Kimberly King

Programs Director

Kimberly, a native of Ohio, enlisted in the U.S. Army and traveled during her 4-years of service throughout the United States and abroad. After completing her time in the service, she moved to Maryland to pursue her degree in Business Administration and Management.

She has worked in various levels of management for the last 25 years, the most recent being Programs Director of Civilizations Exchange and Cooperation Foundation. She works in close coordination with Imam Arafat on all programs, including the Better Understanding for a Better World Conferences (BUBWs), International Observer Programs (IOPs), Study Abroad Programs (SAPs), English Language and Culture Programs (EL&CPs), Regional Imams Conferences (RICs) and other CECF programs. She administers the follow up with Alumni in 78 countries.

Since becoming Muslim in 1989, she continued studying Qur’an, Arabic, and Islamic Studies in Islamic Centers throughout Maryland, D.C., and Virginia before traveling to Damascus, Syria to advance her studies.

She coordinated and led a study circle for Muslim Women in the Washington, D.C. area and has been a guest speaker for courses on Islam at various colleges, universities, mosques, churches, and other institutions.

Hakeem A. Buuza

Public Diplomacy / Outreach Programs Coordinator

Hakeem is a Public Affairs and Strategic Communications specialist with over 15 years of experience. He is the Public Diplomacy/Outreach Programs Coordinator at Civilizations Exchange & Cooperation Foundation (CECF). Prior to that, he was the Social media and Outreach Programs Coordinator at the U.S. Embassy in Kampala, Uganda in East Africa. He managed the Embassy’s CVE programs.

At the U.S. Embassy Kampala, he also worked with the U.S. Africa Command, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany and doubled as the Security Cooperation Program Assistant. He oversaw public affairs outreach on U.S. military assistance & Security Cooperation programs. He was also a member of the U.S. Ambassador’s advisory team on regional political, economic, and social developments.

Mr. Buuza has social and multimedia training from the Foreign Service Institutes (FSI) in Vienna-Austria and Washington DC. He holds a B.A. in Mass Communication. He has extensive communications experience as a former Journalist and Political Radio Talk-show Host. He also has several years of Marketing and Public Relations experience in the telecommunications industry. His other work has been in social media and security and data management with Triple Canopy Inc.

Dominic Dorse

Program Assistant

Dominic received his Associates Degree in Earth Sciences from Keystone College in Pennsylvania and his BA in History from Rutgers University-Camden in New Jersey. While attending Rutgers Camden, he studied Middle Eastern History in Jordan with AMIDEAST for six months and gained a deep appreciation for the people and culture. He has worked in Inventory Management for the last five years and as a Project Manager Field Inspector for nine years prior to that.

His strong belief in promoting understanding among people of different backgrounds lead him to volunteer with Civilizations Exchange and Cooperation Foundation (CECF) in the Better Understanding for a Better World (BUBW) Conferences for high school youth and in the exchange and training programs for Imams, clergy, scholars, and community leaders called International Observer Programs (IOP). In 2017, he was hired as a Program Assistant.

Sarah Arafat

Program Coordinator

Sarah graduated from Notre Dame of Maryland University with a bachelor’s degree in biology to pursue a career in dentistry. While attending NDMU, she was the president of the Muslim Student Association and the Biology Honor Society. She is currently finishing her second year of dental school at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, and she is the vicepresident of the Muslim Student Association.

Professionally, Sarah has been serving as a long-term intern for Civilizations Exchange and Cooperation Foundation as a Youth Programs Coordinator. In 2017, upon graduation from NDMU, she became a Program Coordinator for CECF’s International Observer Programs and Better Understanding for a Better World (BUBW) Conferences. Sarah has also been serving as a private Qur’an tutor for young children over the past four years. She values diversity, cultural competency, the concept of global citizenship and believes we can all contribute to improving our world.

Gracie Davis

Intern Programs Coordinator

Gracie assumed duties as an Intern Programs Coordinator with Civilizations Exchange and Cooperation Foundation in the Interfaith and Public Diplomacy Programs in January 2019. Previously she served as an American Student Ambassador in Tunisia speaking on American foreign relations and taking part in national policy discussions. She was the youngest recipient of the Kennedy-Luger Finland-US Youth Exchange scholarship program where she spent time in the Finnish Ministry of Education and the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki. Miss Davis has experience in public relations and conflict resolution.

Miss Davis attends Texas A&M University, where she majors in International Studies focusing on Policy and Diplomacy in the Middle East with minors in the Arabic language and Military Studies. A member of the Corps of Cadets Squadron 6, she was named Most Outstanding Cadet in 2018. Her duties include Career Readiness, Public Relations, Community Service and Event Planning. As a cadet in the Air Force ROTC, she is assigned to Detachment 805.

Tasmeem Mehzabeen

International Outreach Coordinator & International Advisory Board Member

Tasmeem Mehzabeen serves as the International Outreach Coordinator at the Civilizations Exchange & Cooperation Foundation (CECF) and is a member of its International Advisory Board. In her role, she develops and implements strategic social initiatives designed to empower and strengthen communities worldwide. She also oversees CECF’s flagship Better Understanding for a Better World (BUBW) program, which fosters cross-cultural dialogue and leadership development among youth.

Tasmeem’s connection with CECF began in 2008 when, as a KL-YES scholar, she participated in BUBW during her exchange year in the United States. As a proud BUBW alumna, she has remained deeply engaged with the program and its mission. In 2020, she joined CECF as Alumni Relations Coordinator before transitioning into her current role as International Outreach Coordinator in 2022.

Beyond her work at CECF, Tasmeem is pursuing a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Cybersecurity at Kingston University, London. Her professional and academic pursuits reflect her passion for leading projects at the intersection of innovation and community impact – bridging global cooperation with practical solutions in technology and social development.

Nicholas Enoch

CECF Program Coordinator

Nick started his journey at CECF in 2022 as a Programs Intern. He has met and connected with delegates from Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, and other countries. Nick also served as a Program Coordinator and facilitated both virtual and in-person Better Understanding for a Better World (BUBW) conferences in 2023 and 2024. In addition to his experience at CECF, he has worked in the federal government, serving as an intern for the U.S Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy. He has developed skills in social media marketing, public relations, graphic design, and policy and grant writing.

He graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Government and Politics-International Relations, with a specialization in Asia and Southeast Asia politics. While at the UMD, he served as the Vice President of the Muslim Student Association, VP of Marketing and Public Relations for the UMD Senior Council, a leader in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences as a College Ambassador, Peer Mentor, and representative on the Dean’s Student Advisory Council. Nick received multiple leadership awards and accolades, such as being inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, a Prestigious National Leadership Honor Society, inducted into the National Political Science and Transfer Student Honor Societies, and recognized as a member of the 2024 Maryland Medallion Society for exemplary collegiate leadership on campus.

After graduating, he returned to CECF to continue coordinating, facilitating, and developing national and international programs. He plans to get a masters’ degree in International Relations with a focus on Southeast Asian politics, and he hopes to work as a Policy Analyst in the future focusing on Southeast Asian political and economic policies or work in the foreign service.

Lucy Achieng Wagoro

CECF International Coordinator

Lucy Wagoro is the Civilizations Exchange & Cooperation Foundation, International Program Coordinator. Her unwavering passion and vision are to create a peaceful world that embraces humanity’s unique abilities, talents, and God-given gifts, without discrimination based on religion, belief, race, or tribe.

As the CECF International Program Coordinator, she has been responsible for coordinating hybrid meetings and programs in Africa, Europe, Asia, and the U.S.

Lucy is a certified Psychosocial advanced training specialist and has also obtained a certificate in child protection from PSS Finish Mission Kenya. She has been volunteering with the FMK for over 10 years, teaching churches and other organizations about the importance of life and raising up an all-round healthy individual.

Lucy holds a first-class honors degree in Computer Technology from the Technical University of Kenya and currently works as an ICT Educator. She is absolutely thrilled to take on the role of International Program Coordinator within this program.