Rihab Elhaj began work on human development in the Middle East in 2006 following a nomination by the United Nations as the UNGYLS delegate for advocacy of the MDGs in Libya. Extending her work toward human development with a focus on horizontal leadership development, Rihab co-founded Inara in 2009, as a leadership coaching and human resource development company. At the onset of the Libyan revolution, Rihab also co-founded The New Libya Foundation (NLF), a capacity building organization currently operating in Tripoli and Misurata. The NLF was initiated through a series of humanitarian aid projects during the revolution. Today, its “incubator” offices provide training, coaching and mentorship for civil society organizations on the role of civil society in democracy, organizational development, community outreach, advocacy and horizontal leadership. NLF also conducts research and coordinates the development of CSO networks and campaigns for national advocacy. Rihab is trained as a professional coach through Accomplishment Coaching, and accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF.) She received a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Political Science from Marymount University in Washington D.C. graduating summa cum laude.
