President Dr. Anna Kohen, D.D.S., is AAWO’s current president. She was born in Vlora, Albania after World War II. She left Albania in 1966 with her seven family members and went to Greece. Dr.Kohen completed her dentistry studies in Greece at the Ethnikon and Kapodistriakon University of Athens, Dental School in 1970. After completing her education she moved to the United States where she continued her studies at New York University’s Dental School and received a DDS Dental Degree in 1976. After graduation she was appointed as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Restorative Dentistry at NYU Dental School and taught there for ten years. She has been practicing general dentistry since that time.. In 1990, with the help of several Jewish organizations, she brought 37 of her Jewish-Albanian relatives (a total of ten families) to the U.S., and assisted them in the process of integration. In 1991, she was invited to Albania to celebrate the formation of the Albanian-Israeli Society where she has been elected an Honorary Member. "The President of the Albanian Republic, Alfred Moisiu recognized Dr. Anna Kohen during a meeting at the Presidency with the medal "For Special Civil Merits" under the motivation "For valuable contribution helping the Albanians during the Kosovar humanitarian crisis; for precious aid given to the new Albanian emigrants in the United States of America." In July 2006, Dr. Kohen was honored by the Major of Vlora with the title “Honored Citizen of Vlora.” Dr. Kohen frequently visits the Albanian schools in the Bronx, teaching children how to take care of their teeth and maintain good oral hygiene. She has participated in countless community events and contributed moral, emotional and financial support to members of the Albanian community. She is consistently there for people in need, which is why for the past eight years Albanian women have honored her by electing her as the President of AAWO “Motrat Qiriazi,” the most active organization in the Albanian community. Dr. Kohen is married to a Holocaust survivor from Poland and has two children.   Founder and Member Shqipe Biba is the founder of AAWO – the first and only Albanian women’s organization in the United States -- and a honorary active member. She was born in Kosova where her family was persecuted for years by the Serbian regime there because of their love for their nation and democracy, as well as their promotion of their rights as Albanians. Ms. Biba holds a B.A. in Journalism and Albanian language and literature. She has over 25 years experience as a journalist and is a noted community activist. Ms. Biba is a devoted advocate of human rights, especially women’s rights. She is a cofounder and first president of Democratic League of Kosova – New York Branch She is a cofounder of the first information radio station dedicated to the Albanian community in New York, and a founder of the first Albanian elementary school in New York. Ms. Biba now dedicates her time and efforts to organizing outreach activities for the Albanian community. She lives happily in Staten Island with her husband and three children.   Vice President Dr. Zana Dobroshi, M.D., Ph.D., is the current Vice President of AAWO. Dr. Dobroshi is a Diplomate of General and Child/Adolescent Psychiatry, and her vast experience includes Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University, New York, NY; Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio; Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry, University of Kosova, Prishtine, Kosova. Her areas of expertise include: Post-traumatic Stress Disorder; preventive methods in mental health; resiliency; refugee families; use of creativity in children's development; and psychodynamic approaches to healing. She has authored 28 publications. Dr. Dobroshi has been very active within the Albanian community. She has has provided counseling free of charge to many Albanian women and children both in the Balkans and in the United States. Albanian families in need of help for their children may call AAWO for a referral.   Treasurer Drita Shkurti holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Tirana, Albania. After her graduation she was an assistant lecturer in mathematics at the University of Elbasan, Albania. She was responsible for teaching undergraduate calculus, analytical geometry, probability, algebra, and methodology of mathematics. At the same time, she was actively involved with the Albanian-Danish Project for restructuring and updating the academic curriculum at the University of Elbasan. Drita was one of two Albanian Fellows who won the Ron Brown Fellowship Program (initially known as the Eastern European Fellowship Program) in 1995. She was accepted as a graduate student at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. There she earned two master’s degrees, one in Educational Leadership and the other in Statistics. During her time as a graduate student at Lehigh, Drita also taught calculus and probability courses for undergraduate engineers. Drita is currently working as a senior actuarial assistant at TIAA-CREF (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association-College Retirement Equities Fund), which is an insurance company that provides an expanding range of investment and insurance services to those in education and their families.   Secretary Alda Mosko is an active member of AAWO’s Board of Directors and is involved with issues concerning human rights, advocacy for children and education. Ms. Mosko previously worked at the U.S. Embassy in Tirana, Albania and was awarded a Meritorious Honor Award by the State Department. Ms. Mosko holds a Master’s degree in International Finance and Business from Columbia University in New York, and she was a Fullbright Scholar at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, New York (1995-1996). She earned her B.A. at the University of Tirana in English Studies.   Members Kestrina Budina graduated from Columbia University with a Master's Degree in International Relations. Prior to that, she earned a Bachelor's Degree from Bryn Mawr College where she studied political science. After finishing graduate studies she joined the international banking profession. She is an active participant in Albanian community events.   Amilda Dymi is a Tirana, Albania born resident of New York, currently a staff reporter for National Mortgage News (Thomson Media publications). A Fulbright scholar and graduate of Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, she holds a BA in finance from Tirana University School of Economics. Ms. Dymi has reported for various media including BBC the Albanian Desk, WBAI, the New York affiliate of Pacifica Radio, WTN (Worldwide Television News), Kosovapress and Liria of Boston. She worked as a staff journalist for TV Victoria and the Albanian-American Newspaper Illyria, as well as The Albanian RTV and Tirana Newspaper in Tirana, Albania. She co-authored the chapter on Albania in Henry P. David (1999), From Abortion to Contraception: A resource to Public Policies and Reproductive Behavior in Central and Eastern Europe from 1917 to the Present, Westport, CT, Greenwood Press. Ms. Dymi is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), its New York chapter "The Deadline Club" and the New York Financial Writers' Association.   Lirije Erbeli has been actively involved with AAWO since it was founded. While her three daughters were growing up, Lirije made a commitment to teach them and other children about Albanian traditions, customs, culture and history. So for several years she created and implemented educational programs for Albanian American children in the New York area. Lirije is an Associate Educator for the New York City Department of Education with the Special Education Unit. She holds an Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education, as well as several certificates in Early Childhood Intervention and Crisis Intervention, from Kings Borough Community College. Lirije was born and raised in Kosova and has lived in the U.S. for over twenty years.   Marjana Valla Eski is an active AAWO Board member. For years she has advocated on behalf of women’s rights through actively participating and organizing various community events. Marjana brings to our organization a wide range of well developed artistic talents. She directed the Visual Arts Department of the Jordan Misja Art High School in Tirana, Albania and was a professor of graphic design at the Academy of Fine Arts of Tirana. She also designed wedding dresses for the Carmy Company in New York. Most recently Marjana designed the costumes of Miss Europe 1996, a TV show organized in Albania, Miss Albania 1992-96 – another distinguished TV program, and the annual musical contest, Spring Song Contests 1995-96. Marjana’s work has been a part of many international exhibits, including “Women of the World Exhibition,” New York; “Gallery @49,” New York; “Linda” Association of Albanian Women Artists, Albania; and “Balkan Women Artists’ Exhibition,” Bucharest, Romania. Marjana works and lives in New York.   Suzana Frasheri graduated from Law Faculty of Tirana University in 1994 with a degree in Law. She has been a Judge in Kuçova District Court from June 1995 to August 1996 and after that a human rights lawyer for almost two years with the Albanian Human Rights Group in Tirana, Albania. In this position she was responsible for drafting human rights projects, organizing seminars and workshops related to human rights issues, preparing reports for fund-raising and development and writing the final report at the end of each project, also acting as a liaison between the organization and other institutions within the country and outside it. Suzana she attended a three month course at the University of Birmingham, UK (1996); 2 months course at the DANIDA Center for Human Rights in Copenhagen, Denmark (1997) and Master of Laws at the American University in Washington D.C. (1998-1999) where she was a SOROS scholar and specialized on International Law and Human Rights.   Merita Halili, originally from Tirana, Albania, is one of the most famous Albanian singers of her generation, making many recordings and setting the standard for the central Albanian urban vocal style. Recognized at a young age as a gifted folk singer, she toured throughout Europe as a soloist with the Albanian State Ensemble for Folk Songs and Dance. Merita earned her degree in classical vocal music in Albania. Now living in New Jersey, Merita performs regularly throughout the United States and Asia. In addition to appearing on television and radio, she has performed at the Lincoln Center in New York, the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., and the Barbican Center in London. Throughout her career she has won numerous awards for her singing, including an award at the prestigious National Folklore Festival in Gjirokaster, Albania. In 2000 the president of Albania bestowed on her the “National Ambassador” award. Merita is the reigning queen of Albanian song.   Etrita Ibroci, for the past 6 years, has been working at Credit Suisse First Boston in the Equity research department as a Vice President in the Global Product Financial Marketing Group. Etrita graduated from St. John's University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Political Science, and with a minor in Philosophy and Theology. She also holds an Masters in Business Administration from Fordham University in Finance and Management Systems. She is planning on further pursuing her PhD studies at Fordham, but at a later time. Etrita speaks fluently Albanian (native), Croatian, Spanish Italian. At an intermediate level she also speaks Russian and German. She is a member of various Albanian organizations. Her hobbies are: writing, martial arts, acting, and painting.   Viosa Manelli Lukaj is an active AAWO Board member. A clinical social worker, Viosa worked in the criminal justice and family unification sectors of the New York City court system. Previous experience includes social work for both the Mental Health Association of Connecticut and Fairfield Hills Hospital assisting in the de-institutionalization process of many clients. Early in her career, Viosa was a social worker for the public defender’s office in Danbury Superior Court. Ms. Lukaj dedicates a significant amount of her time to philanthropic activities, particularly those that advocate for women and children. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors of the Albanian American Women’s Organization, she is an active member of the National Albanian American Council’s Hands of Hope, as well as the administrator of the Lukaj Foundation, a non-profit charity organization founded by Viosa and her husband Richard. Ms. Lukaj earned her Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Western Connecticut State Univeristy and her Master’s from Fordham University. Ms. Lukaj and her husband Richard Lukaj have two daughters, Zana and Layla.   Julika Prifti was bron in Tiana, Albania where she finished her education and graduated in the field of Albanian Language and literaty at the from the University of Tirana. She worked for many years as a teacher of Albanian language and literature in “Partizani” and “Ismail Qemajli” schools. She published her creative works in the publications such as: “ Drita” (Light) and “Zeri i Rinise” (The Voice of Youth). In the mid 80s she was promoted to an editor of the cultural magazine “Monumentet” (Monuments).Through this jobshe was able to express her love for the Albanian culture and tradition, and in collaboration with Radio Tirana she produced many radio dramas on the cultural and traditional history. In the mid 90s she immigrated to Greece and later on to the United States. Presently Julika lives in New york with her son and her parents. She is a journalist and a contributor to AAWO ‘Shpresa” Magazine. She is an active participant of all AAWO events and faithfully has covered our events for the newspaper and magazines in the homeland as well as the Diaspora.   Alketa Spahia currently works for the United Nations Development Porgramme as a Practice Implementation Analyst. She received a B.S. in Management and Organization Sciences from the University of Southern Maine and an MBA from the University of Portland in 2001. Prior to that, she attended journalism school at the University in Tirana, Albania. Her interests include journalism and classical literature.   Loreta Stamo is an active AAWO Board member. She holds a M.S. degree in Computer Engineering and a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Tirana, Albania. Ms. Stamo has worked extensively with computer systems, including requirements analysis, designing, implementing and maintaining applications, as well as testing and integrating complex projects. For the past seven years she has worked as a Unix Systems Administrator for Perry Ellis International. Additionally, she has work experience as a programmer analyst for Micro Bio-Medics, Inc., as a teacher of computer science at the University of Tirana, and as an electronic engineer for Textile Corp. Ms. Stamo lives in New Jersey with her husband and daughter.   Dr. Shpresa Xhakli, M.D. was born in Mitrovica, Kosova. A general practioner physician, Shpresa has been a board member of AAWO for a number of years. In collaboration with other board members, Shpresa contributes to the financial growth of AAWO, chairs numerous fundraising activities and allocates funding for numerous special projects in health, education and the well-being of children. Shpresa lives in New York with her husband Rexh Xhakli and their two children.   Mailing Address: AAWO | 676A Ninth Avenue, Suite 425 | New York, NY 10036 Tel: 1 (212) 244-8440 | Fax: 1 (212) 751-7782 E-Mail: contact@aawomq.org   Copyright © Albanian American Womans Organization Motrat Qiriazi, 1994-2006. All rights reserved. Join AAWO | Benefits of Membership | Sponsorship | Shpresa Subscription | Contact Us | Links | Donate Online