Accomplishments, Education and Work Experiences

Wafaa' attended Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts in 1980 to study civil engineering. Northeastern University (NU) uses the coop program, which requires students to alternate between study and work. She completed her bachelor’s degree in 1986.

Following her graduation, Wafaa' worked at construction and design companies such as Anderson & Nichols in Newington, Ct., George Hyman Construction Company, Turner Construction Co. and others in Boston. Due to her interest in being her own boss, she left engineering work and established a tutorial business in November 1987. The Private Tutor was the name of the business she founded and directed all through December 1990. Starting in January 1991, she incorporated the business and diversified its programs as well as changing its name to the Boston Institute of Technology & Education (BITE) which was located in Somerville, Massachusetts. Twenty part-time teachers and tutors worked at this company covering a variety of subjects such as languages, sciences and computers. In 1993, the scope and name of the business was changed again and until 2001 the business operated under the title Cambridge Institute of Tutoring & Education (CITE) in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

In the Fall of 1988, Wafaa' went back to Northeastern University (NU) to study political science. In 1990, after a year and three months, she completed the program earning a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. One of the main reasons for pursuing the study of political science was her passion for teaching especially the subjects of history and politics of the Arab and Islamic worlds aside from her passion to teach Arabic language. While running her business and going to school full time, she was teaching history, politics and social issues related to these regions, as well as teaching Arabic in centers and schools such as the Cambridge Center for Adult Education (CCAE), Boston Center for Adult Education (BCAE), Boston Language Institute, and local community churches. Ms. Al-Natheema started one-on-one private tutoring in Arabic in January 1986 which, in two years, this undertaking evolved into The Private Tutor business.

In November 1989, she obtained a real estate license and in January 1990, began working part-time at Century 21. In the same month (and year), she started Wafa's Newsletter as a free directory of events, classes and workshops on subjects related to the Middle East and the Islamic world. By its third issue, the quarterly newsletter was no longer free and began to offer news and reports on various communities in the US and other related subjects.

Since 1990, Wafaa' has been involved in producing, co-hosting and hosting radio programs with WZBC (90.3 FM) and very active in educating listeners and speaking out about the Gulf War and the effects of the embargo on the people of Iraq. In addition to the Gulf War, history and politics, she taught classes and gave presentations on:

* Arab & Eastern cultures and contributions
* Arabic & English languages
* Women's rights/issues
* Islam
* The Arts
* Poetry
* Sciences
* The 60-year old Palestinian Problem


Since 1991, she worked in translation from and to Arabic documents in business, law, technology, medicine, poetry and the arts. Among the list of companies and hospitals that she worked for as an interpreter/translator are Brigham & Women's Hospital, Children's Hospital, Retina Associates, the United Arab Emirates Embassy, Boston Institute of Technology & Education (BITE), Transparent Languages, Inc., Cambridge Institute of Tutoring & Education (CITE), and various law firms.

From 1992 through February 1998, Wafaa' taught English as a Second Language at World Learning, Cambridge Institute of Tutoring & Education (CITE), Lassel College and Language Consultants. She was a member of the MATSOL (or Massachusetts Association of Teachers to Students of Other Languages) and of the Massachusetts Medical Interpreters Association (MMIA) between 1996 and 1999.

In 1993, which was one of the most crucial years in Wafaa's career, she won a discrimination case against the Boston Center for Adult Education, began working in translating business documents into Arabic at Transparent Language, Inc. in New Hampshire for a $100,000 project (which lasted two years) with the United Arab Emirates, taught on the politics and history of the Middle East at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, NH; began teaching Arabic at Worcester State College as well as in two high schools in Worcester, Massachusetts; made significant and wise changes to her business (CITE) and traveled twice to England (in September) and to Iraq via Jordan (in December). Her two trips enabled her to produce some of the best reports about prominent Iraqi artists and professionals for the quarterly newsletter that she was editing. CITE began offering translation and interpretation in various languages.

It was also in 1993 when Wafa's Newsletter was renamed Al-Wafaa News and published articles on famous Arab women such as the renowned Iraqi architect Zahaa' Hadid and Palestinian poet and anthologist, Salma Khadra Jayyusi.

In October 1994, which was another crucial year for Wafaa', she founded the Institute of Near Eastern & African Studies (INEAS), an independent, non-profit organization with the mission to educate the public and inform the media on issues related to the Arab and Islamic Worlds, Africa and the non-Arab Middle Eastern communities. In the same month, she organized a poetry evening with the famous Iraqi poetess, Lamee'a Abbas Amara. The evening was very successful and included Ms. Amara's poetry recited by her in Arabic and by Wafaa' in English. The event, which included dinner and Arabic music, was well publicized among the various communities and in the media including an article about Ms. Amara in the Patriot Ledger. A month after the poetry evening, Wafaa’ traveled to Paris and London to interview Iraqi composer Naseer Shemma, renowned artist, Hasan Masoudy, and Iraqi (woman) architect Jala Makhzoomy.

In 1995, INEAS sponsored the renowned Iraqi composer and oud player, Naseer Shemma all the way from Tunisia. Much publicity preceded his concert in October. His music was played on WGBH (Public Radio), WZBC and community television. Announcement of both Shemma's lecture and concert appeared in the Boston Globe. Following the Concert, the Boston Globe published an outstanding review of Naseer Shemma's performance. The videotape of the concert is available at INEAS for $25 (incl. S/H in the US & Canada).

In 1996, an artistic project, Zannobiya Productions, was created by Wafaa' through INEAS for the purpose of educating teachers, parents and students in grades 5-12 about Arab and Middle Eastern cultures. Three programs were designed to elucidate certain aspects of the culture: Arabian Stallions, Baghdad Cafe and Thousand & One Nights. Being tired of politics and highly interested in the arts, she created these 45-minute performances to educate and entertain these specific audiences with music, songs, acting and storytelling. Her role was to write the script for these performances after thorough research, promote and publicize the programs, and act and perform songs. A video was produced for the Arabian Stallions performance that premiered at First Night's New Year's celebration in December 1996. It can be obtained from INEAS at http://www.INEAS.org/products.htm .

Wafaa's consistent work to combat stereotyping and to educate about the forgotten world and the unknown (hard working and talented) soldiers was evident in those years. The fact that she loved singing, dancing, writing poetry and prose as well as teaching made her appreciate the arts and enabled her to organize and accomplish persistently successful events and lectures including Naseer Shemma's concert in April, 1998. His two lectures in Connecticut and Massachusetts, as well as his concert at the Blackman Auditorium of Northeastern University in Boston, were very successful. This time, the publicity for the concert was superb. Thanks to the Internet technology, Naseer Shemma's music and concert became global. Also an article with an announcement on Shemma's concert and lecture schedule appeared in the Boston Globe.

In 1997, Wafaa’ organized a lecture series through INEAS at the Boston Public Library and co-sponsored another lecture series with the International Institute of Boston. Then in 1998, she organized and sponsored "Cultural Episodes on the East and Africa," which was a lecture series held at Northeastern University.

From 1996 to 1997, Wafaa hosted a radio program she called Arabian Stallions on WMBR (88.1 FM). On December 21, 1997, she began broadcasting live her own radio program, Baghdad Cafe, on WZBC (90.3 FM). The program, which featured World Music/Issues from around Asia, Africa and Europe, aired its last episode in February 2000.

1998 was the year in which Wafaa's accomplishments as well as INEAS projects had the most media exposure locally, regionally and nationally as in the following media outlets:

The Boston Globe on February 1st.
The Washington Report on the Middle East in April & May (two articles).
The Monadnock Ledger (in NH) on July 30th.

Access these article at http://www.ineas.org/media.htm

For ten years, Ms. Al-Natheema edited Al-Wafaa News, an independent quarterly newsletter since 1990 focusing on the arts, music, poetry, humor and social issues. Later this newsletter became only an Internet publication and was maintained through January 2003. Between 1997 and 2000, she edited INEAS News, the quarterly newsletter of the Institute of Near Eastern & African Studies (INEAS).

Between February and November, 1998, Wafaa worked as a construction administrator and a field engineer at the Central Artery/Tunnel Project in Boston.
After she stopped medical interpreting at the Children's Hospital in October, 1999, she continued free-lance interpreting at Inlingua, Inc., Benoit Associates, Cambridge Hospital, East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, Cross Cultural Communications, Lahey Clinic, Franciscan Children's Hospital and others.

In October 1998, Wafaa' traveled to Tunisia and brought back a thorough report about Tunisia and the Qartaj Film Festival. Her trips to Iraq and England in 1999 gave birth to two of her best ever written reports about Iraqis' daily lives during the embargo and on Arab Excellence. These two reports are available on INEAS website http://www.INEAS.org/specialreports.htm

In July 2000, she joined the DeWolfe real estate office in Needham, Mass., working in real estate sales. Her last day at DeWolfe was on Friday December 21, 2001. In December 2000, she became a member of the National Writers Union (NWU).

Wafaa' organized (through INEAS) the tour of Hussein Al-Athamy and The Tchalghi Baghdadi (HATB) which took place in Cambridge, MA. and Washington, DC in October/November 2000. The ensemble, which arrived from IRAQ, included the renowned Maqaam singer, Hussein Al-Athamy, famous oud player, Ali Al-Imam and a young woman Jawza player. To order Al-Athamy's concert on video or DVD, access the INEAS website at http://www.INEAS.org/products.htm

In the same year, she began working on the tour of Farida and the Iraqi Maqam Ensemble (FIME) and was able to solicit interested co-sponsors such as World Music Institute (in New York), the Smithsonian (in DC) and Department of Cultural Affairs (in IL). The greatly successful tour in four States (including Mass.) took place in May 2001 and was publicized in the New York Times, The Chicago Tribune and other publications.

In 2004, Wafaa' published her first poetry book, "Untamed Nostalgia -- Wild Poems". More information about the book including how to order it can be found ordered from http://www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=21330

She started her blog in April 2005 as an outlet for her articles, reports and commentary on a variety of subjects; politics, health, the arts, poetry and history as well as news and action alerts. Her blog can be accessed at http://zennobia.blogspot.com/

In August 2005, Wafaa' produced her first CD of poetry and songs entitled, "Halamanteeshi" which featured her songs at age four collaged with her singing as an adult. She also mixed the beautiful voice of her deceased uncle (who died in 1965) with her own singing. The CD features Iraqi children songs, lullabies and folkloric songs. Nine of the 12 songs have been written and vocally interpreted by Wafaa'. About the story of Halamanteeshi , you can access http://zanjabeel-saffron.blogspot.com/2007/03/wafaa-al-natheemas-new-cd.html . To order the CD, click on http://www.INEAS.org/products.htm

In August 2005, she participated in the PEACE Festival beyond the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in South Korea. Wafaa' negotiated a contract with the Korean organization to promote two Iraqi musicians (living in Jordan) to perform at the Festival. She also gave a performance of poetry and songs on August 26, 2005. A detailed report about the Peace Festival and her visit to S. Korea can be accessed at http://www.INEAS.org/specialreports.htm#Korea. Few video clips from the Orchestra performance at the festival and at a Buddhist temple visited by Wafaa' can be accessed at INEAS's Youtube account http://www.youtube.com/user/INEAS

In June 2006, Wafaa' presented a paper entitled "The History of the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra," at the the second World Congress on Middle Eastern Studies in Amman, Jordan. The paper was part of a panel entitled, "Ancient and Modern Middle Eastern and Central Asian Expressive Cultures". She video recorded this panel and four other panels in that conference. Her presentation can be made available on CD. The other four panels are available on DVD from INEAS. In July 2006, Wafaa' started the INSO blog to document the history of the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra (INSO). It can be accessed at http://insonewsletter.blogspot.com/

In March 2007, she gave two workshops at the Colorado State University on "Pedagogical Comparisons: U.S. & Gulf State Education Systems". More details on the workshop can be accessed at http://events.colostate.edu/day.asp?cd=3/21/2007&ID=7


In November 2007, she began the editing of the documentary film, "Remembering Aref" from an interview she's done with the former Iraqi president, Abdul Rahman Aref in June 2006 in Amman. The film, which focuses on the life and political accomplishments of the late president, is scheduled for release in 2009.

In December 2007, Wafaa' traveled to India and interviewed legendary actors (of the 1950s and 1960s) Shammi Kapoor and Asha Parekh. She will be directing a documentary film about their life and career, scheduled for release in 2009.

In July 2008, and as part of her efforts to document the history of Iraq, Wafaa' interviewed the last surviving princess of IRAQ, Princess Badee'a, in London for the production of a short film, scheduled for release in 2009.

In February 2009, Wafaa' gave a presentation about IRAQ's Order 81 at a conference in Delhi, India on organic foods and seeds sponsored by Navdanya organization and hosted by Dr. Vandana Shiva. Wafaa's presentation focused on mutant seeds and the agribusiness in IRAQ by US companies following the occupation in 2003 and on Iraqi farmers' rights and challenges since Order 81 was signed on April 26, 2004.


Wafaa' can be contacted at the
Institute of Near Eastern & African Studies (INEAS)
P. O. Box 425125
Cambridge, MA. 02142 USA
INEAS@aol.com and INEAS_1994@yahoo.com
http://www.ineas.org/

To access some of her educational videos, visit http://www.youtube.com/user/INEAS