Dr. Lyla Kohistany
Chief Executive Officer
Lyla is an inclusion strategist, cultural intelligence advisor, and former U.S. Naval officer with over two decades of experience in the security sector, working with international military, government, and civilian organizations on issues such as countering violence extremism and counter terrorism.
Her lived experience as an Afghan refugee of the Soviet War and as a U.S. veteran underpin her refugee advocacy efforts and commitment to improving the lives of conflict-affected communities across the globe. She is a sought-after speaker and facilitator, has been featured in media outlets such as CNN, NPR, PBS, and The Washington Post, and contributed to numerous podcasts.
Lyla is an avid Star Wars aficionado, enjoys international travel, and spends every free moment with her niece and nephews.
Ahmad Khalid Noori
Program Strategist and Coordinator
Born in northern Afghanistan, Mr. Noori is a proud veteran of the Afghan Special Operations Community. An attack in late 2010 that killed his father, MG Noori, and wounded numerous other Afghan officials prompted Noori to join the Afghan Army. After being nominated to attend and graduating from a military academy in southern India, Noori began his military career in 2016 as Head of Office for Afghanistan’s Joint Special Operations Command. He rose to the rank of Captain and led a company of Ktah Khas (National Mission Unit) to conduct counter-terrorism operations in partnership with U.S. Special Operations Forces (USSOF) throughout Afghanistan. His service includes over 6 years of ground support and combat experience.
With a demonstrated track record of success with high-end combat operations, clandestine activities, intelligence, and other discreet operations, Noori has been awarded numerous honors for contributing to U.S. national security, defense, and foreign policy objectives. He provided regional, cultural, and linguistic atmospherics, shared knowledge of key actors and institutions, and leveraged informal networks of local contacts and influencers in the region. His steadfast leadership in providing the best military advice to both U.S. and Afghan officials was critical to U.S. security objectives throughout the region.
During his tenure within the Afghan Special Operations community, Mr. Noori received appreciation awards from the highest levels of the Afghan government for his outstanding service and achievements. Through his service, Noori cultivated strong skills in emergency planning/crisis response, leadership, communications, mentorship, and coaching. These skills helped him train future generations of troops/support staff and serve honorably alongside USSOF.
As a Program Manager at Honor the Promise, Noori leads the team’s efforts to identify the Afghan National Army Special Operations Forces members who were evacuated to the U.S. and ensure they have the support they need to achieve their resettlement goals.
Noori holds a postgraduate degree in Defense Management and Strategic Studies from Hindustan University. He is interested in space, enjoys traveling, and reading historical books. He also enjoys playing both soccer and Buzkashi (Afghanistan’s national sport featured in Rambo 3)!
Jennifer Brown
Financial Advisor
Jennifer has more than 35 years of financial, operations, and program management experience in the non-profit and government sectors. Her areas of expertise include financial analysis, financial systems integration, benchmarking, statistical methodologies and analysis, and infrastructure growth management.
Jennifer served as the Chief Financial and Operating Officer (CFOO) for the Washington Scholarship Fund, a nonprofit in the education reform sector. She spearheaded the strategic planning and managed the organization through its growth from an annual budget of $3 million to $17 million in less than a year. After five years as a senior analyst with Ernst & Young’s Association Services group, Jennifer performed financial process analysis of State governments’ distribution of federally funded programs, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Social Security, and Medicare, for the Financial Management Service of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Jennifer has worked directly for trade associations performing financial analysis and industry benchmarking, including the International Dairy Foods Association. Jennifer has been consulting to non-profits since 2012, providing a wide range of services from strategic infrastructure development for start-ups to booking. Clients have included New America, NACHA – The Electronic Payments Association, Promote, The Africa Narrative, and as a sub-contractor to Dynamic Consulting.
Jennifer holds and MBA in finance from The George Washington University, and an undergraduate degree in Economics. Jennifer is a native of the District of Columbia and graduated from The Maret School where she has served on their board of directors and as President of the Alumni Association.
Dr. David Livermore
Board of Directors
David Livermore, PhD (Michigan State University) is a social scientist devoted to the topics of cultural intelligence (CQ) and global leadership and the author of several award-winning books, including Leading with Cultural Intelligence, Driven by Difference, and Serving with Eyes Wide Open. His forthcoming book, Digital, Diverse & Divided, addresses one of the most pressing issues of our day–how to overcome polarization in our personal and professional relationships.
David is a founder of the Cultural Intelligence Center in East Lansing, Michigan, and a visiting research fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He consults with global organizations around the world, including the Harvard Business School, Google, Coca-Cola, the US Department of Defense, BMW, Qatar Airways, the United Nations, and dozens more. He has traveled to more than one hundred countries and is a frequent speaker at conferences. He also serves on several boards.
David loves to make social science accessible to practitioners. He has been interviewed and referenced by myriad news sources, including The Atlantic, CBS News, Christian Science Monitor, The Economist, Forbes, NBC, the New York Times, USA Today, the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the South China Post.
David and his wife, Linda, have two adult daughters, Emily and Grace. Emily is embarking on a career as a litigation lawyer, and Grace is a graphic designer. Some of their favorite family activities are traveling (fortunately!) and discovering new foods together.
Dr. Erin K McFee
Board of Directors
Erin is the founder of the Corioli Institute and a Professor of Practice at the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies at the National Defense University. She specializes in climate security, migration, and the reintegration of formerly armed actors (FAA) such as military veterans and ex-insurgents.
A political anthropologist, Erin has published widely across peer-reviewed, popular, and practitioner platforms in over 20 countries. Her research focuses on the climate change, conflict, and migration nexus, with an emphasis on FAA reintegration and security-building. Since 2010, Erin has conducted extensive fieldwork with formerly armed actors, from living alongside ex-guerrillas in Colombia to consulting on al Shabaab reintegration in Somalia. Her work spans research with former cartel members in Mexico, supporting NGOs for ex-gang members in El Salvador, and helping U.S. military veterans with restorative justice.
Jason Hunt
Board of Directors
Jason is a seasoned professional and Higher Education expert with 20+ years of industry experience across a multitude of university functional areas including student leadership, housing operations, residence life and student conduct.
Over the course of his career, Jason has leveraged his knowledge and expertise of the college and university landscape to transform the student experience, advocating for and implementing programs and processes to create a holistic collegiate experience for today’s college student. From the development of fundraising and compensation models for student organizations, to writing and developing policy to support challenges tied to mental health concerns, Jason has created programs and policies that have had a long-lasting impact on students and their experience.
In 2021, Jason pivoted to consulting and is currently employed as a Management Consultant in the Health and Public Sector at Accenture in New York City, specializing in Organizational Change Management and Higher Education. His role includes supporting business development initiatives across the practice and providing guidance to a diverse array of clients and organizations across a multitude of industries including transportation, Talent, and Organization (Human Potential) and Higher Education. Jason is also an experienced instructor and has served as an adjunct lecturer at a host of colleges and universities, teaching on a wide array of topics including team dynamics, conflict mediation, ethics, basic management principles and student development theory.
Jason holds an MBA in Strategy and Leadership from Rutgers Business School, an M.Ed. in College Student Affairs – Leadership and Administration from Penn State University and a B.A. in History and English, also from PennState.
Enthusiastic about philanthropy and giving back, Jason is actively involved in the College of Liberal Arts Mentee program at Penn State and was one of 25 alumni recently selected to join the Emerging Alumni Leaders program which works closely with the College and alumni board to support all aspects of the student experience. In the New York city area, Jason volunteers his team supporting a host of organizations including Sustainability South Bronx and a city based rental program that aids elderly New Yorkers in securing income-based housing.
Jason has several personal ties to the military community and has been eager to expand his philanthropic and service efforts in an impactful way that will help our veteran communities.
General (R) Scott Miller
Senior Advisor
General (Retired) Austin “Scott” Miller spent over 38 years in uniform, graduating from the United States Military Academy, West Point in 1983 and retiring from active duty in 2021. His career took him to the far reaches of conflict in complex geopolitical regions including the Indo-Pacific, Africa, Middle East, and South Asia.
An Airborne-Ranger and Infantry officer, he commanded at every grade including a company in Korea, the TF Ranger assault force in Mogadishu during “Black Hawk Down,” the Joint Special Operations Command, and as the final commander of NATO’s Resolute Support Mission and United States Forces – Afghanistan.
Likely the most deployed leader throughout the Global War on Terror, he was one of the early Americans on the ground to commence the hunt for Usama Bin Laden and other high-value targets. Through the years, he commanded multiple Special Operation Task Forces in combat throughout the Middle East and South Asia, culminating in his assignment as the final commander of NATO’s Resolute Support Mission and United States Forces – Afghanistan from September 2, 2018 through July 12, 2021.
In 2014, as Commanding General of the United States Army Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, he led the initiative to integrate women into the prestigious U.S. Army Ranger School; a significant advancement that laid the foundation for women to pursue top positions across the Army.
Scott speaks on a range of topics including global affairs, national security, telecommunication technology, leadership development and extreme trust. Scott sits on several boards and is an Ambassador to Shields & Stripes, a non-profit helping veterans and first responders.
Scott is the Executive Chairman for PrairieFire and leads the company’s leadership development activities and overall strategic direction.
In 2023, Scott received the Central Intelligence Community’s Richard M Helms award and the West Point Distinguished Graduate Award. His military awards include two awards of the coveted Combat Infantryman Badge, two Purple Hearts, the Silver Star and an unprecedented 20 Overseas Service Bars denoting in excess of ten full years in combat zones.
Mariam Osman
Board of Advisors
Ms. Mariam Osman immigrated to Queens, NY from Afghanistan in 1976. As Head of Global Investment Operations (GIO) Services and Cash Reconciliations at BlackRock, she is responsible for alignment of the client business to the objective and strategic directions of the GIO platform, mitigating risk and providing real time cash availability to our investment management teams. Mariam leads GIO in Edinburgh and is a member of the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Tech & Ops Executive Committee.
Ms. Osman earned a BS in Computer Science from Saint John’s University and a MS in Information Systems from New York University.