Mr. Bazzi assumed his role on May 10, 2025, bringing nearly 30 years of combined experience in the military and nonprofit sectors. He has designed and led humanitarian and security interventions in some of the world’s most complex and fragile environments, building strong partnerships and driving multi-faceted development, capacity-building, and security initiatives.
Most recently, Mr. Bazzi served as Regional Director for the Middle East and Central Asia at Spirit of America, a Virginia-based nonprofit delivering rapid, citizen-driven assistance in support of American values and global security. In that role, he worked extensively across Jordan, Iraqi Kurdistan, Lebanon, and the Central Asian states, overseeing nearly 300 aid projects in partnership with U.S. civil society and security entities.
Before his nonprofit career, Mr. Bazzi served in the United States Army, attaining the rank of Sergeant, and later in the New Hampshire Army National Guard from 2002 to 2008, where he rose to Staff Sergeant.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of New Hampshire, a master’s degree in professional studies in Emergency & Disaster Management from Georgetown University, and a certificate in International Public and NGO Management from Cornell University. He is fluent in Arabic.
