Refugee JumpStart Coaching (RJS), founded in May 2021 by a Syrian refugee and a Los Angeles-based Leadership Coach, was created to help jumpstart the careers of educated, skilled refugees globally. We provide virtual coaching by a worldwide cadre of pro bono, certified leadership, wellness, and career coaches, along with job search, entrepreneurship and industry mentors. In January 2024, RJS became a recognized 501C(3) nonprofit organization in the State of California, USA.
Meet Our Founders
Hussein Alzribi, a former Syrian refugee lawyer with deep first-hand knowledge of the refugee experience, and Bev Weise, a Los Angeles, California based leadership coach and talent management executive, joined forces to establish Refugee JumpStart Coaching. They are both driven by their mutual passion to empower refugees to unleash their potential and become active, engaged, valuable contributors to their new communities.
Bev Weise, MBA, ACC
CO-FOUNDER
Bev is an ICF certified Leadership Coach and a Leadership & Team Development Trainer and Consultant in Los Angeles, California. She has over 35 years of experience in the corporate and nonprofit sectors, helping individuals and teams reach their full potential in the workplace.
In 2008, Bev founded Leadership Talent Solutions, a coaching and consulting firm helping organizations identify, develop and retain leadership talent. Previously, Bev was Executive Director of Interlaw Ltd., an international association of law firms, and the Corporate Director of Executive Planning and Development at Northrop Grumman Corporation, a leading U.S. aerospace company.
In 2016, Bev volunteered independently in a refugee camp in Chios, Greece, which was a transformative experience. As a coach, she saw the wasted potential of so many refugees and was inspired to make a difference.
Hussein Alzribi, BA
CO-FOUNDER
Hussein Alzribi is a former refugee and lawyer from Aleppo, Syria. Forced to flee his home in 2015, he arrived in Athens, Greece, where he quickly became a recognized leader in the refugee community, helping organize self-sustaining refugee communities in the “Squats”. He was resettled in The Netherlands, where he worked with European NGOs on refugee policy issues and worked with recruiters to help find employment for his fellow refugees.
Hussein believes refugees need more than just food, blankets or subsidies to be successful in their new host countries. They need to be given the tools to empower themselves to find meaningful careers and successfully integrate into a new culture.
He sees coaching as a powerful tool with the potential for creating significant impact in refugees’ lives.
Meet Our Board
Our committed Board, composed of leaders in the nonprofit and business communities, is passionate about the work of Refugee JumpStart Coaching and dedicated to helping the organization achieve its mission.
Jeanne Hartley, MSOD, ACC
Board Member
Organization Development Consultant, Trainer, Facilitator and University Faculty Member
Jenny Kellogg, PhD
Deputy Chair; Board Treasurer
Hellenist, Literary Translator, Trauma-Informed Care Spiritual Coach
Hussein Alzribi, BA Law
Board Member
RJS Co-Founder; Former Syrian Lawyer; Refugee Activist and Policy Advisor
Besem Obenson, MBA; MPH
Board Member
Head Representative for Guatemala, UNHCR
(United Nations High Commission on Refugees)
Dave Jensen, MS
Board Member
Leadership Coach and Consultant; University Adjunct Faculty; Community Activist
Our Coaches and Mentors
Our global cadre of professional, certified coaches, volunteer their time and expertise to help empower our clients to establish careers that reflect their strengths, talents, experience, education, and passions. Our coaches not only provide career support, but they also act as thought partners and confidants, helping clients navigate the transitions from refugee journey to active, contributing members of their new communities. Additionally, we have specialists in job search, entrepreneurship, and industry specialists who provide mentoring in their areas of their expertise.
Our Team
We practice what we preach.
Refugee JumpStart Coaching provides work experience opportunities to demonstrate their skills and unleash their potential. Our remote, talented team, composed primarily of refugees, work with us as advisors, paid interns, and volunteers. They reside in Greece, Rwanda, Malawi, Uganda, Germany, and the U.S. Despite the time and cultural differences, they work together seamlessly and collaboratively, deeply committed to helping jumpstart the careers of refugees.