Key Managers
Gabriel Dvoskin - Co-Founder/Executive Director Sebastien Turbot - Co-Founder/Executive Director Amaury Coste - Co-Founder/Executive Director
Fareed Payaam - Country Director Aziz Elias - Senior Production Manager Sarah Cramer- Senior Project Manager Omair Faizullah - Creative Director Rahmatullah Kawsar – Senior Program Manager Asim Ali – Operations Manager
Gabriel Dvoskin - Co-Founder/Executive Director
Over the last 15 years, Gabriel worked for media outlets such as PBS, BBC or Reuters, and as a media consultant for the United Nations and the World Bank. He conducted media and communication programs in Latin America, former Yugoslavia and East Timor before coming to Afghanistan in 2002. He holds a Master in Media and International Relations from UC Berkeley. Top
Sebastien Turbot - Co-Founder/Executive Director
Sebastien designed sustainable development and social communication strategies for diverse clients ranging from PricewaterhouseCoopers to The Asia Foundation. He has worked as a researcher for a TV program in France. Since his arrival to Kabul in 2002, Sebastien has built an extensive knowledge of the Afghan media scene. Sebastien graduated from the leading Paris Institute of Political Science. Top
Amaury Coste - Co-Founder/Executive Director
Amaury has a background in marketing, sales and consulting for the private sector in France, where he worked for companies such a Decathlon and Michael Page. He has been working in media and communication in Afghanistan since 2002, when he opened Media Action International mission in Kabul. As a MAI Head of Mission, he launched several projects and traveled to nearly 30 Afghan provinces. He holds a degree from the MBAI business school in Paris. Top
Fareed Payaam - Country Director
Fareed has designed and managed a $365 million program for USAID/ Afghanistan Stabilization portfolio for over three years. His employment history in Afghanistan combines political analysis, cross ministry advising, UN perspective, strategic communication, private sector management and US Embassy full scope. Fareed started as Public Information Officer with IOM, before moving to a Political Advisor position with UNDP Disarmament & Reintegration Commission of Afghanistan. In 2005 he joined Sayara as a Program Manager and two years later he became USAID/Afghanistan Program Manager, where he was involved in the management of several stabilization programs, such as Local Governance and Community Development Program (LGCD), Afghanistan Civilian Assistance Program (ACAP), Community Based Stabilization Grants (CBSG), and more importantly, he designed and managed USAID/Afghanistan’s Community Development Program (CDP) – formerly known as FIRUP. In December 2010, Fareed re-joined Sayara as Country Director. Fareed holds a M.A in Political Science from Balochistan University Quetta, Pakistan – 1999 and a B.A in Political Science, Sociology and Pashto Language from the same University. Top
Aziz Elias - Senior Production Manager
Aziz brings creativity, high sensibility and more than 10 years experience in radio, video and theater. An award-winner playwright and radio producer, Aziz worked for over 6 years in the BBC New Home New Life program. He joined Sayara to conduct large-scale mobile theater campaigns in 2004. He later became the radio and video manager to overview the complete production process of all projects. A graduated from Journalism at Kabul University, he participated in international theatre courses. Aziz was awarded first prize for his play on the history of Afghanistan in the Kabul Theatre Festival in September 2005. Top
Sarah Cramer- Senior Project Manager
Sarah Cramer joined Sayara Media & Communication in January 2011 as a project manager. She previously worked as a junior policy analyst for the International Network on Conflict Fragility at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Sarah has a master’s degree in international affairs from Sciences Po – Paris with a specialization in the environment, sustainable development and risks and a bachelor’s degree in international studies, international business and French from the University of Iowa. Top
Omair Faizullah - Creative Director
Omair has over a decade experience in advertising, social marketing and creative branding. An award-winner graphic and animation designer, Omair managed creative and branding teams at the largest Pakistani TV network GEO, and later participated in the set up of the first TV channel in Lahore. His works and analysis of broadcast design has been published in one of the leading Pakistani advertising publications. In 2010, Omair won the first prize in the international logo design competition for the “$3 billon Project”, in the South Asian University.
Omair obtained has a degree in Graphic Design from the National College of Arts, Lahore, Pakistan, and a Masters in broadcast design from the Parsons School of Design, New York, USA. Top
Rahmatullah Kawsar – Senior Program Manager
Mr. Kawsar has managed and supervised over $50 million development and stabilization portfolio for USAID/ Khost province for over three years. His professional background combines strategic communication, community-driven programs and Civ-Mil working environment experience. Kawsar started as Regional Director with AINA Media Center in 2002, before moving to Consultant position with Altai Consulting. In 2006 he joined PADCO ALP North as Communication Manager and eight months later he became USAID/Afghanistan Deputy Field Program Officer in Khost, where he was involved in the management, execution and supervision of several development & stabilization programs, such as Local Governance and Community Development Program (LGCD), Afghanistan Civilian Assistance Program (ACAP), KG Road, and more importantly Commander Emergency Response Program (CERP). In January 2011, Kawsar joined Sayara as Senior Program Manager.
Kawsar holds a BA in Journalism from Afghan University, Peshawar, Pakistan – 2001 and has attended International Visitor Leadership Program to the U.S. sponsored by U.S. State Department.
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Asim Ali – Operations Manager
Asim joined Sayara in 2005, after working in Pakistan and Afghanistan as an auditor for over three years. He is responsible for all finance, administration, HR and logistics at Sayara. He notably ensures strict cost
accounting, financial reporting, sound internal control procedures, HR policies and financial reporting. He also constantly liaises with the authorities to guarantee full and up to date compliancy with relevant Afghan laws. Asim obtained his bachelors degree in Economics and Journalism from University of Punjab (Pakistan) in 2000 and did his foundation and intermediate of Chartered Accountancy from Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan in 2003. Top |