Faisal joined Meridian International Center in 2012 after completing an internship in the Professional Exchanges Division of Meridian. Since then, he has provided logistical, financial, and proposal writing support for the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). He also serves on the training team where he instructs and guides new Program Associates on all aspects of the position. Faisal is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park with a B.A. in Government and Politics as well as a minor in Arabic Language. He returned to Maryland to complete his Master’s in Public Policy specializing in International Development. During his undergraduate program, he studied intensive Arabic at Alexandria University in Egypt. Most recently in graduate school, he served as a consultant with the Grameen Foundation’s Bankers Without Borders Program where he worked on a team to provide strategic planning for an environmental non-profit in New Delhi, India. He previously completed an internship at the Library of Congress' John Kluge Center, Office of Scholarly Programs, collaborating with the Kluge fellows on different research projects and publications. Faisal has also volunteered with the Somali American Community Association, an organization that helps the local diaspora of Somalis in the Washington, DC metro area. Faisal is has some proficiency in both Arabic and Somali.