Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, PhD, MSc

Dr. Ben Hadj Hassine

Dr. Ben Hadj Hassine, CEO and Managing Director at DDY, boasts over 30 years of extensive experience in business development and entrepreneurial management across Europe. An innovative entrepreneur and results-driven leader, Dr. Ben focuses on achieving exceptional results in highly competitive environments that demand continuous improvement. He is recognized as an astute strategist with a proven track record of building and aligning organizations for excellence, unparalleled client service, and skilled relationship-building. Dr. Ben lives with a positive aura, always thinking positively.

As someone who leads by example, Dr. Ben Hadj is a firm believer in capacity building and empowering all people. For him, good leadership is not just about being in charge; it’s about empowering and encouraging others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more. He takes care of his employees and inspires his team to become the best version of themselves.

Driven by his passion to enhance the quality of life for individuals on the autism spectrum, Dr. Ben established The Doris Duan-Young Autism Center (DDY) in 2014, quickly establishing it as a leading provider in specialized therapeutic services for autism and other developmental disorders. Under his insightful leadership, DDY gained recognition not only in the GCC but also globally. Today, the center proudly serves over 300 families, many of whom specifically came to the UAE for treatment at DDY and successfully enrolled in mainstream schools afterward.

Guided by Dr. Ben’s exemplary leadership, strong values, and customer-oriented philosophy, DDY has received multiple awards, including the DHCA Excellence Awards for Outpatient Clinics and Healthcare Innovation. Dr. Ben himself has been featured in notable magazines such as Al Khaleej Times and Gulf Entrepreneur as a leading CEO and healthcare entrepreneur in the Gulf region.

Reflecting on winning the Excellence Awards for two consecutive years, Dr. Ben Hadj remarked, “This is a proud moment for us. It took almost five years of hard work and many success stories. We feel blessed to make a difference in the lives of so many gifted children.”

With strategic growth plans, value-added services, and a commitment to helping individuals express themselves fully, Dr. Ben Hadj and his dedicated DDY Team continue to demonstrate that DDY is indeed an Expertise That Cares.

Administrative Director

Marina Loukas

Quality & Operations Manager

Reham Yousef

Reham serves as the Quality & Operations Manager with over 7 years of experience in the healthcare field and educational background in Healthcare Management.

As a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ), Reham possesses a deep understanding of quality management principles, quality standards and best practices within the healthcare industry. In addition, she has a solid skill set in quality management, process improvement and regulatory compliance.

She has a strong commitment to client-centered care and enhancing clients experience by collaborating with clinical and administrative departments to provide safe and quality care as well as achieve organizational goals.

Client Relations Manager

Hadeel Haj

Hadeel Haj serves as the Client Relations Manager, focusing on cultivating positive and productive relationships with clients. She holds a degree in Public Relations and Communication and has accumulated over 3.5 years of experience in customer service and client relations within the UAE.

Having lived in the UAE for 27 years, Hadeel has developed a deep understanding of local dynamics and client expectations. Her background in public relations enhances her ability to effectively engage with clients from various backgrounds.

Outside of work, Hadeel enjoys creating creative content for social media platforms.

Clinical Director/BCBA

Inas Ktaech

Inas is the Clinical Director and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) overseeing clinical operations at The Doris Duan-Young Autism Center. She ensures adherence to company policies, procedures, and evidence-based practices. In her role, Inas collaborates with parents, school providers, and caregivers, promoting and implementing training programs.

With a Master’s Degree in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) specializing in developmental disabilities from Canada, Inas brings over 15 years of experience in ABA from Toronto. Her career includes roles such as School Support Consultant, ABA Supervisor, Clinical Supervisor, Program Manager, and Clinical Director..

Inas is passionate about ensuring everyone has the opportunity to learn and thrive. She finds great joy in witnessing progress and improving the quality of life for individuals and their families.

Inas values time with her family and friends. She enjoys reading, exploring new restaurants, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and swimming.

Publications

• Kidd, S.A., Bullard, C., Cleverly, K., & Ktaech, I. (November, 2007). Mental health intervention among homeless youths: A longitudinal examination. 6th International Conference on Urban Health, Baltimore, MD.
• Grow, L. L., Carr, J. E., Gunby, K. V., Charania, S. M., Gonsalves, L., Ktaech, I. A., & Kisamore, A. N. (2009) An evaluation of the effects of treatment integrity failures on acquisition during instruction using the system of least prompts with children with autism. Journal of Behavioral Education, 2, 142-156.
• Charania, S.M., Leblanc, L.A., Ktaech, I.A., Sabanathan, N., Carr, J.E., and Gunby, K.V. (2010). Teaching effective hand raising to children with Autism during group instruction. Journal of Applied Behavioural Anaylsis, 43, 493-497.

Case Manager/BCBA

Ikram Buralle

Ikram Buralle is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst responsible for providing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services, conducting assessments, preparing client reports, and supervising Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) at The Doris Duan-Young Autism Center.

She holds a Master’s degree in Special Education from Ball State University and has over 4 years of experience in the ABA industry in Toronto, Canada. Throughout her career, Ikram has served as an Early Intervention Therapist, ABA Therapist, and Manager of Developmental Services.

Ikram brings a strong background in ABA, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Respite services to the center.

Ikram is passionate about working with individuals with autism because she believes everyone deserves access to treatments that enable them to lead independent and fulfilling lives.

In her leisure time, she enjoys watching sports, learning languages, and spending quality time with friends and family.

Case Manager/QBA

Gerard Kein Palmero

Gerard is a Quality Behavior Analyst at The Doris Duan-Young Autism Center, responsible for conducting behavior assessments, analyzing data, providing training, and overseeing treatment plans.

He completed his coursework to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) at the Florida Institute of Technology, USA. With over 11 years of experience in special needs education and the ABA industry in the Philippines and UAE, Gerard has held roles including lead Special Education Teacher, ABA Therapist, and Case Manager. He also taught independent living and vocational skills.

Gerard is passionate about delivering high-quality behavioral services to individuals with special needs, helping them achieve a better quality of life.

Gerard enjoys sketching and staying active through fitness activities.

Case Manager/BCaBA

Nikki De Leon

Nikki serves as a Case Manager and is a Board-Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA), responsible for conducting behavior assessments, analyzing data, training, and overseeing treatment plans at The Doris Duan-Young Autism Center.

She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing with a specialization in Special Education from the Philippines. Nikki completed her Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) coursework and certification from the Florida Institute of Technology, USA.

With over eight years of experience in the ABA field in the Philippines and UAE, Nikki has held roles including ABA Therapist, Case Supervisor, and Registered Behavior Technician (RBT).

Nikki finds working with individuals living with autism to be transformative, shaping her perspective of the world. She firmly believes in the potential of every child to learn and thrive.

Nikki enjoys baking, reading, engaging in sports, and participating in outdoor activities.

LSA Supervisor/BCaBA

Ghina Saab

Ghina Saab serves as an LSA Supervisor at The Doris Duan-Young Autism Center, overseeing various responsibilities including managing clients transitioning to school settings, supervising learning support assistants (LSA), communicating with the SEN department, and training LSAs to support students in classroom settings.

She holds a degree in Education and is a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA). With over 13 years of experience in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in Lebanon and the UAE, Ghina has worked as an ABA Therapist and Case Manager. Equipped with a robust background in applying ABA techniques in both individual sessions and school environments.

Ghina finds working with people of determination deeply rewarding, celebrating every milestone achieved. She enjoys meditation and baking in her free time.

Receptionist

Bernalynd Gunabe

Bernalynd is a Receptionist at The Doris Duan-Young Autism Center. She is responsible for arranging client’s schedules based on the BCBA recommendation hours and services such as ABA, Speech, Occupational and Physical Therapy. She organizes the therapists’ schedule, coordinating with the BCBA as required. She is also a trained and certified first aider.

Berna holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and her experience spans for almost 10 years in the health industry in the Philippines and UAE.

In her career, she has worked in various capacities including a medical representative where she familiarized herself with trends and practices in the medical field, and medications. She is a former employee of Interphil Laboratories, Inc.

She has lived in the UAE for almost five years. Her interests are reading books, watching movies in different languages and learning different cultures.

Receptionist

Rowena Amor

Rowena is a Receptionist at The Doris Duan-Young Autism Center, responsible for handling client’s request, queries and complaints via phone and email, managing office supplies as well as receiving and dispatching deliveries. She also provides support to the HR and Accounts Departments. Rowena holds Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management, and her experience spans more than five years in hospitality and special needs sectors in the Philippines and UAE. In her career, she has worked in various capacities, handling responsibilities such as bookings, reservations, checkins, and events. A former employee of Citystate Asturias Hotel, she brings to The Doris Duan-Young Autism Center her background in customer service and hospitality management. She believes we, as a society, need to develop a deeper understanding of autism as well as empathize better with those living with the condition. She has lived in the UAE for three years, and her interests are cooking, dancing and watching documentaries.

Receptionist

Rose Ann Geloso

Rose Ann is a Receptionist at The Doris Duan-Young Autism Center responsible for greeting visitors / patients, handling queries, maintaining the patients’ medical records and files and supporting other clerical functions.

Rose Ann holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and is a Registered Nurse in the Philippines where her experience spans more than seven years.

In her career, she has worked in various capacities such as a dental nurse, clinic-out-patient nurse, company nurse and sales associate. She is a former employee of Sta. Rosa Hospital Medical Center
 
She has lived in the UAE for six years. Her interests are reading books, cooking, watching movies, travel, playing volleyball and spending time with her family.

Receptionist / Client Relations

Raghda Abushanab

Raghda is a Receptionist at The Doris DuanYoung Autism Center. In her capacity she builds client relations and collaborates with clinical teams. She also addresses concerns and complaints, scheduling follow-up meetings to ensure client satisfaction. Raghda holds a Degree in Hotel & Tourism Management and her experience spans more than 11 years in various roles within administrative, client relations, and HR in Sudan and the UAE. She has worked at Via Technology International, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre where her responsibilities included handling executive appointments and managing information flow for internal and external communication. For her, working with individuals living with autism is deeply rewarding, learning every day from children who experience the world differently and to get to see the world from a perspective that is different from her own. She has lived in the UAE for almost seven years, and her interests are riding horses, listening to music and reading about fashion.