Bonnie Carroll is the President and Founder of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), the surviving spouse of Army Brigadier General Tom Carroll, and a retired USAF Reserve Officer. She is a 2015 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and has worked in Iraq, Afghanistan, United Kingdom, Turkey, Australia, Canada, United Arab Emirates and Ukraine building programs for military surviving families since 2003.
Mrs. Fatma Megrahi is the International Programs Director for the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe at the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS). A compassionate humanitarian of Turkish and Libyan descent, she was born in Istanbul and raised in a diplomatic family. Fatma graduated from the Business Administration University of Tripoli and studied at Hunter College in New York. She is fluent in Arabic, Turkish, and English, with intermediate Italian, and holds a certificate from Harvard Medical School on ‘Global Mental Health: Trauma and Recovery.’ The impact of the Libyan civil war profoundly influenced her life, leading her to dedicate over a decade to humanitarian work in conflict-affected regions, including war zones in Iraq, Ukraine, Somalia, the Turkish border to Syria, and throughout the Middle East and Africa. Since joining TAPS in 2017, she has taken pride in leading international programs. For her unwavering support of families affected by conflict, Fatma received a National Defense Medal from the Ukrainian government. She continues to advocate for those fighting for their honor, homeland, and well-being.
Augustine is a doctoral student of Political Science at Howard University, Washington D.C.; he holds two master’s degrees in International Peace and Conflict Resolution and International Relations and Diplomacy from American University’s School of International Service and Imo State University in Nigeria, respectively. He specializes in international relations and politics, peacebuilding and conflict resolution, and autonomous recovery, with regional interest in Africa. Augustine is also a United States Marine reservist. At TAPS International, Augustine manages the Africa program, and is also the Curator of the Shared Studios portal at TAPS HQ. Washington, D.C.
Bushra Farkish manages the TAPS programs in Afghanistan. Born in Afghanistan, Bushra, her husband and her son came to the United States in 2021. Bushra speaks both Farsi and English, and received her Masters in Business from the American University of Afghanistan. She has worked with TAPS International for many years and provided care to surviving families for several years, and is a passionate advocate for the families of deceased military members.
Audri Beugelsdijk is the Vice President of Survivor Services for TAPS and leads training programs for TAPS International. She has traveled to Ukraine, Turkey, Iraq to model best practices for all TAPS global programs. Audri has also lived in Japan and traveled extensively. She is a Navy veteran and the surviving wife of Jason Springer (USN).
Kyle Harper is the surviving fiancée of Army Staff Sergeant Michael Hullender who was killed in combat in 2007. Kyle came to TAPS in 2008 and has developed both domestic and international grief recovery programs. She has traveled with TAPS to Afghanistan, Ukraine and Israel to build programs and strengthen partnerships. She holds a master's degree in women's studies from the George Washington University.
Diana Roday Hosford is the Vice President of Sports & Entertainment for TAPS. She oversees International Strategic Partnerships for TAPS in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Diana has developed events, partnerships and opportunities for the message and mission of TAPS to be shared on a global platform.
Bayar Baraway leads logistics for TAPS in Iraq. He speaks both English and Kurdish, and has homes in Nashville and Erbil. As a Soldier, he has supported the United States as a translator.
Salma Seraj is an Afghan-American and a descendant of nine generations of Kings of Afghanistan. She is the granddaughter of King Habibullah (1901-1919), and niece of the late King Amanullah (1919-1929). During the coup d’etat in Afghanistan she fled with her family to Germany and then settled in the United States. She received her education in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Great Britain and speaks English, Farsi, Urdu and Italian.
Paul Meyer is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and he served 34 years in the Air Force, retiring as a Colonel. His assignments included Commander of the USAF Test Pilot School and Vice Commander and Inspector General of the USAF Test Center. Paul is now a pilot for United Airlines with over 13,000 hours of flight time worldwide. He joined TAPS International in 2018 as an advisor, to honor aviators who have died in military service.
Khazar Fatemi was born in Iran and belongs to the Kurdish ethnicity. When she was just a year old her family had to flee Iran and live as refugees in Afghanistan. At the age of eight, they fled again, this time to Sweden where they have lived ever since. Khazar speaks four languages and has a wide range of experience covering international news. She has done documentary work with TAPS in United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Afghanistan and her own documentary, "Where My Heart Beats", which tells the extraordinary story of her return to Afghanistan for the first time in 20 years.
Gary Szabo has over 24 years of military service, serving on the staffs of the Office of Secretary of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, National Guard Bureau, and HQ USAF. He supports initiatives with private and international partners and peer-to-peer coordination with Middle Eastern embassies and consulates in Washington, D.C.
Rayanne Hunter is a Mind-Body Nutrition Coach, yoga instructor and advocate of outdoor therapy who has studied extensively in India, working with those who have experienced trauma. She specializes in grief, anxiety, and post traumatic stress, and uses her techniques gained from a variety of training backgrounds including body movement, yoga, meditation, reiki, modern shaman techniques, women's circles, outdoor therapy, mind/body work, and nutrition. She grew up in a military family, served in the Army National Guard and is the surviving spouse of US Army Staff Sergeant Wesley Hunter.
Fahim Hashimi provides support to TAPS programs in Afghanistan. He has 14 years of experience working in Kabul, Afghanistan where he was the bridge between the Afghan National Defense Forces and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, helping Afghan military members develop skills to support their missions. In 2013 he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Kabul University and he is fluent in four languages - English, Dari, Farsi, and Pashto. A Cisco Certified Network Associate, he has worked in the telecommunications sector since arriving in the United States in 2018.
Ece Lara Tas is an intern with a focus on the innovative concept for economic empowerment of women in areas of conflict through the design and construction of an innovative, sustainable women’s center. She is currently studying Electrical Engineering with a minor in Business Economics at Purdue University, and has been recognized on the Dean’s List and Semester Honors. She teaches math and science to children with autism as well as collaborating with Women In Engineering at Purdue University to create a safer environment for women in STEM. She was raised in Turkey by her mother who worked with the US military in Iraq and Afghanistan. She speaks Turkish, English and French.
Nicole Reggiani an intern who is pursuing her Master's Degree in International Relations. She holds her Degree in Political Science - International Studies from the Facoltà di Scienze Plitiche Cesare Alfieri in Firenze Italy with her thesis being done in Middle East-Western World Oil Relations between 1960 and 2003. Nicole is fluent in Italian and English, and proficient in Spanish and Russian. Her work with TAPS focuses on the development of programs for families of military deceased in Italy and Eastern Europe.
Maura Eileen an intern who is studying Globalization and International Relations at Stony Brook University. Her bachelor’s degree research pertains to global crimes and mental health. She is proficient in Italian, has completed an Israeli Learning Fellowship and holds a Mental Health First Responder certificate. Thus, Maura is passionate about researching support for survivors in Italy, Israel and other nations with connections to the important mission of TAPS.
A intern who is currently a junior at Kutztown University in southeastern Pennsylvania, Ryan is working towards his Bachelor's degree, studying Public Administration and Paralegal Studies with a minor in International Studies. Ryan is also enlisted in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, as a Private First Class, and hopes to pursue Officer Candidate School in the future. Ryan's work with TAPS International focuses in Europe, specifically the post-Soviet states of Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, exploring governmental survivor benefits for military families.
Miranda is an intern who is pursuing her bachelor's degree in psychology with minors in biology and criminology from Howard University. Additionally, at Howard University she has studied three levels of Arabic. She has been recognized on the Dean’s List and joined two organizations on campus where she held leadership roles as a Vice President, Director of Public Relations, and a Fundraising chair. Miranda's work with TAPS International focuses in the Middle East and Africa researching government survivor benefits for military families.
Daniel is an intern who is a 1st generation American Forensic Psychology student at Arizona State University. He is born and raised in El Paso, Texas with a passion for law. His bachelor's degree focuses on crime and the social sciences behind criminal behavior. He also is a licensed insurance agent and uses his experience to pursue his education as a future attorney. He is a Spanish-speaking native with proficient communication skills. Invested in creating opportunities for American survivors and helping them find peace in their grief. Daniel also focuses on advocating for survivors in Latin countries and giving them a voice. His work ensures military families in developing Latin countries have programs with similar missions as TAPS.
Christy is an intern who is currently a MA candidate in Asian Studies at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. She graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a double major in History and Japanese Studies in 2021. Her academic and professional interests lie primarily in the Asia-Pacific region. She has focused on the early stage of U.S.-China rapprochement with her undergraduate thesis and has expanded her studies into the multi-faceted partnerships between the U.S. and the Indo-Pacific. She is a native speaker in Mandarin Chinese and is professionally fluent in Japanese. Christy’s work with TAPS International focuses on countries in Southeast Asia such as Philippines and Myanmar, and exploring potential connections between the mission of TAPS and other Asian countries that do not yet have partnership with TAPS.
Takuma Inoue is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree in International and Public Affairs at Brown University. His studies are focused on international relations, cybersecurity, and contemplative studies (the application and study of contemplative states, especially those in east asian meditative practices). He has previously interned for Professor Harold D. Roth at Brown University, supporting the creation of a class on Zen Buddhism. Takuma is a native Japanese speaker, and also has conversational fluency in Korean. With a career goal of diplomatic service, Takuma’s work with TAPS is focused on East Asian countries including Japan and Korea, building connections to the TAPS mission through diplomatic relations with the countries’ governments, military and civil sectors.