Susan Dakak

Susan Dakak is the president of WAFDI.

"Currently serving as the Pan-Arab Media Engagement Officer for the United States Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida. Responsibilities include building relations with Arab Media to put forth truthful and positive stories regarding the War in Iraq and its progress.  Arrange for US CENTCOM officials to be interviewed by the Arab Media.  Form Alliances with Arab spokespersons who are spreading positive information about the US. Middle East Cultural Advisor to CENTCOM.     "A native of Iraq, Mrs. Dakak has resided in the United States since 1978. She graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a degree in Civil Engineering and worked for more than 20 years in the field of water and wastewater system rehabilitations. Susan's specialized in the Trenchless Technologies methods and became the leader of this field in Tennessee and Kentucky water Environment Associated. She was the recipient of the KY-TN WEA Badel Award in 2002 while chairing the Wastewater Collection Committee.

"In April 2003, she volunteered to travel to Iraq to assist the U.S. Department of Defense in the reconstruction efforts there. She traveled to Iraq in January 2004 and served as a consultant, lending her expertise in the rehabilitation of water and sewer systems throughout Iraq to the Coalition Provisional Authority. Mrs. Dakak also has been providing assistance to the newly appointed Iraqi government in the areas of democracy, women rights, process management, and projects management.

"In addition, she is a member of the Women's Alliance for Democratic Iraq. In July 2004, Mrs. Dakak played a primary role in hosting 13 Iraqi women delegates who visited the United States for democracy and civil society training. These Iraqi delegates and campaign hopefuls were invited to visit the President in his Oval Office.

"Over the last year, Mrs. Dakak has been interviewed by over 50 radio and television programs about her experiences in Iraq. She was a finalist for the YWCA woman of the year award in Knoxville, Tennessee, and was one of two Iraqi-American women invited to the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York. At the 2004 Republican Convention, Mrs. Dakak was a panelist on a forum regarding safeguarding women around the world."