Governance and Leadership

KISA's governance structure ensures transparency, accountability, academic independence, and democratic participation. The Governance and Leadership Board includes four executive members and five Academic Advisory Board members, elected by the General Assembly.

Executive Board

EST. 2023 · TORONTO

PRESIDENT

Fereydoon Rahmani, PhD

Associate Professor of Sociology

Department of Equity Studies, York University, Toronto, Canada

rahmanif@yorku.ca

Fereydoon Rahmani is an Associate Professor of Sociology in the Department of Equity Studies at York University, Canada. He received his PhD and MA in Sociology from the University of Vienna. His teaching and research focus on sociology, human rights, quality of life, social indicators, spatial justice, ethnic inequality, social movements, and Middle Eastern societies. He previously served as Chair of the Department of Sociology at the University of Duhok. At York University, he has served as Undergraduate Program Director in the Department of Equity Studies, held executive and committee leadership roles within DES, and served on the Senate Review Committee on Tenure and Promotions. He also supervises graduate students at universities across Canada and in Kurdistan. Dr. Rahmani is the author of Rooftop Societies: The Middle East Paradox and introduced the concept of 'Rooftop Societies' to analyze socio-cultural and political incongruities in Middle Eastern societies.

Executive Board

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Dr. Zubeida Salih Abdulkhaliq

Head, Department of Sociology

University of Duhok, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

zubeida.abdulkhaliq@uod.ac

Dr. Zubeida Salih Abdulkhaliq is a sociologist, researcher, academic, and journalist specializing in media studies, gender studies, social change, and community development in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. She earned her PhD in Sociology from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) in Paris, France, with highest honours. She also holds a Master's degree and a D.E.R.A. diploma from Sorbonne Nouvelle University – Paris III. Dr. Abdulkhaliq currently serves as Head of the Department of Sociology at the University of Duhok. She previously served as Director of the Skills Development Center at Duhok Polytechnic University. In addition to her academic and administrative roles, she has contributed to several international research and development projects in collaboration with institutions in France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Her scholarly work focuses on Kurdish media, democracy, identity, civil society, and social transformation. She has also organized and facilitated numerous academic workshops and professional training programs on research methodology, academic publishing, higher education development, social research, and community engagement. Alongside her academic career, Dr. Abdulkhaliq has been active in journalism since 1999, contributing to local and international journals and media platforms on issues related to society, media, democracy, religious equality, and women's rights. Dr. Abdulkhaliq is fluent in Kurdish, Persian, French, and English, and has a good command of Arabic.

Executive Board

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Dunya Salahdin Mirdan, PhD

Lecturer and Faculty Member, Department of Social Work

Salahaddin University–Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

dunya.mirdan@su.edu.krd

Dunya Salahdin Mirdan, PhD in Sociology, is a researcher, sociologist, and academic who has served as a faculty member in the Department of Social Work at Salahaddin University–Erbil since 2010. Her academic profile is characterized by an extensive multidisciplinary foundation: she holds an MA in Sociology and Social Policy from the University of Kurdistan Hewlêr (UKH), along with three bachelor's degrees in psychology, education, and English literature. Her scholarly contributions were recognized in 2010 by a committee from the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, and she has since participated in high-level research collaborations with international institutions, including the Institute for Social Anthropology at the University of Bergen, Boston University, and UKH. Complementing her academic career is 18 years of experience in the humanitarian and development sectors, where she has held strategic programming and project management roles with international non-governmental organizations and local civil society organizations. She is a member of the Kurdistan International Sociological Association (KISA) and the Director of Social Work Ambassadors (SWA), an organization focused on empowering communities and advancing social justice. She is also a board member of the Institute for Research and Development Kurdistan (IRDK), and serves as a peace mediator and member of the High Council for Women and Development in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. As a specialist trainer and consultant, she provides capacity-building services for national and international organizations across casework, gender equality, women's leadership and protection, media consultancy, child rights, and education. Through her dual roles in academia and the humanitarian sector, she continues to advocate for systemic social change and professional excellence in the community.

Executive Board

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Dr. Samya Saeed Khalid

Faculty Member, Department of Sociology

University of Duhok, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

samya.saeed@uod.ac

Dr. Samya Saeed Khalid is a sociologist teaching at the Department of Sociology at the University of Duhok. She earned her MA from Salahaddin University in Iraqi Kurdistan, her first PhD from Van Yüzüncü Yıl University in Turkey, and her second PhD from Salahaddin University (2025). She holds a multidisciplinary specialization in the sociology of violence and the sociology of women. Her academic and research work focuses on women's studies, gender equality, violence, and social policy in relation to social justice and human rights, as well as minorities and marginalized people. She served as Director of the Gender Studies and Equality Center at the University of Duhok. Dr. Samya has contributed to international development education programs in collaboration with European Union universities in Finland, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands, as well as a religious studies program led by the IREX agency in the United States. She has led professional academic training in collaboration with international and national agencies in peacebuilding and education skills, and is considered one of the pioneers of women's protection programs in the Kurdistan Region. In addition to her academic activities, she has published work focusing on women, sexual violence during war, and refugees. Besides her mother tongue, she is fluent in Arabic and has a good command of English.

Executive Board · Vacancies

№ 02

Vice President

To be announced

This position will be filled by election at the next General Assembly. Biographical details will be published here once appointed.

№ 03

Executive Secretary

To be announced

This position will be filled by election at the next General Assembly. Biographical details will be published here once appointed.

№ 04

Treasurer

To be announced

This position will be filled by election at the next General Assembly. Biographical details will be published here once appointed.

Academic Advisory Board

ACADEMIC ADVISORY

To be announced

ACADEMIC ADVISORY

To be announced

ACADEMIC ADVISORY

To be announced

ACADEMIC ADVISORY

To be announced

ACADEMIC ADVISORY

To be announced

Committees

A · Committees

Task Force Committee

Coordinates focused, time-bound initiatives of the Association — conference planning, journal launch, and special scholarly projects.

01 · To be announced02 · To be announced03 · To be announced

B · Committees

Ad Hoc Committee

Convened as needed to address specific matters and proposals referred by the Governance and Leadership Board.

01 · To be announced02 · To be announced03 · To be announced

Official Registration

KISA is officially registered as a not-for-profit association in Canada and recognized in the Kurdistan Region as a civic association. The documents below verify KISA's legal standing.

Incorporation filings

PDF

Articles of Incorporation

Government of Canada · 2024

View PDF →

PDF

Registered Office & Directors

Initial registered office address and first board of directors

View PDF →

VERIFIED
Kurdistan Regional Government recognition — Ministry of Interior, Erbil Governorate (2024)

VERIFIED
Canadian Apostille — Department of Foreign Affairs, Ottawa (June 2024)