Team
We owe a debt of gratitude to our board members, to our advisory council, to our staff and to all our donors, partners, volunteers and supporters for their unwavering commitment to the children of Live it up Foundation, who are the ultimate beneficiaries of our collective efforts.
Yasemin Saib
Chairwoman & President
Dr. Yasemin Saib, Founder & President is a dedicated philanthropist focused on supporting orphaned and abandoned children across East Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East. With over 30 years of experience, she has founded several social enterprises, including Naml Philanthropy, which helps non-profits engage in CSR, Live It Up, an enterprise that generates revenue for good causes, and Al Bayareq, a media company producing TV programs and documentaries for charity.
Dr. Saib has also held senior roles at organizations like MBC Television and Dubai Cares, but her true passion remains philanthropy. As the Founder and Chairperson of Live It Up Foundation, she is committed to providing abandoned children with the resources to lead positive, productive lives.
Gulsay Gurbuz
Board Member & Treasurer
Ms. Gulsay Gurbuz, Treasurer is a retired lawyer and dedicated philanthropist with over 55 years of experience supporting disadvantaged children and communities worldwide.
She has helped fund the higher education of five children from Bosnia, Turkey, Iran, and Azerbaijan and served as the regional representative for UNICEF in Eastern Saudi Arabia for 12 years. A committed member of Rotary International for 35 years, Mrs. Gurbuz chaired the World Community Service Program, playing a pivotal role in raising funds for wheelchairs, medical supplies, and vaccines to help eradicate polio in East Asia.
She has helped fund the higher education of five children from Bosnia, Turkey, Iran, and Azerbaijan and served as the regional representative for UNICEF in Eastern Saudi Arabia for 12 years. A committed member of Rotary International for 35 years, Mrs. Gurbuz chaired the World Community Service Program, playing a pivotal role in raising funds for wheelchairs, medical supplies, and vaccines to help eradicate polio in East Asia.
Ketam Hamdan
Board Member & Secretary
Dr. Ketam Hamdan, Secretary is a purpose-driven executive dedicated to awakening consciousness and fostering visionary, value-led leadership by integrating psychology, leadership, philanthropy, and spirituality.
With a deep passion for serving underprivileged communities, particularly orphans, she has collaborated with organizations such as Free the Children, CARE, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, spearheading impactful social initiatives that have attracted multimillion-dollar support and recognition from top executives and government leaders. She has also partnered with the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) to expand socially responsible efforts. Dr. Hamdan holds a Master of Science in Strategic Marketing Communications from Columbia University and a PhD in Psychology and Religion from Harvard University.
Alia Greaney
Board Member
Ms. Alia Greaney, Board Member is an Irish-Emirati who has been a dedicated social worker in the UAE for over 25 years. As a founding member of Dubai’s first shelter for women and children, she played a pivotal role in establishing the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children, where she also served on the board. Recognized for her humanitarian efforts, she received an award from the Ethiopian community in 2012 for her contributions.
As a board member and donor of the Live It Up Foundation, Ms. Greaney is committed to raising awareness, securing support from prominent UAE figures, and ensuring children receive quality education, including access to top schools, after-school tutoring, and mentorship programs.
Yasemin Saib
Chairwoman & President
Yasemin Saib has a long history of activism in the field of philanthropy, particularly with supporting orphaned and abandoned children in East Africa, South Asia and in the Middle East. Professionally, Ms. Saib has founded numerous businesses.
most notable are Live It up, a social enterprise that offers inspiring and unique products and experiences with the goal of generating revenue to serve good causes and founded Al Bayareq, a Media consulting and production company aimed at producing TV programs and documentaries that serve the good causes. Over the course of her 21 years of professional career, Yasemin held numerous senior management positions at many US based firms, but her heart has always be tied to philanthropy.
As the Founder and Chairperson of Live it up Foundation, Yasemin dedicates her life to serving abandoned children by giving them the essentials all children need to lead positive and lives and to grow to become productive and well integrated members of their society.
Email: Yasemin.saib@liveitup.org
Phone: 202-909-0217
Gulsay Gurbuz
Board Member & Treasurer
Mrs. Gulsay Gurbuz has been an active philanthropist for over 40 years. She helped provide higher education to 5 disadvantaged children from various parts of the world (Bosnia, 2 from Turkey, Iran and Azerbaijan). While she was living.
with her family, she volunteered for UNICEF as the regional representative of the Eastern provide of Saudi Arabia for 8 years.
After she moved to the United States, she joined Rotary international. As an active member of the Rotary club, she became the Chairperson for the World Community Service and Student Exchange Programs. She had an instrumental role in galvanizing donations thru the Turkish Rotary Club towards the purchase of 240 weal chairs for handicap young adults and children. She also arranged for the shipment of numerous surgical medical equipment to hospitals in various third world countries thru Rotary club leadership endeavors.
Mrs. Gurbuz worked voluntarily in the Florida Turkish American Association, non-profit organization as a Board Member for 4 years. She is now actively involved as an advisory board member at the Istanbul Cultural Center of South Florida and as a passionate volunteer. As a non-profit organization, this Cultural Center is part of a much larger global network who build and operate thousands of schools around the world. This organization also responds to emergency relief initiatives around the world including the recent Haiti earthquake where many children were orphaned and the Turkish teams collectively donated time, effort and resources (both financial and in-kind). Mrs. Gurbuz continues her volunteering efforts at the Cultural Center where she teaches Turkish language to adults and serves as a judge in the Annual Global Turkish language Olympics.
Mrs. Gurbuz graduated from Istanbul University with a degree in law. She is married and has three grown children and three grandchildren.
Ketam Hamdan
Board Member & Secretary
Ketam Hamdan has led a life pursuit of self-mastery and has a passion for awaking people’s consciousness to lead more meaningful lives. She is an accomplished and purpose driven executive that is passionate about fusing together multiple stuff.
(i.e. psychology, leadership, marketing, philanthropy, and spirituality) to inspire innovative insights that transform mindsets and cultivate vision and value-led leaders. Ms. Hamdan has a history and ongoing passion in helping underprivileged people, especially orphans around the world. She has worked with several organizations such as Free the Children, CARE, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She has also spearheaded the launch of socially responsible projects that garnered multimillion-dollar support and earned acclaim from top executives and government heads. She also partnered with Young Presidents Organization (YPO) to inspire them to expand their socially responsible efforts
Ketam holds a Master of Science in Strategic Marketing Communications from Columbia University, New York, and a PhD in Psychology and Religion from Harvard University. Whether it is through philanthropic activism, fundraising, one-on-one sessions, workshops, or leadership seminars, Ketam commits her life to serving and helping others have a more sustainable smile to their face.
Alia Greaney
Board Member
As a mother of 6 and a grandmother of 3, Alia who is an Irish Emerati has been an active social worker in the UAE community for over 25 year. She is the founding member of first shelter for women and children in Dubai which she co-founded over.
years ago.
She was also the elected member of the board of Dubai Foundation for Women and Children and was instrumental in establishing the Foundation. In 2012, she received an award from Ethiopian Community where she was recognized for her support and contribution to the community.
As a board member of live it up Foundation and as the largest donor to the organization, she focuses on reaching out to prominent members of the UAE community to generate awareness and solicit contributions, and in particular concentrating on the quality of education the children receive by providing them access to good schools and after school tutoring and mentorship programs.
“Hearts united, hands serving, transforming young lives with love and care.”
Join us today—
because
every child matters!
Innocent hearts, precious dreams, and boundless potential. Every child matters, deserving unconditional love, care, and a future bright with promise. Join hands to provide shelter, education, and hope. Together, let’s empower their tomorrow, and transform our world.