LIU Alumni Association

10/09/2026

From LIU to U.S. Tech Leadership: Mahfoudh Ebkar’s Journey from Computer Science to Founder & CEO

From studying Computer Science at the Lebanese International University to building advanced cloud and Voice AI solutions in the United States, Mahfoudh Ebkar’s journey demonstrates how technical knowledge, entrepreneurship, and continuous innovation can turn an academic foundation into an international career.

Building the Foundation at LIU

Mahfoudh Ebkar's journey in technology began with his higher education at the Lebanese International University (LIU).

Public professional records list both a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree from LIU, establishing the university as an important foundation in his academic and technical development.

His education provided the groundwork for a career that would eventually move far beyond traditional software development and into some of today's most rapidly evolving areas of technology: cloud computing, telecommunications, customer-experience engineering, artificial intelligence, and enterprise software architecture.

From Lebanon to the United States

Following his studies at LIU, Mahfoudh continued his academic journey in the United States at New York University (NYU).

He pursued doctoral-level studies there before ultimately deciding to take his career in a different professional direction. His LinkedIn profile explicitly describes this decision as leaving the PhD path for professional reasons.

That decision would lead him further into the technology industry, where his expertise increasingly centered on designing and implementing sophisticated communication and customer-experience systems.

Engineering Complex Technology Solutions

Over the years, Mahfoudh developed experience across software architecture, cloud infrastructure, contact-center technologies, telecommunications and enterprise integrations.

His professional career has included technical work involving platforms and technologies such as Amazon Connect, AWS, Cisco, IVR systems, cloud applications and customer-experience architecture.

He also worked as a CX Solutions Architect focused on Amazon Connect and Cisco UCC at Presidio, reflecting the increasingly specialized technical direction of his career.

But engineering systems for other organizations was only part of his journey.

Mahfoudh would eventually begin building companies and technology solutions of his own.

From Engineer to Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurship became another major chapter in Mahfoudh's professional story.

Before his current venture, professional records show that he founded Advanced Contact Center Solutions (ACCS), where he served as Founder and Chief Executive Officer.

That combination of engineering knowledge and entrepreneurial experience ultimately contributed to the creation of his current technology venture: Odea Integrations.

Mahfoudh is publicly identified as Founder and CEO of Odea Integrations, a U.S.-based software development company operating from Arlington, Virginia.

Building Technology in the Age of AI

Today, Odea operates in an area at the intersection of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, telecommunications and customer experience.

The company specializes in technologies including AWS, Amazon Connect, Azure, IVR, DevOps, CTI connectors and software development, with a mission centered on transforming the way organizations manage customer interactions.

Mahfoudh's recent technical work and writing show an especially strong focus on Voice AI and cloud-native customer-experience architecture.

He regularly discusses engineering challenges surrounding AI-powered voice systems, Amazon Connect, software integrations, testing and CI/CD, healthcare communications and enterprise-scale customer-experience platforms.

This places his work directly within one of the most significant transformations occurring in the technology industry today: the integration of artificial intelligence into real-time human communication systems.

Turning Innovation Into Products

Mahfoudh's entrepreneurial work is also moving beyond consulting and systems integration toward proprietary technology.

Odea has announced OVA — Odea Virtual Agent, an AI-powered virtual-agent platform designed to integrate with contact-center environments and automate customer interactions.

The company's work also explores integrating Voice AI and Amazon Connect with enterprise systems, including applications within healthcare communication environments.

For Mahfoudh, this represents an important evolution:

from learning technology,
to engineering technology,
to leading technology teams,
to building technology companies and products.

A Journey of Continuous Reinvention

Mahfoudh Ebkar's career is particularly meaningful as an alumni story because success did not come from following one predetermined path.

His journey evolved continuously.

He studied at LIU.

He continued his academic journey in the United States.

He moved deeper into software and cloud engineering.

He developed expertise in sophisticated enterprise communication technologies.

He became an entrepreneur.

And today, he is working at the intersection of AI, cloud computing, software architecture and customer experience.

That progression demonstrates an important lesson for current LIU students and young engineers: education establishes the foundation, but continuous learning determines how far that foundation can take you.

From LIU to Technology Leadership

From the classrooms of the Lebanese International University to the rapidly evolving technology sector in the United States, Mahfoudh Ebkar's journey represents the global potential of an LIU education.

His career demonstrates that an engineering and technology professional does not have to remain confined to a single role.

An engineer can become an architect.

An architect can become an innovator.

And an innovator can become an entrepreneur capable of building solutions for the next generation of technology.

For today's LIU students, Mahfoudh's journey carries a powerful message:

Keep learning. Keep building. And never be afraid to create the technology you believe should exist.

Once LIU, Always LIU.
Mahfoudh Ebkar

10/09/2026

From LIU to Forbes 30 Under 30: Rafik El Hariri’s Creative Journey Beyond Borders

What begins in a university classroom can sometimes grow into a creative journey that reaches audiences around the world. For LIU alumnus Rafik El Hariri, a passion for graphic design evolved into an internationally recognized career in illustration, visual storytelling, education, and mental-health advocacy.

Where the Journey Began

Rafik El Hariri began his academic journey as a Graphic Design student at the Lebanese International University (LIU).

Looking back on his university experience, Rafik has spoken warmly about his years at LIU, highlighting the diversity of his mentors, the encouragement he received to develop creatively, and an academic environment that valued both students' development and well-being. LIU's official Success Stories page confirms that after graduating, he began pursuing his professional creative career.

Those university years would become the foundation for something much larger.

From Graphic Design to a Global Creative Career

After graduation, Rafik expanded beyond traditional graphic design and increasingly developed his own identity as an illustrator and visual storyteller.

According to LIU, his career grew to encompass more than 180 projects, with clients across the United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Germany, Qatar, Kuwait and Lebanon.

His professional portfolio now spans illustration, graphic design, animation, branding and editorial work. His published portfolio lists collaborations with internationally recognized names and organizations including Apple, Google, Nike, Puma, Adidas, LEGO, Adobe, the United Nations, VICE, Wacom, Snapchat, Doctors Without Borders, Harvard Business Review and others.

What started as an education in design at LIU had developed into a creative career reaching clients and audiences far beyond Lebanon.

Creativity With a Purpose

One of the most distinctive aspects of Rafik's career is that his art is not simply commercial.

He has used illustration as a means of discussing mental health, empathy, self-discovery and human experience.

This became an important part of his artistic identity and eventually attracted international recognition. Forbes Middle East describes Rafik as an illustrator whose work focuses particularly on mental health and his personal experiences, while also noting his collaborations with organizations such as the United Nations and Doctors Without Borders.

His creative work demonstrates how design can move beyond aesthetics and become a way of communicating ideas, emotions and social issues.

Forbes Middle East 30 Under 30

A major milestone arrived in 2021, when Rafik El Hariri was selected for the prestigious Forbes Middle East 30 Under 30 list in the Creative category.

At the time, Forbes identified him as a 26-year-old Lebanese illustrator and highlighted both his professional collaborations and his work surrounding mental health.

For an LIU Graphic Design graduate, the recognition represented an important moment: a creative journey that began in Lebanon had earned recognition on a major regional platform.

And Rafik continued building from there.

His professional portfolio records further recognition, including Young Outstanding Youth of Lebanon in 2022 and Young Arab Pioneers in 2025, in addition to earlier Behance Appreciation Awards.

From Illustrator to Author

Rafik also extended his storytelling into publishing.

In 2018, he published the children's illustrated book INDIGO. This was followed by I Found a Heart in 2021 and 3:00 AM in 2022.

Through these works, Rafik explored themes including empathy, kindness, mental well-being and self-discovery. Forbes Middle East's Under 30 Summit biography notes that his books have reached readers across Lebanon, the UAE, UK, Kuwait, Australia and the United States.

This evolution from graphic designer to illustrator and author demonstrates something important about his career: Rafik did not allow his original field of study to define the limits of what he could become.

Reaching Global Creative Brands

Another significant chapter in Rafik's professional journey has been his relationship with Adobe.

LIU's own alumni profile highlights his work with Adobe as a brand ambassador and mentor for Adobe Express, something Rafik described as an important milestone in his career.

For a designer whose professional foundation began as a Graphic Design student at LIU, working with one of the world's most influential creative technology brands represents a remarkable progression.

Representing Lebanese Creativity Beyond Borders

Rafik's work has also helped place contemporary Lebanese creative talent on an international stage.

Forbes Middle East later presented him as an illustrator and mental-health advocate, noting the international reach of his work and reporting that he was shortlisted to appear as a protagonist representing Tripoli in the United Nations documentary Dreaming of Lebanon.

His story is therefore not simply about becoming a successful graphic designer.

It is about using creativity to create connection, conversation and impact.

From an LIU Classroom to an International Canvas

Rafik El Hariri's journey represents exactly what an alumni success story should celebrate.

He began as a Graphic Design student at LIU.

He became an illustrator.

He became an author.

He collaborated with international organizations and global brands.

He used his creative voice to advocate for mental health.

And before the age of 30, he earned recognition from Forbes Middle East as one of the region's notable young creatives.

His journey offers an important message to today's LIU students:

Your education gives you the foundation. Your creativity determines how far you can take it.

From Lebanon to the world, Rafik El Hariri demonstrates that a creative career can cross borders while still carrying the identity, experiences and values that shaped its beginning.

Once LIU, Always LIU.

08/09/2026

For Jack Berro, LIU was never simply a place to earn a degree. It became the starting point of a journey that would bring together music, cinema, education, leadership, and creative entrepreneurship.

Jack Berro is a Lebanese film composer, sound designer, educator, media professional, and creative entrepreneur whose multidisciplinary career bridges the worlds of filmmaking, music production, higher education, and institutional leadership. His work reflects a belief that creativity is not limited to a single discipline but can become a powerful tool for storytelling, education, collaboration, and impact.

Where the Journey Began

Jack's connection with the Lebanese International University began as a student of radio and television, where his passion for audiovisual storytelling developed alongside an already growing interest in music and sound.

Even during his student years, he was actively involved in university life. An LIU publication from the 2012–2013 period featured Jaafar “Jack” Berro as President of the LIU Music Club, describing the club as a platform through which students could transform their shared passion and musical skills into performances and university activities.

What began as student involvement would eventually grow into a much deeper relationship with the university.

Turning a Passion for Sound into a Career

Alongside his academic journey, Jack developed professionally as a film composer and sound designer, building a body of work across short films, feature films and audiovisual productions.

Over the years, his portfolio has grown to include more than 230 short films, seven feature films, and over 400 original soundtracks. His work has also received 12 international nominations for Best Music and five international awards for music and sound design.

His credits demonstrate the range of that journey. He composed the music for the Lebanese feature film Yanal, released in 2023, and later composed the score for Low Budget Heist, released in Lebanon in 2024. The latter was also presented at the Festival du Film Libanais de France.

His filmmaking experience extends beyond music. Jack has also worked behind the camera in production and as an assistant director, including an assistant-director credit on the feature film Yusuf.

From Artist to Entrepreneur

As his creative career expanded, Jack founded JBMP Studios, developing it into a video and audio production house focused on film production, audiovisual storytelling, original music, sound design, and media production.

The studio reflects his multidisciplinary approach: bringing image, music, and sound together to serve the story.

Returning to LIU This Time to Teach

Jack's relationship with LIU did not end when he completed his undergraduate studies.

He returned to the university as an instructor, sharing professional experience from the studio and film industry with students studying audio and media production. Public professional records document his teaching involvement at LIU beginning in 2016.

This created a full-circle journey: the student who once learned within LIU's classrooms returned to those classrooms to help prepare another generation of creative professionals.

His academic journey also continued. Jack later earned a Master's Degree in Educational Management from LIU with Honor, adding an educational and managerial dimension to a career that had begun primarily in the creative arts.

From Student Leadership to University Leadership

Perhaps one of the most distinctive parts of Jack's story is how his involvement with LIU evolved over time.

What began with student leadership through the Music Club eventually developed into professional responsibilities in university events, communications, and public affairs.

Today, Jack's work at LIU combines communications, alumni engagement, education, and institutional development, while his professional career outside the university continues through filmmaking, composition, and JBMP Studios.

His journey therefore represents something larger than career advancement. It demonstrates how a graduate can remain connected to the institution that helped shape his beginnings—and eventually contribute to shaping its future.

Recognition Beyond the University

In 2026, another milestone arrived when Jack was selected as a Jury Member of the Lebanese Independent Film Festival (LIFF), recognizing a professional career spanning film music, sound design, education and creative production.

From composing for cinema to mentoring students, developing creative productions and participating in the wider film community, Jack's career has continued to move between industry and academia rather than choosing one over the other.

A Journey That Came Full Circle

Jack Berro's story began at LIU as a student with a passion for music, filmmaking, and creativity.

Years later, that student became a film composer, sound designer, educator, entrepreneur and university leader while remaining connected to the same university where an important part of the journey began.

His story carries a message for every LIU student preparing to graduate:

Your degree may mark the end of your studies, but it does not have to mark the end of your relationship with your university. The classroom can be where a much bigger journey begins.

From student to alumnus.
From alumnus to educator.
From educator to leader.

Once LIU, Always LIU.
Jack Berro

08/09/2026

Mohammad Mortada is a marketing and communications professional whose career reflects a journey of continuous learning, leadership, innovation, and professional growth one that began at the Lebanese International University and evolved into a career spanning higher education, entrepreneurship, digital transformation, and strategic consulting.

Mohammad's relationship with LIU began as a student. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Marketing from the Lebanese International University in 2010, before continuing his education at LIU and completing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Management in 2013.

His connection with the university, however, extended far beyond graduation.

Mohammad went on to build a significant part of his early professional career at LIU. Beginning in graphic design and digital communications, he progressively assumed greater responsibilities within the university's marketing and communications operations.

He later served as Digital Marketing Manager, where his work focused on strengthening LIU's digital presence, online communications, community engagement, and enrollment campaigns. His career at the university eventually led him to the position of Head of Events & Communications, where he managed communications initiatives, events, digital platforms, and institutional engagement.

Alongside his professional responsibilities, Mohammad also returned to the classroom—this time as an educator. From 2015 to 2022, he served as a lecturer at LIU, teaching courses in areas including Marketing, Integrated Marketing Communications, Design Software, and Educational Media.

This transition from student to graduate, professional, and lecturer represents an important chapter of his LIU journey: giving back to the same academic community in which his own professional foundations were developed.

His career later expanded into Lebanon's entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem through his work with Berytech, where he worked in digital marketing and contributed to communications and marketing activities supporting entrepreneurs, startups, SMEs, and innovation programs.

His work included involvement in initiatives connected to the Lebanon Export Academy, implemented through collaborations involving UNIDO, UNDP and Berytech, as well as programs supporting Lebanon's agriculture and agrifood sectors.

Among the projects highlighted in his professional experience is the Agrifood Innovation Award, where he contributed to the marketing strategy, branding, digital presence, and campaign ex*****on. The initiative generated more than 23,000 public votes, attracted 67 participating agrifood companies, and received 128 product submissions.

Mohammad's professional journey has continued to evolve beyond institutional roles. Today, he works as a Marketing & Communication Consultant, combining strategic marketing, branding, digital communications, web development, and growth strategy to support businesses and organizations.

His work has extended across the MENA region, while his experience has allowed him to bridge several worlds education, marketing, technology, entrepreneurship, communications, and business development.

Beyond his professional work, Mohammad has also contributed as a mentor, sharing his expertise with startups and organizations seeking to strengthen their marketing infrastructure and strategic positioning.

From earning his first Marketing degree at LIU to teaching future generations, leading communications initiatives, contributing to Lebanon's entrepreneurship ecosystem, and developing his own path as a strategic marketing consultant, Mohammad Mortada's story demonstrates how education can become the starting point for a lifelong journey of learning, leadership, and impact.

His journey embodies an important message for today's LIU students and graduates: graduation is not the end of the university journey—it can be the beginning of something much bigger.

Once LIU, Always LIU.

08/09/2026

Al Sadeer Massoud is a Syrian film and television director and actor whose distinctive approach to storytelling has established him as a notable creative voice in contemporary Arab drama. Known particularly for psychological thrillers, crime mysteries, and character-driven narratives, Massoud has built a growing body of work across Syrian and Egyptian television and major regional and international streaming platforms.

His journey carries a special connection to the Lebanese International University. Massoud graduated with distinction from the Communication Arts Department, Radio and TV at the Lebanese International University (LIU), where he developed the academic and creative foundations that would contribute to his future career behind the camera. He also graduated from the Department of International Relations and Diplomatic Sciences at the University of Kalamoon in Syria.

Born into an artistic family, Al Sadeer is the son of internationally acclaimed Syrian actor Ghassan Massoud. Yet, throughout his career, he has worked to establish an artistic identity of his own, moving from acting into directing and developing a recognizable visual and narrative style.

Massoud began his professional acting career in 2014, appearing in the television series Halawet El Rouh. He subsequently appeared in several television productions before increasingly turning his attention toward directing.

His transition behind the camera included work in television commercials beginning around 2016, allowing him to further develop his visual language and directing experience. He later expanded into short filmmaking, including the 2019 short film Khalal, which he both wrote and directed.

A major turning point came in 2021 with Qayd Majhoul (Unknown Culprit). The eight-episode psychological crime thriller, starring Basel Khayyat and Abdel Moneim Amayri, marked Massoud's first major television directing experience and attracted significant attention for its atmosphere, visual approach, and exploration of psychologically complex characters.

He followed this success in 2022 with Munaataf Khatar (Dangerous Curve), an Egyptian crime and mystery series starring Basel Khayyat. The production further expanded Massoud's presence in the Arab television industry and strengthened his association with suspenseful, psychologically driven storytelling.

His career subsequently reached an even wider audience with ** Mawaed Ma El Mady (Echoes of the Past) ** in 2024. Featuring a prominent ensemble cast including Asser Yassin, Mahmoud Hemida, Saba Mubarak, Sherine Reda, Huda El Mufti, and Rakeen Saad, the mystery drama brought Massoud's directing work to audiences through Netflix.

In 2026, Massoud continued his directing career with the thriller series Ein Sehreya (عين سحرية), further developing the cinematic style and mystery-driven storytelling that have become recurring characteristics of his work.

From his academic beginnings at LIU to directing productions reaching audiences throughout the Arab world and on international streaming platforms, Al Sadeer Massoud's journey reflects the power of education, creative ambition, and perseverance in transforming a passion for storytelling into a professional career.

His story represents the spirit of the LIU alumni community: graduates who take the knowledge and experiences developed during their university years and use them to create, innovate, and make their mark far beyond the classroom.

Once LIU, Always LIU.

02/09/2026

02/09/2026

🚀 Calling all job seekers! 🚀The Nawaya Network

The Nawaya Network, in collaboration with UNICEF, is back with the 14th round of the Employment Hub Program!

This FREE online program is your chance to level up your skills, get expert career guidance, and boost your chances of landing a job!

The program is scheduled to start on September 21st!

🔥What’s in it for you?

Job Application Training.

Career Guidance & One-on-One Coaching.

Artificial Intelligence Course.

Technical Upskilling Course.

Join a Thriving Network.

Free, Fully Online & High-Impact.

👀 Do you qualify? Check the criteria on the application page below!

🚨Spots are limited! Only 80 youth will be selected from 1000s of applicants—make sure your application stands out! 🚨

🔗 Apply now! Don’t miss this chance to upgrade your skills and land your next opportunity! https://nawaya.org/employment-hub-application/

💾 Heads up! To apply, have your CV ready & labelled as FULL NAME-CV on your device.

In case of any updates or changes to the program start date, we will keep you informed promptly.

01/09/2026

Always LIU. 💙💛

Wherever life takes you, whatever you achieve, and wherever in the world you may be — a part of your journey will always belong to LIU.

The memories remain.
The friendships continue.
The connection grows.

Once LIU. Always LIU.

And this is only the beginning. 🎓