President

Ambassador Marc Ginsberg serves as President of Layalina Productions, Inc. He is also CEO and Managing Director of Northstar Equity Group, an affiliate of APCO Worldwide, a global corporate public affairs and communication firm. From 1978-1981 Ambassador Ginsberg served as Deputy Senior Advisor to President Carter for Middle East Policy at the White House and from 1994 to 1998, Ambassador Ginsberg served as U.S. Ambassador to Morocco. He also served as the U.S. Coordinator for Mediterranean Trade, Investment and Security Affairs from 1998-1999. Prior to his public service, Ambassador Ginsberg practiced international commercial and corporate law in the Middle East. He holds a B.A. cum laude from American University, and an M.B.A. (candidate) and a J.D. from Georgetown University. Mr. Ginsberg speaks Arabic, French, and Hebrew fluently. He serves on the Board of Directors of Xybernaut and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Vice President and Corporate Treasurer

Leon serves as Vice President & Treasurer of Layalina Productions, positions he has held since November 2003. He is the executive producer of both seasons of the hit reality series On the Road in America, as well as the producer and Executive Producer of Life After Death, an award-winning documentary about families affected by Al-Qaeda terrorism. Leon also executive produced Layalina’s discussion show Araeh (Opinions). Additionally, Mr. Shahabian serves as Senior Editor of The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media, The Chronicle and Perspectives. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the Pennsylvania State University with Bachelor of Arts degrees in International Politics and French Language and Literature, Leon is fluent in Armenian, Arabic, and French. He is a member of the Public Diplomacy Council and joined Layalina as a founding staff member in March 2002.

Corporate Secretary and Executive Assistant

Phyllis is the executive assistant to Layalina's president Ambassador Marc Ginsberg. She coordinates the daily activities of the Ambassador's office and provides administrative support to Layalina's board and staff members. Beginning in 1998, Phyllis worked with Medstar Physician Partners, first as Assistant Director of Physician Billing Services and later as Director of the same department. Prior to joining Layalina, Phyllis coordinated outpatient operations as the Clinic Administrator for the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University Hospital. Early in her career, Phyllis managed various medical practices throughout the Washington, DC area. Phyllis is a graduate of Morgan State University and has more than twenty years of healthcare administration experience.

Development Director and Managing Editor

Jordan graduated from the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom with a joint-honors Bachelor’s degree in Politics and American Studies. His senior thesis focused on the ineffectiveness of military campaigns employed to defeat ideological movements. Jordan is also a proud Teach For America alumnus, having served the students of Washington DC’s public school system for three years as an ’09 corps member. During this time, he also earned a Masters in Education from George Mason University. Born in Indiana but raised in England, Jordan has spent time traveling in India, Thailand and Laos, and has led youth expeditions to Egypt and Kenya.

Office Manager

Allyson is the office manager at Layalina Productions. She has Bachelor’s degrees in Government and International Relations from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. In college, she studied Arabic and spent a semester abroad in Jordan traveling through Egypt, Syria, and Israel/Palestine. Prior to her current position, Allyson worked as a research assistant at Klemm Analysis Group, and had an internship with the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars focusing on the effects of the Freedom Agenda in Egypt. Allyson is originally from Plainfield, New Hampshire.

Project Associate - IT

Allyson Bowers is Layalina's information technology specialist. She maintains the in-office computers, printers, network, and the organization website, layalina.tv. She also coordinates and designs Layalina's publications and video releases for both print and web. A native of Florida, Allyson graduated from Florida State University summa cum laude with a B.A. in Middle Eastern Studies. She also holds a B.A. in Greek and Latin.