Short Biography

Born May 1979, in Jerusalem, Ra'id grew up in Beit-Sahour, Palestine. After obtaining elementary and secondary education from Talitha Kumi High School, Beit-Jala, Ra'id earned a B.B.A. in Accounting from Bethlehem University and graduated with highest honors summa cum laude, valedictorian of the 2001 class. Thereafter, Ra'id traveled to the United States on a scholarship to join the M.B.A. program at Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois, where he received his degree with double concentrations in M.I.S. and E-Business in December 2003. Ra'id had shown love and passion for reading, writing, scouting and music at a very early age. He plays the piano, recorder and bagpipes and is a member of various church, university and professional choirs singing as a Baritone. He participated in national and international Scouting conferences and meetings and won many awards and prizes. His participation in the 1998 International Institute for Economic and Political Studies in Athens - Greece, is something he takes great pride in.

Ra'id has always had an interest for the creative applications of technology in business. He is interested in pursuing a Ph.D. degree in this field, studying issues such as projecting a sound ethical framework that could help businesses, especially in developing countries, adopt successfully different technologies into operations taking into consideration ethics and controls to assure correct business practices.

Professionally, Ra'id worked as an accountant for the Golden Park Resort in his hometown, also, did graphic design projects for the United Nations Development Program in Jerusalem. He was appointed to the Faculty of Business Administration at Bethlehem University in February 2004.

adapted from <http://www.tfas.org/alumni/profiles/iipes/shomali.htm>