Board of Directors

Irene Awad-Shendi is a 25-year veteran educator in the social sciences serving in an underserved community. She taught Honors World and Advanced Placement (AP) European History and coached Academic Decathlon teams for 22 years with great success. Three years ago, she accepted a new position at the district office. Her role as the Secondary Education History-Social Science Program Specialist is to support curriculum and instruction for grades 6-12 in the humanities. Additionally, she is the district trainer for Universal Design for Learners (UDL), Teacher Clarity, and Multi-Tiered System Support (MTSS), and manages financial literacy and ethnic studies curriculum writing. Moreover, she is the district liaison to her county office of education to develop capacity in other educators. She is a content and pedagogy coach, provides site support for professional development, and provides technical assistance on assessments and data. She has an International Baccalaureate Diploma, a Bachelor's in Political Science, a Master's in Education, Curriculum Design & Instruction, and a Master's in Educational Leadership. She also holds a National Board credential. She has received many accolades for her two and a half decades of service, including the Golden and Crystal Apple Awards, and as an inductee into her district’s Hall of Fame and a Gilder Lehrman History Teacher of the Year candidate. Irene attends Saint Mina Church in Riverside and has done so since 1989. She served as a Sunday School servant from 1995 to 2017. Since 2017, she serves as the Sunday School coordinator for TK to College. This includes curriculum lesson design and study with new servants, servant meetings and spiritual days, and all church events. She also supports church youth and their families with academic advice and course plans during Family Meeting nights. Lastly, she is the church representative for CEF and has done so for a number of years. Lastly, she provides pro-bono services to those requesting letters of recommendation, personal statement revision, and resume/CV edits.

Howaida began her career as an Assistant Professor of English in the Los Angeles Community College District. She then transitioned to become a Human Resources Manager in various organizations. Howaida earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ain Shams University in British Literature and a master’s degree from California State University Los Angeles in Comparative Literature. Howaida began her involvement with CEF as a mentor, and eventually increased her involvement to also serve on the Board of Directors. She is passionate about meeting with the youth and parents in her congregation and emphasizing the value of a strong education, particularly for those who are the first generation to attend college in the United States.

Michael is a Manager at Capital Group, a global investment management firm in Los Angeles. His work is focused on the oversight and governance of the firm’s strategic projects related to sales, marketing, and product management. Prior to joining Capital, Michael led strategic initiatives for Fortune 500 companies and government agencies as a management consultant at Accenture and at Capco. Michael graduated Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude, and with distinction from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology, certificate in markets and management, and minor in religion. He also holds a certificate in disruptive strategy from Harvard Business School. Michael brings his deep passion for youth empowerment and ensuring equitable access to college and career preparation to his role on the CEF Board. In addition, he is the Founder and President of ImPOWER Youth and serves on the City of Yorba Linda’s Library Commission.

Mina Hanin served in the California State Senate as a Fellow and Policy Aide and in the Executive branch within the California Department of Finance, the chief fiscal advisory entity for the Governor. Mina earned a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of California Riverside and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Government and Policy from California State Sacramento. Moreover, Mina graduated valedictorian of both the Honors Program and his respective college. He is a member of the distinguished Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society and was awarded the notable Capital Fellows Program Fellowship. Throughout his undergraduate years, Mina participated in many organizations. As a first-generation immigrant in the United States, Mina holds a special interest in public policy and leadership. He served in various capacities within California at the local, county, and state levels. Mina currently is a Social and urban Policy Editor for the Harvard Kennedy School Review and is pursuing his Master in Public Policy from Harvard University.