The Syrian war turned businessman Shadi Martini into a refugee, an activist, and an advocate for greater cooperation across faith and cultural lines for the Syrian people. Martini is now Chief Executive Officer of the Multifaith Alliance.

In March 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on those providing aid to anyone suspected of being in the opposition, Martini, then the General Manager of a hospital in Aleppo, and his comrades worked covertly to provide aid to wounded and ill civilians. This secret network was discovered in mid-2012, forcing him to flee his country.

Immediately, Martini began organizing assistance programs for Syrians displaced by war. He founded Bulgaria’s Refugee Support Group, a humanitarian aid organization, and was elected to the Bulgarian Crisis Commission by Bulgarian NGOs to help overcome the obstacles to aiding and integrating refugees. His efforts attracted partnerships with numerous faith-based organizations in the U.S. and abroad, which led to his involvement with the Multifaith Alliance (MFA).

Martini became Director of Humanitarian Relief and Regional Relations, in which role he structured MFA’s humanitarian aid program. To date almost $400 million worth of lifesaving supplies has been delivered to more than 3 million displaced Syrians. We attribute the success of this program to the partnerships Martini and MFA Founder Georgette Bennett forged with like-minded humanitarians throughout the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East, who were willing to help by donating or delivering life-saving aid.

These ongoing relationships, and a decade of experience, have contributed to the facility and economy with which we now execute aid shipments. In the wake of the recent catastrophic earthquake, MFA was well prepared to galvanize its partners and send immediate emergency supplies into Syria, despite the daunting strategic and infrastructure challenges posed.

In his new role as Chief Executive Officer of the Multifaith Alliance, Mr. Martini is seeking innovation that will vastly expand MFA’s capabilities and reach in every area of its work. He is driven not only by his commitment to alleviate suffering, but also to keep awareness of the crisis at the forefront of public consciousness. Consequently, he travels the world presenting to groups from governments to college students, encouraging greater activism to generate a more rational U.S. immigration policy.

The close relationships he has maintained inside Syria and the region gives him a vantage point from which to provide first-hand briefings of the crisis to leaders of governments and civil society, as well as in interviews, articles, and speeches.

As Chief Executive of the Multifaith Alliance, Mr. Martini’s vision is to strengthen and enhance the organization’s existing projects and programs in the U.S. and abroad to effect large scale policy and cultural changes, and secure lasting solutions to the Syrian refugee crisis.

Betsy Dribben

Head of Advocacy & Communication

Betsy Dribben, Head of Advocacy & Communication for Multifaith Alliance, is an attorney with decades of international political and policy experience.

Betsy began her career as a legislative and press aide on Capitol Hill, working for senior members of the House and Senate. She has also been a public relations director for two major nonprofits, including having worked on two sets of Presidential Debates.

She has nearly twenty years of advocacy experience at the European Parliament and a decade at the United Nations. At the UN, she served as the chief representative for two nonprofits in their environmental and economic work. Her efforts resulted in key language in the Rio Plus 20 United Nations agreement and regulations in the European Union pertaining to environmental problems.

Her writing has appeared in the Washington Post, the International Herald Tribune, Newsday and the LA Times wire.

As Head of Advocacy & Communication for Multifaith Alliance, she works on policy and advocacy focused on the Syrian refugee crisis and U.S. resettlement of refugees.

Betsy holds a BA degree from Wheaton College (Norton, MA) and a JD from George Mason University's School of Law.