The SMSP Team

In collaboration with the Board of Trustees and her colleagues, Angela Migally leads the institutional and strategic vision of the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation. 

She has the great joy of working with a multi-disciplinary and multi-national team to define the contours of the Foundation’s work across its strategic pillars as well as to lead on the exploration of emerging focus areas. Currently, the Foundation’s portfolio includes strategic initiatives in creative entrepreneurship, secondary education, and the UAE Integrated Storytelling Project. Although the Foundation’s portfolio is varied, its work centers on capability building, investment in the creation of UAE intellectual property, and exploration of the future of the UAE identity.

Migally came to Abu Dhabi in 2010 to join former NYU President John Sexton’s teaching team. She supported Sexton in teaching US Constitutional Law at NYU Abu Dhabi and served as Deputy Director of the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholars Program.

Before coming to Abu Dhabi, Migally was a constitutional litigator practicing in the areas of the First Amendment and Civil Rights. She received a Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from Oberlin College.

Ayan Ibrahim is the Academic and Student Affairs Senior Specialist and Lead Course Facilitator for the NYUAD Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Community Program, where she oversees all academic aspects of the NYUAD Summer Academy and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholars Program. She supports faculty in course planning and curriculum development and ensures alignment with program objectives. Ayan also manages recruitment, staff selection, and various administrative tasks to ensure smooth programmatic execution. She is also the teaching assistant for the SMSP course, Ideas of the Sacred taught by Professor John Coughlin.

Ibrahim holds a Bachelor's in Journalism and Psychology and a Master's in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, concentrating on Reading/Language and Literacy Education, from Georgia State University. With over a decade of teaching experience, Ibrahim is dedicated to fostering critical thinking and student-centered learning. Before joining NYUAD Community Programs, she worked as an Associate Writing Instructor for the Writing Program at NYU Abu Dhabi.

Dr. Aysha Aljaberi is the Assistant Vice Provost of the Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Community Programs and the PhD Pathways Program at NYU Abu Dhabi. She provides strategic and operational leadership across academic, administrative, and cross-cultural initiatives designed to develop exceptional Emirati students and scholars.

A certified clinical scientist, Aljaberi has held multiple senior roles across healthcare operations, research, and academia in Abu Dhabi. She previously served as Director of the Disease Prevention and Screening Center and managed the main laboratories of Ambulatory Health Services in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.

Her key achievements include expanding service access through the opening of new centers in Abu Dhabi and Al Dhafra, increasing market share and revenue, standardizing disease prevention protocols across facilities, and securing national and international laboratory accreditations. She also served as an adjunct faculty member in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Higher Colleges of Technology.

Aljaberi holds a PhD and a Master of Research in Biomedical Sciences/Biochemistry from the medical schools of the University of Nottingham and the University of Strathclyde, respectively, and a BSc from UAE University. Her published research focuses on cancer cell and molecular biology. She is a recipient of the Sheikh Rashid Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievement and Academic Excellence, granted by the UAE Embassy in London.

As an educator, Aljaberi is passionate about mentorship, teaching, and student development, particularly in supporting youth to become confident, ethical, and globally minded leaders. She is also passionate about improving the quality of life for people of determination.

Erich Dietrich researches, publishes, and teaches on the history and internationalization of higher education, equity in access to higher education, and affirmative action policies in a comparative, international context.

With a research focus on diversity and equity in higher education, Dietrich has published on affirmative action policies in Brazil and has served on the advisory board for the Institute of International Education’s International Academic Partnership Program for Brazil. He regularly teaches a graduate-level study abroad course, "Race, Class and Equity in Higher Education in Brazil." He is co-PI on a grant from the CAPES Foundation of the Brazilian Ministry of Education on “Access and Retention of Black Students in Higher Education: Advances and Challenges in a Comparative Perspective.”

Dietrich is co-Director with Sebastian Cherng of the SAGE (Study Away and Global Education) Research Project, which includes CASSIE, the Consortium for Analysis of Student Success through International Education, a federally funded, quantitative research project that expands the empirical evidence on international education and student outcomes with data from over 40 colleges and universities.

Dietrich serves as an Ambassador for the Magna Charta Universitatum Observatory and is a former Board Member of AIEA, the association of leaders in international higher education, and former National Chair of NAFSA's International Education Leadership Knowledge Community (IEL-KC).

From 2009-2019, Dietrich was Assistant Vice President of NYU Global Programs and Associate Dean of Global Affairs at NYU Steinhardt. He holds a PhD from New York University, a master’s from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a BA, magna cum laude, from Carleton College.

Dietrich is a 2022 recipient of NYU Steinhardt's Teaching Excellence Award and received a Fulbright International Education Award to India in 2016. By invitation from the US Embassy and the Greek Ministry of Education, he conducted capacity-building workshops for study abroad in Greece in 2019. Starting in 2023, he is a Fulbright Specialist for a three-year term. Dietrich also serves as an instructor for the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholars Program and the NYUAD Summer Academy.

Haile Ademe is an accomplished mathematics educator with over a decade of experience in various leadership and teaching roles within the academic realm. With a diverse background encompassing positions such as Head of Math, Vice Principal, Academic Programmer, AP and IB Math Educator, and University Lecturer. Ademe holds a BSc degree in Applied Mathematics, a BA degree in Management, a Master's degree in Mathematics, a Master of Education in Advanced Teaching from the United States, and a Professional Postgraduate Teaching Diploma in Math from Al Ain University.

Ademe's teaching approach centers around fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment where students are encouraged to engage critically with mathematical concepts. Through a combination of real-world applications, collaborative projects, and personalized feedback, Ademe aims to instill a deep appreciation for the beauty and relevance of mathematics in his students. By promoting a growth mindset and emphasizing the importance of perseverance and resilience in the face of challenges, Ademe empowers his students to become confident problem solvers and lifelong learners in mathematics and science.

A Franciscan priest since 1983, John J. Coughlin, O.F.M., serves as Global Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies and Law and affiliated faculty at the NYU School of Law. He is the founding program head of Legal Studies at NYU Abu Dhabi. After graduating from Harvard Law School, he clerked for the Hon. Frank X. Altimari of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and then completed his doctorate in canon law at the Gregorian University in Rome. A doctor utriusque iuris, Coughlin was a member of the Holy See’s delegation to the United Nations treaty conference that established the International Criminal Court

Professor Coughlin has taught at universities in New York, London, South Bend, and Rome. Among his teaching awards, his students have selected him as Professor of the Year on several occasions. In addition to teaching, he has practiced law, served in administrative positions, and been a trustee of hospital and college boards. Professor Coughlin's teaching and research interests include canon law, comparative legal systems, law and religion, legal ethics, religious studies, theology, legal philosophy and jurisprudence, human rights, and comparative religion.

Maleha Arif is a dedicated educator with a passion for integrating technology into learning. She holds a Bachelor's degree in English Language and Literature and a Master of Education, providing her with a robust foundation in teaching and educational leadership. Arif began her career in Dubai, then moved to Al Ain, and is currently employed at NYU Abu Dhabi. Her innovative approach to education and her dedication to staying abreast of emerging technologies exemplify her commitment to creating dynamic, engaging, and future-ready learning environments.

Arif is the Operations and Recruitment Manager for Summer Academy and has also taught Critical Thinking and Writing as well as Leadership and Public Speaking. This will be her third year teaching Critical Thinking and Persuasive Writing to SMSP, where she continues to inspire and equip scholars with essential skills for their academic and professional futures. Passionate about both academic and creative writing, Arif emphasizes that, in a world where AI is taking over many writing tasks, the voice and creativity of scholars and students can never be replaced. She uses AI as a tool in both her writing and art, demonstrating its potential while reinforcing the irreplaceable value of human creativity.

Outside of her professional life, Arif enjoys creating art. She started her art journey by painting large-sized canvases using acrylics and has now ventured into the world of digital art. Her art can be seen in Women’s History Month collaborations, NFT Bali, and Coin Coffee.

Povashni Naidu is the Programming and Strategy Manager for both the NYU Abu Dhabi Summer Academy and the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholars Program. Since joining the programs in 2013, she has been instrumental in shaping and executing educational initiatives that promote academic excellence and leadership among high-achieving students.

Before her role at NYUAD, Naidu successfully coordinated several international medical conferences for Synovetics in Abu Dhabi, showcasing her expertise in large-scale event planning and stakeholder coordination. She began her career in South Africa with Massdiscounters as a graduate associate, where she was later promoted to oversee training for the company’s national retail operations.

Naidu holds an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, a Diploma in Human Resource Management from the University of South Africa, and a Master of Science in Education from the University of Glasgow. With a strong foundation in education, corporate training, and strategic program development, she brings a thoughtful and impactful approach to her work with students and institutional partners alike.

Sara Aldhaheri is a Program Coordinator for the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Community Programs. She acquired her BA in International Relations from Zayed University. Politics and history are subjects close to her heart. Outside of work, she enjoys spending her time with cats and learning the Russian language.

Sophia Kalantzakos is Global Distinguished Professor in Environmental Studies and Public Policy. Her research focuses on resources and power, on new spatial imaginaries that reflect the changing ways that we think of global space and interdependence, and on the new emergent patterns and avenues of possibilist thinking as a way of re-imagining geopolitics for the 21st century. Her work, for example, has examined how the strategic value of mineral deposits for the decarbonization of the global economy and the fourth industrial revolution intersects with a changing post-carbon resource map accelerating geopolitical realignments between the developing and developed world.

Her recent research unpacks the implications of the push toward the unification of Eurasia and Africa as a result of the climate emergency, China’s global aspirations illustrated through the belt and road initiative, Europe’s reckoning with a seismic push against both its normative and economic power and the US’s re-evaluation of its leadership role in the global order. Kalantzakos’ work examines how current epistemic systems will need to give way to new modes of thinking. As nation-states are turning inward in response to demands for de-globalization even while future challenges remain intensely global, her work advances the construction of dynamic, inclusive, and action-oriented responses to the greatest challenges facing our global commons.

Dylan Read serves as a graduate school advisor for the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholars Program, supporting both current scholars and alumni as they research programs and prepare applications for competitive graduate opportunities around the world. With over 20 years of experience in education, including more than a decade in university advising and career counseling, he brings a wealth of knowledge to students navigating this next step in their academic journeys.

Before joining NYU Abu Dhabi, Read worked as a career and university counselor at ADNOC Schools, where he guided students in securing admission to top international universities. He holds two master’s degrees in counseling and education, along with dual bachelor’s degrees in psychology and secondary education from Arizona State University. Having lived in the UAE for over 12 years, Read has a strong understanding of the regional education landscape. He remains passionate about mentoring ambitious students as they pursue advanced study and professional growth. Outside of work, he enjoys golfing, hiking, traveling, and music.