Dr. Najah Ashry is Senior Associate to the President and Vice President of Strategic National Advancement at KAUST and was the founder of the organization. She previously served as Assistant Provost for Student Affairs at KAUST and Dean of the female section at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah. Dr. Ashry has also served as Vice Dean of Admissions and Registration, deputy director of the Information Technology Center, and chairwoman of the Accounting Department. She participated in numerous strategic and executive committees and boards at the University and in Saudi Arabia. Dr. Ashry earned a doctorate in Management Information Systems and a postgraduate Diploma in Research Methods from the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom. She obtained a bachelor‘s in Computer Science (magna cum laude) and a master‘s in Business Administration from Seattle University in the United States.

Saham Al-Husseini is the Director of Undergraduate and Scholarship Programs at the KAUST Gifted Student Program. As director, he oversees all aspects of the program, from student selection, undergraduate placement, advising and student support, enrichment and development, student services, policy, and operations. Saham’s role with KGSP follows other significant leadership positions at KAUST. His experience comes from holding positions in both academic and non-academic administration, mainly in the Registrar Office, Admissions and Enrollment, Advanced Placement, Strategic Relations, Project Management, and Operational Oversight.

Sarah Smith is the Associate Director for Undergraduate and Scholarship Programs at KAUST. She has been with the University since the beginning, having joined as a Founding Member prior to its 2009 inauguration. While at KAUST, Sarah has cultivated an in-depth understanding of the Kingdom's rapidly evolving education ecosystem and knowledge economy, leveraging this expertise to support the University’s national priorities related to talent development in a transforming Saudi Arabia, with a focus on international education management. Currently based in the US, Sarah provides strategic guidance and oversight of the KGSP Scholarship, focusing on program development, student support, undergraduate placement, communications, events, and partnership management. Sarah's interests and experience include global higher education policy and cross-sector engagement across the US and MENA. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College and a master’s degree from Georgetown University.

Nabila works closely with the KGSP team on all programmatic areas and coordinates with the Saudi Cultural Mission. Prior to joining KAUST in 2008, Nabila worked on a number of student and professional exchange programs, including the State Department’s Fulbright and Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship programs, and served as a Business Development Manager at the US-Saudi Arabian Business Council. Nabila is a former Fulbright Scholar. She holds a master’s in Arab Studies with a Business Concentration and a Certificate in International Business Diplomacy from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. She also has a master’s in English from Indiana University and a bachelor’s degree in ESL and Teacher Training from the Ecole Normale Superieure in Tunisia.

Walid Abediseid works as an academic development specialist for Young Talent Development programs at Saudi Affairs. In 2014, he joined the Saudi Research Science Institute (SRSI) to help the team in managing all academic and non-academic aspects of the program. In October 2016, he joined the KGSP where he is responsible in monitoring and reviewing the academic performance of students, and managing the admission process. Walid completed his PhD in Electrical Engineering in 2011, from the University of Waterloo, Canada. He joined KAUST in 2011 as a postdoctoral fellow in Electrical Engineering, where he conducted intensive research in the field of Digital and Wireless Communications. He also worked as an instructor for Mathematical Engineering courses at both foundation and graduate levels. Walid earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Ottawa, Canada.

Lu Xu joined the KGSP team in 2016. Her role is to support the KGSP admission and summer enrichment program in KSA. Prior to working at KAUST, Lu worked as a human resource coordinator at Apple. She holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Pittsburgh.

In her previous role as part of the In-Kingdom Career Launch Program (IKCLP), Sara worked to assist the talented KAUST Graduates in starting their careers in Saudi Arabia. In August 2018, Sara joined KGSP as a Scholarship Officer. In her new role, she monitors and review the academic performance of students, and provide support in admission process. Sara holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Electronics Engineering from Applied Science University, Jordan. Since her graduation, Sara also worked in university research projects and engineering project management.