwi
RN
While studying for his BS in nursing from the Lebanese University, which he later acquired in 2006, Mr. Attwi started working in the Rafik Hariri University Hospital's Oncology Department in 2005. In 2009, he obtained a university diploma in nursing care specialized in Oncology from the Saint Joseph University. in 2010, Mr. Attwi joined the medical surgical department at the Clemenceau Medical Center. There, he worked till 2020 while simultaneously operating as a part time nurse at the IOM between 2015 and 2017, and a nurse in SIDC between 2017 and 2020.
Mr. Attwi joined SANAD as a palliative care nurse in October 2020.
Rasha Zouki
RN - Beqaa Office
After graduating from the Lebanese University with a bachelor’s degree in Nursing Sciences, Mrs. Zouki joined the Libano Francais Hospital where she served for 12 years as a Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse. She recently joined SANAD to serve as a hospice nurse in the Mid-Beqaa office.
MENTAL HEALTH TEAM
Chantale Khadra
Head of Mental Health Unit
After graduating from the Lebanese University in 2009, with a BA in Psychology, Chantale Khadra obtained her Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology in 2012 from the University of Balamand.
Under the supervision of Professor Leila Chikhani, Ms Khadra completed four years of training in Analytical Psychotherapy. Throughout her career she has attended drama therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy trainings at the University of Colombia. Her practice relies primarily on her clinical experience with patients of all ages and from different backgrounds.
Mrs. Khadra had previously worked as a psychotherapist and a mental health consultant in different local and international NGOs in Lebanon.
Chantale Khadra joined SANAD in September 2018 as a member in the mental health unit and as a hospice psychologist.
Hala El Amine
Psychologist
Ms. El Amine graduated from the University of Reading, UK, in 2019 with a MSc in clinical aspects of psychology. She finished her clinical training at the AUBMC clinical psychology training program. She joined SANAD in June 2022 as a clinical psychologist.
QUALITY, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT UNIT
Farah Demachkieh
Head of Unit (Quality Research and Development–QRD)
Ms. Demachkieh holds a bachelor’s degree in Nursing Sciences from the American University of Beirut and has 10 years experience in nursing clinical practice in emergency and sports medicine fields both in Lebanon and Qatar. She newly pursued her master’s degree in public health with focus on health promotion and community health from AUB.
Her recent public health experience focused on operational research targeting disadvantaged populations in addition to process evaluation and needs assessment at primary health care settings.
Ahmed Kassab
Quality and Research Officer
Hala Mokdad
Quality and Training Officer
FUNDRAISING AND ADMINISTRATION TEAM
Ayman Abdou
Head of Management and Fundraising Team
Mr. Abdou joined SANAD in 2015 as an Administrative and Fundraising Officer. Additionally, he is responsible of the overall direction and execution of manegerial processes including finances, human resources, and organizational management at SANAD. Mr. Abdou holds a master’s degree in economics from Université Saint-Joseph in Lebanon and is currently undergoing his PhD studies in macroeconomics.
Hussein Taleb
Accountant
Mr. Taleb has substantial experience in management accounting in the private sector, and more than six years of commitment to SANAD as its accountant.
Lamia Karanouh
Management Focal Point
Mrs. Karanouh graduated from Saint Joseph University in Beirut with a degree in Public Relations in 2001. Mrs. Karanouh’s expertise includes human resources management, external communication and coordination, marketing planning, and business development. Mrs. Karanouh moved back to Lebanon and joined SANAD in February 2018 as an administration and human resources officer.
Maha Chmaitelly
Administration Assistant
Mrs. Chmaitelly holds an LLB from the Beirut Arab University. After her graduation in 1999, Mrs. Chmaitelly joined Al Zahraa Hospital as a treasurer of the nursing department. Mrs. Chmaitelly joined SANAD as an admin assistant in July 2020.
Najah Raya
Communications Officer
Reem Souheil
Fundraising and Communications Assistant
LOGISTICAL SUPPORT TEAM
Ali El Sayed
Field Officer - Logistical Support
Bilal Bashir
Field Officer - Logistical Support