Who We Are
Noor El-Salam is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization headquartered in Colorado, dedicated to providing education and hope to refugee children in Lebanon—all of whom are denied access to formal schooling. We also support humanitarian relief efforts for vulnerable Lebanese communities facing severe shortages of electricity, food, and clean water. Our mission is rooted in compassion and dignity, and we operate exclusively for charitable, educational, and literary purposes.
Board of Directors
Amine Tarhini - Founder
Amine Tarhini, founder and board president, is an engineer by education and has held senior positions in management and business operations for major corporations for the last 41 years. He received his E.E. and M.E. from Texas A & M University. Amine holds dual citizenship in the US and Lebanon, and was born and raised in and around Beirut. He is passionate about his home country and travels back there on a regular basis to help support NGOs working with refugees and the school in Beirut. He speaks 4 languages and has been involved in numerous non-profits as a volunteer.
Susan Bryant - Founder
Susan Bryant, co-founder and treasurer, is an attorney who worked in higher education and as a practicing lawyer, owning her own firm. She received her J.D. from Georgetown University and B.A. from Duke University. She has served on the Board of many non-profit organizations in the areas of early childhood education, interdisciplinary work between lawyers and therapists, reentry of prisoners into the community, and church mission boards.
Lee Anderson-Harris - Board Member
Lee Anderson-Harris, board member, is ordained clergy in the United Methodist Church. She has an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Colorado-Denver, completed seminary coursework at Iliff School of Theology, and has a B.B.A. in Marketing from Texas A&M University. She has served churches in specialized roles of pastoral care and missions & service.
Paul Landers - Board Member
Paul Landers is a seasoned leader in the health, education, and human services fields, with a M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology, Cambridge College and B.A. in Special Education, Boston University. He has over three decades of experience guiding organizations that serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Most notably, Paul served as President and CEO of Pathfinder Village in New York, where he oversaw a nationally recognized inclusive community, led multimillion-dollar capital campaigns, and launched transformative programs in education, housing, and workforce development. His career reflects a deep commitment to inclusive, mission-driven leadership, community partnerships, and organizational growth. Paul brings to Noor El-Salam his passion for creating opportunities and empowering underserved populations, aligning closely with our mission to support refugee children through education.
Rick Heidebrecht - Board Member
Rick Heidebrecht, board member, is an engineer by degree, holding an EE degree from Oklahoma State University and MSEE from Purdue University. In business, he has held senior positions in engineering and business development for companies ranging from start ups to the Fortune 100. He also has enjoyed education as Scholar of Engineering Practice at the University of Colorado as well as tutoring in mathematics for middle school students. Over the past several years he has volunteered at several non-profits in roles from project manager to board member.
Advisory Board
Jodie Cottrell - Advisory Board Member
Jodie Cottrell is a technical recruiter at a Big 4 consulting company for the past 15 years. She has an M.A. degree in Student Personnel Services from the University of NJ and an B.A. degree in Political Science from Douglass College-Rutgers University. She has served in a variety of church leadership roles from long term planning to facility management over the past several years. She has a particular strong interest in animal rescues.