Jessica Abou Haidar

Communications Consultant - Media Strategist - Designer

Spiritual Director - Interfaith Dialogue advocate


I am a collaborative art director with an enthusiastic spirit, dedicated to creating strategies and designs that have social impact and serve the common good.
I have a talent for coaching and training. Challenges bring out the best of my skills, and I am determined to finding new possibilities and practical solutions.

My passion for branding, media, and design, joins my lifelong commitment to faith and society. I have been learning and serving in faith-based and interfaith organizations for many years. I firmly believe that faith can bring people of all backgrounds together, to celebrate humanity, common values, and build peace. 

Expertise

Branding & Comms Consultancy

I provide analysis and solutions and general marketing expertise to both new and existing products or services. Aligning branding and communication strategies to organizational strategies is pivotal to achieving desired goals.

Digital Marketing

In a nutshell, I help organizations and corporations achieve marketing objectives through digital technologies and media. This includes email, social media, web-based, and search engine advertising.

Graphic Design

Visual communication is a very effective tool to communicate ideas through typography, imagery, color, and form. Creating logos, publications, images, posters, etc.

Startup & Business Planning

With more than 10 years of experience in the field, and multiple regional and international awards in entrepreneurship and business planning, I assist business owners in developing their business idea, researching the market, and testing the feasibility of their project. All this work can also serve as grounds for a solid branding strategy.

Resume

Since 2004, I have pursued academic studies in two fields; branding, design, and art direction, then bible studies, theology, and spiritual direction. I am a multiple-time award-winning entrepreneur and designer, and since the year 2011, I have founded and currently manage “Takween”, it is a free profession, registered under my own name, where i develop communication and brand strategies, digital marketing, and design, to support the mission and work of faith-based, interfaith and humanitarian organizations. I am also a 2019 fellow of the KAICIID dialogue center in Vienna, and the vice president of the media committee in Adyan Foundation’s religious social responsibility forum in Lebanon. (Download CV for the full description).

Milestones

2021 - Current
eDin

Participant in the UNAOC & UNCCT interfaith pilot program

eDin is a peer-to-peer capacity-building training between young religious leaders and young media makers by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the Office of Counter-Terrorism. The project focuses on using religion and interfaith dialogue on social media to defuse sectarian tensions, to counter extremist and hateful narratives and to promote social cohesion.

2019 - Current
KAICIID - Vienna

KAIICID Dialogue center fellowship

Became a KAICIID Fellow; a program that brings together leaders from various religions from around the world for training in dialogue facilitation, intercultural communication, and promoting social cohesion.

2018 - 2018
ADYAN Foundation

Adyan - Media for Diversity and Coexistence

Seminar to share experiences in working towards Inclusive citizenship, countering violent extremism and setting communication plans for religious institutions.

2017 - 2018
University of Saint Joseph

Diploma in Spiritual Direction

2014 - 2015
University of Saint Joseph

Theology basics diploma - CREDO

2014 - Current
Exodus

Founder of Trade company

Exodus is a trading company, specialized in exporting organic lebanese goods to the E.U. Exodus also manages the product launch events, sales strategy and promotion in the host countries.

2012 - 2012
U.S. Department of State

U.S.A - IVLP exchange visitor program

The U.S. Department of State’s premier professional exchange program; the International Visitor Leadership Program. Through short-term visits to the USA, current and emerging foreign leaders create a professional network with people they meet.

2012 - 2013
Swedish Institute

SHE entrepreneurs program

A program that focuses on young women social entrepreneurs in the Middle East, North Africa, and Sweden. The program runs for one year and provides participants with tools to develop a social project for sustainable change.

2012 - Current
Takween

Founder and Creative Director

Initiated and founded Takween (Arabic for; Genesis). Takween is a branding, strategy, and communications consultancy house dedicated to creating a positive impact in the Lebanese society, that is why we mainly work with Startups, Social Entreprises, NGOs, Interfaith Organizations, and Religious Entities. The Studio offers Training, Consultancy, and Implementation services in the fields of: Branding & Corporate Identity, Design & Media Production, Illustration, Web and Social Media Marketing.

2010 - Current
Kalimat Hayat

Servant Leader and Co-Founder

Word of Life (Kalimat Hayat) is a spiritual training group that aims to the personal development of young individuals; we train about communication skills, leadership, team development etc. all from a biblical perspective. We create large-scale events that promote knowledge about the Holy Bible. I am currently the servant/leader of the group.

2009 - 2010
2 design awards

Web Awards

Two awards won; for www.donnersangcompter.org - the Lebanese Web Award for best strategic website for an NGO and for www.craft-lebanon.com - the Silver Pan Arab web award for best website for an NGO.

2007 - 2009
ALBA - University of Balamand

Masters in Art Direction

2007 - 2012
Bug Studios Ltd.

Managing Partner and Creative Director

Co-founded Bug Studios s.a.r.l. A young design agency, created by fresh creative graduates, bringing new concepts into the market. The Studio offered Branding, Graphic & Web Design, Photography & Illustration. Clients ranged from local NGOs to regional private businesses as well as governmental institutions. I managed the agency and acted as the creative director of the team.

2004 - 2007
ALBA - University of Balamand

Bachelor in Graphic Design

2001 - 2021
to present

Community volunteer

Continuously volunteering with Religious groups, Interfaith organizations, Local humanitarian and environmental NGOs, and Social and Political Movements.

Working and Life Skills

  • Photography

  • Active Listening

  • Training & Teaching

  • Ideation & Business Planning

  • Advertising

  • Marketing Strategy

  • Brand strategy

  • Production design

  • Comms department training

  • Social Media Marketing

  • Graphic Design

  • Logo Design

  • Print Design

  • Web Design

Languages

Arabic: Native
English: Advanced
French: Advanced
Italian: Beginner

Portfolio

Media Project 2

GOVx 2020 - KSA

Media Project 2

IF20 - G20 Interfaith Forum

Media Project 2

KAICIID - Publications

Media Project 2

My Lebanon - لبناني

Media Project 2

Dialogue Toolbox by Danmission

Media Project 2

Danmission MENA presentation video

Media Project 2

Valley of Life

Media Project 2

We are family - نحنا عيلة

Media Project 2

Petites Envies - eCommerce

Media Project 2

Responsible Citizenship - فينا نعمل شي

Media Project 2

UNRWA - Education Programme

Media Project 2

Bible Exhibition by Kalimat Hayat

Media Project 2

Let us talk - تعوا نحكي

Media Project 2

lil' bites

Media Project 2

Kasser el Sanawbar - Social Media

Media Project 2

Al Omk - Lybia

Media Project 2

Bridges to Bethlehem

Media Project 2

Kalimat Hayat - كلمة حياة

Media Project 2

The book of Ezekiel

Media Project 2

Luma Naccache - Social Media

Media Project 2

60s Beirut

Media Project 2

SMS - Strategic Medical Solutions

Media Project 2

Haderzly

Media Project 2

We are the cure - نحنا الدوا

Media Project 2

MECC publications

Media Project 2

MECC social media works (2016 - 2018)

Media Project 2

Maison Lakhsassi - Casablanca

Media Project 2

Security and Justice Sector in the UNDP

Media Project 2

Moment of P

Contact

Get in Touch

Ballouneh, Lebanon

How Can I Help You?