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Too TAYP to handle - TAYP 2025

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## **Welcome to the 2025 TAYP Retreat!**



*The TAYP Retreat is more than just an event - it’s a chance to grow, connect, and create lifelong memories within a vibrant and supportive community. And this year, to celebrate TAYP's return to its birth land we’re taking things to the next level by empowering the retreat through Evey.*


    
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This app is your ultimate companion for the journey—a dynamic guide to help you navigate the retreat, stay organized, connect with fellow attendees, and make the most of every moment. From schedules and activities to real-time updates and community features, everything you need is right here at your fingertips.

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**Mar7be Bikom fi Atlanta!** Let’s make this retreat unforgettable - together.

We are a network of Tunisian American professionals committed to fostering a strong economic, social and cultural relationship between Tunisia and the United States to promote economic growth and development

Mahmoud is a TAYP co-founder and since 2014 leading TAYP's operations. He is Passionate and experienced technology and innovation leader with nearly 20 years of driving and scaling technological programs and products across digital financial services and products, and retail. 

Currently serving as Director of Product Strategy at a leading global corporate payments solutions provider. An entrepreneur and investor in fintech and start-ups, he has a proven track leveraging technology to drive growth and transformation. 

His background includes also 15 years of delivering and implementing predictive and analytical software solutions, adapting seamlessly to diverse international environments. Having lived and worked in 4 different countries and continents (US, France, Tunisia, Australia), it taught him to adapt to diverse professional and social environments and has fed his endless curiosity to learn and his desire to contribute.

Dr. Slim Souissi is the co-founder and CEO of OSPITEK. He is also founder and Chairman of MIOTIV, a fast growing IoT company based in San Diego, CA specialized in developing bespoke SAAS platforms for the healthcare and automotive industries. He is the former president and chief operating officer of Novatel Wireless and began his career as staff engineer with Motorola in '94 and made key contributions to the architecture of Motorola paging data networks, Flex and ReFlex. 

A career diplomat, an advocate of US-Tunisian relations, and a champion for women’s freedoms in her country; Her excellency Hanène Tajouri Bessassi is the Tunisian Ambassador in the US and  recently named the National US-Arab Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 Ambassador of the Year. 

Firas BenAchour served as TAYP President from 2013-2016. He is a seasoned healthcare and technology entrepreneur and a senior executive with 25 years of experience working with technology and healthcare startups, an angel investor and a mentor for several young entrepreneurs in the MENA region.

Wala is a passionate and multi-awarded tech entrepreneur dedicated to transforming education through innovation. Her journey in technology and education has been both exhilarating and rewarding, earning her prestigious recognitions such as the French President Award for Innovation, the Digital Woman of the Year, and being named Orange’s most innovative entrepreneur.

As the founder of ClassX, she is pioneering a first-to-market platform that bridges the gap between instructors, venues, and learners, fostering local skill-building communities. ClassX is designed to revolutionize the education landscape by providing seamless connections and opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Hatem is a subject matter expert in advanced analytics, data science and retail business processes. He led teams that have built, implemented and managed solutions to support processes from planning to supply chain. Prior to Cognira, Hatem co-founded Predictix (currently Infor). Prior to Predictix, Hatem held several roles at Retek (now known as Oracle Retail), ultimately serving as the Director of Retek Labs.

Mr. Kamel Braham, a Tunisian national, is the World Bank’s Resident Representative for Algeria, based in Algiers. He joined the World Bank in 2006, holding various positions focusing on human development and capacity-building programs in North Africa, the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, and East Asia. Mr. Braham acted as Administrator of the World Bank Scholarship Program, Lead Education Specialist in the West and Central Africa region, and Human Development program Leader for the Maghreb and Mashreq countries.

Before joining the World Bank, Mr. Braham led the UNESCO program in Iraq in 2005. Before that, between 1991 and 2003, he held several senior positions within the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education and Economic and Social Council. 

As the founder and director of Da Vinci International School, Soraya has been at the forefront of immersive bilingual education, shaping young minds through innovative learning approaches. With experience in international education and a commitment to fostering global citizenship, she brings valuable insights into the future of learning. 

Sophia is a medical student with focus on internal Medicine graduating Med-school in May 2025. She is the daughter of fellow panelist Cherub Kchouk & will be exploring her path as a second generation Tunisian in the US and her experience with the IEC

Monique B. Seefried, PhD, first served on the IB Council of Foundation (1996-1999) and later became Chair of the IB Board of Governors (2003-2009).  In 2023 she was appointed as an Honorary Member of the Board of Governors.  

Dr Seefried was born in Tunisia, and grew up in Austria, France and Italy.  In 1973 she married Ferdinand Carlos Seefried (an Austrian) in the Vatican City.
Dr Seefried has worked in education for over 40 years and has also been involved in the archaeological and museum world.  She started her career by teaching History and Geography in French high schools before moving to the USA, where she taught courses on Islamic art and ancient archaeology as an adjunct professor in the Art History Department of Emory University.
In June 2014, Dr Seefried was appointed by the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives to the World War I Centennial Commission and will complete her decade as a commissioner in 2024.  The government of France awarded her the Academic Palms, the Order of Merit and - in 2015 - the Legion of Honor with the rank of chevalier, and in 2019 she was made an officer in the French Order of Arts and Letters. In 2019 also, she was awarded the U.S. Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service

• Junior studying Finance & Business Economics and Public Policy at Wharton 
• Among 15 and 40 students nominated by the admission committee to prestigious Penn World Scholars and Joseph Wharton Scholars honors programs.
• President of Wharton Undergraduates and Public Policy (WUPP)
• Executive Vice President at Scholar of Finance (SOF), Wharton Women DEI Committee member, Girls Who Invest (GWI) Online Scholar 
• Former YES exchange student, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State

Dr. Meriem Guetat is an experienced professional in international education and program management. Currently serving as the Director of Programs at Amideast, she brings over a decade of hands-on experience from her work in North Africa. In her present role, she oversees a diverse range of educational and training programs across the organization as well as manages the implementation of Amideast proprietary exchange programs. Before her current position, Dr. Guetat held diverse roles at Amideast, being the Program Development Manager at Amideast HQ and the Director of Programs at Amideast Tunisia and Libya Operations.

Adam Soyah is the current CEO of 5 Seasons Mechanical. He previously worked at The Soyah Group as a Professional Consultant. Adam Soyah attended Georgia Institute of Technology.

Aziz is currently a senior at Emory University studying Finance & Economics. 
He is passionate about the investment world and has experience in financial markets across fixed income & equity markets in both the public and private markets. Post graduation Aziz will spend the summer at the Morgan Stanley office in New York in their Research Division before joining the investment team of Five Elms Capital, Private Equity firm with $4 Billion of committed capital investing primarily in software & technology companies. 

Aziz is the first ever Tunisian undergraduate student @ Emory and is fluent in 5 languages (Arabic, French, Spanish, English & Portuguese). He is also a huge sports fan priùairly soccer & basketball but also racquet sports (tennis, paddle & squash).

Dr. Dakhli is professor of International Business and holds a Ph.D. from the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. His research centers on the value-generating processes of human and social capital across different cultural and institutional settings and the implications on learning and innovation. Prior to joining GSU, he served as a faculty member at the American University of Kuwait, and taught at various places including the University of South Carolina, Azerbaijan State Oil Academy (Azerbaijan), the Caucasus School of Business (Republic of Georgia), and others.

Youssef is a Ph.D. candidate at the Operations Research Center at MIT. His research focuses on bridging the gap between the theoretical foundations of Markov random fields (also known as Graphical Models) and the Gibbs distribution in statistical mechanics, and their modern applications in decision-making, multi-agent reinforcement learning, and network inference. He is broadly interested in discrete probability, random structures, algorithms, and combinatorial optimization.

Tarek is a dynamic and entrepreneurial leader with over 28 years of diverse experience, including 11 years in international assignments across multicultural environments. He has held various finance and management roles in the UK (London), The Netherlands, France, and South Africa, leading large teams and organizations to notable successes. His expertise spans strategy implementation, process and systems design, planning and budgeting, performance management, credit and treasury management, as well as high-profile projects and change programs. Tarek operates effectively at both strategic and operational levels, with a keen ability to seize business opportunities and turn challenges into successes.  

He is currently leading RE/MAX Tunisia, one of the country’s fastest-growing real estate companies, and is actively seeking talented individuals with an entrepreneurial mindset to join the RE/MAX network as franchisees or independent real estate agents.

Myriam is an engineering student pursuing a double degree at Arts et Métiers and Georgia Tech. She is passionate about science and innovation and is eager to contribute to the energy and environmental transition. Dynamic, curious, and open-minded, she is always ready to take on new challenges.

Hamza Kamergi is a Business Unit Manager at Actemium Process Automation USA, based in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. With a strong background in industrial automation and process engineering, he brings international experience and a results-driven approach to leading teams and delivering innovative solutions. Hamza is passionate about optimizing industrial processes and driving operational excellence in complex environments.

Salem boasts a strong background in the business world and the Atlanta community. He has experience across accounting, taxation & consulting and is also a multi-business owner in the consumer & hospitality space. 

Mr. Gharbi provides tailored advice to businesses regarding employment laws and workplace issues. With thoughtful attention to each client, Mr. Gharbi’s approach draws on a wide range of experience with labor and employment issues to carefully guide employers toward workplace solutions. Whether a business is taking its first steps to assess a potential issue, or actively involved in defending a lawsuit or administrative charge, Mr. Gharbi is a trusted advisor. He works in lockstep with clients to mitigate risk and resolve issues with an emphasis on practical, business-focused resolutions. With the landscape of labor and employment law changing on a near-daily basis, Mr. Gharbi provides timely guidance in a dynamic and complex area of the law.

Adel Daghmouri is a Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at State Street Global Advisors (SSGA), where he plays a pivotal role in the Systematic Equity Active Group. With a robust background in quantitative equity portfolio management, Adel specializes in managing global investment strategies, focusing on systematic and quantitative approaches to equity investing. citeturn0search0 His expertise encompasses developing and implementing sophisticated investment models aimed at optimizing portfolio performance across diverse markets. Adel's extensive experience and analytical acumen contribute significantly to SSGA's mission of delivering innovative investment solutions to clients worldwide.

Noha Gahzaouani is a Tunisian living in Boston with 15+ years in technology. As expert in Product Management, she has made a career out of navigating the international tech landscape. When she’s not shaping products, you’ll catch her pounding the pavement as a passionate runner or sharing delicious dishes infused with Tunisian flavors. She thrives on human connections, loves to travel, and believes in soaking up every moment. Don’t hesitate to connect with her and share some stories!

Zied is the Middle East and North Africa portfolio leader at GHS, leveraging over 15 years of experience across philanthropy, government, civil society, and private sector. Prior to joining GHS, Zied devoted his efforts to fighting infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis in Africa and the Middle East. Alongside his public health career, Zied has a wealth of experience in media, collaborating with global media outlets such as CNN, Skynews, NPR, and 60 minutes to produce news stories and report from the field. Additionally, he hosted a daily radio show on Express FM Radio and founded an online news media. Zied is a trilingual medical doctor with two Masters in Public Health from the American University of Beirut and the University of Washington. He is also the co-founder of the Tunisian Center for Public Health, and serves as the president of Tunisian American Young Professionals. Zied is a Fulbright Alumnus and a Tutu fellow.


##### **8:00 AM - 9:00 AM : Arrival & registration**

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##### **9:00 AM - 10:00 AM : Warm Welcome by Atlanta TAYP hosts**
###### Welcome remarks & Icebreaker activities 
###### Sponsors introduction 
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##### **10:00 AM - 10:15 AM : TAYP Overview  by Zied Mhirsi (TAYP President)**
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##### **10:15 AM - 10:30 AM : Special remarks by her Excellency Hanene Tajouri Bessassi**

TAYP 2025 Kick-off 

##### This session explores the transformative role of technology and artificial intelligence in education. We’ll discuss both the opportunities and challenges that come with integrating these tools into learning environments, and reflect on how we can reimagine education to better prepare students for the evolving job market of the future.

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1– Digital transformation & the future of learning

##### Spotlights personal stories of perseverance, leadership lessons, and navigating high-pressure environments

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2- Innovation, Resilience and Leadership 

##### This session dives into the personal stories of growing up between two cultures. Speakers will share their ties to Tunisia, how they stay connected, and the moments that shaped their identity across both worlds

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3- Staying connected to Tunisia across generations

##### Explore Diverse career paths, how panelists overcame challenges and what students/other professionals can learn from their journey

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4- Unlocking Opportunities: Career Paths & Pivots

##### **4:45 PM -  5:15 PM : Closing Remarks by Oula Tarssim**
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##### **5:15 PM - 5:30 PM : Award Ceremony & Group photo**
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##### **5:30 PM - 6:30 PM : Networking Session & Marketplace** 
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##### **6:30 PM - 7:30 PM : Free Time** 

TAYP 2025 Closing 

Challenge #1 

Challenge #2

Challenge #3

1- Piano Recital 
2- Dinner 
3- Games 
4- DJ & Mezoued

Gala Dinner & Grand Finale

Award Ceremony

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###### Coffee, Tea and snacks will be available 
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Morning Sessions

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##### Lunch Menu:
###### Sandwich selection across a variety of artisan hand crafted sandwiches
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Lunch 

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###### Coffee, Tea and snacks will be available
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Afternoon Sessions

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##### Dinner Menu:  
###### Dinner includes a fresh salad and marinated tomatoes with mozzarella and balsamic. Guests can choose from salmon with lemon sauce, beef medallions, or herb-roasted chicken, served with rosemary potatoes, vegetables, and fresh rolls. Dessert features red velvet cupcakes and white chocolate bread pudding with caramel.
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