Joseph T. Kassab
Ancestral background
Joseph T. Kassab is born in 1952 in Telkaif-Nineveh; the heart of Christianity located in Northern Iraq. He grew up in a Chaldean Catholic family where he was taught the Aramaic-Chaldean language and traditions. Joseph is fluent in Arabic language. Telkaif is located in a dominantly Arab country with Arabic as its official language that is taught in schools. In 1979, Joseph joined his two brothers, a pharmacist and an engineer, in Rome, Italy. Shortly after in 1980, he arrived in the United States.
Education
In 1975, Joseph earned his undergraduate degree with excellence from the University of Baghdad, College of Sciences, which qualified him for admission to graduate studies program at University of Baghdad, College of Medicine where he graduated first in his class with a Master of Biomedical Science (M.Sc.) degree in Medical Microbiology and Immunology in 1979. He earned his Master of Science degree under the auspices of the Royal College of Medicine of United Kingdom. Later at the same college, he was hired as an assistant professor. When he moved to the United States, Joseph continued his education to earn a Graduate Certificate (GC) in Community Education Leadership (IEL) in Washington, D.C. in addition to finishing an intensive curriculum in political sciences at Wayne State University in addition to concentrated participation in cutting edge Bio-Medical and Nanobiotechnoly research.
Service:
With having multiple degrees, Joseph has been an employee at various places which allowed him to gain a great amount of experience. Since 1993, he has been vice president at UniGlob Trading Inc. also the Innovative Cell Technology (ICT)Inc until today. In addition, he is Chief Science Officer at Nano Engineering & Consulting, L.L.C. (NEC) since he founded in 2007 and until today. Lastly, he has been an Executive Director at the Chaldean Federation of America (CFA) since 2005 to 2012. However, he has had various positions previously such as being a research assistant at The College of Science at the University of Baghdad while studying, an instructor at the College of Medicine at the same university later on while getting his Master’s Degree, and being Senior Biomedical Researcher and Instructor at the School of Medicine at Wayne State University for 27 years.
The Beacon, Advocate, Community Empowerment, and Humanitarian Relief Commitment
Joseph is recognized for his unwavering and passionate commitment to helping others by applying his knowledge and expertise to assist those in need. He has been on multiple missions overseas to provide humanitarian relief for ethno-religious communities such as the displaced Iraqi Christians and Yazidis, refugees, and all communities in that region who are displaced due to religious and ethnic wars. Joseph has met with various world leaders to spread awareness about plight of the Aramaic speaking Christians of Iraq including Pope John Paul II in November of 1992, President of Malta, 1994, Prime Minster of Turkey 2010, President George Bush in April of 2008, and Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Jafari in 2006 and Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Maliki in October of 2009, President of Iraqi Parliament 2010, Pope Francis in 2015, President Obama in 2014, and VP Biden in 2012. Joseph still puts effort until today and dedicates his time to plan more mission trips to the Middle East and provide assistance to the Iraqi Christians, other Internally Displaced People, and refugee families.
To date Mr. Kassab conducted numerous humanitarian mission and refugee communities visitations in 40 countries in five contents.
Community Organizer and Leadership:
A- Some of the political and social organizations cofounded:
- The Chaldean Federation of America 1981
- The Iraqi American Graduates Association (IAGA), 1983
- The Chaldean Heritage Society (CHS) , 1985
- The Chaldean American Political Action Committee (CAPAC). 1985
- The Chaldean Assyrian Foundation (CAF), 1990
- The Chaldean National Congress (CNC), 1990
- The Chaldean Assyrian Syriac Council of America (CASCA), 2006
- The Iraqi Christians Advocacy and Empowerment Institute (ICAE) , 2011
B- Membership and/or Board Member of the following:
With his education, knowledge, experience, and credentials, Joseph is a valuable asset as a member of many organizations, foundations, and councils:
- 1984- Chair, Chaldeans for U.S. Census Committee (CFUSCC); served in 1990, 2000,2010 and now in preparations for 2020 U.S. Census decennials
- 1984: Committee Chair and then Executive Director, Chaldean Federation of America (CFA)
- 1986- Member, New York Academy of Science (NYAS)
- 1993: Member, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
- 2003: Board Member, Michigan Committee on Refugee Resettlement (MCRR)
- 2003: Member, Advisory committee, Art of Governance (AOG) Project for Iraq.
- 2004: Commissioner, Farmington Hills, Michigan Citizens Corp Council for Emergency Preparedness (CCCEP)
- 2004: Board Member, Middle East Christian Conference (MECHRIC), Under the Auspices of Freedom’s House for Religious Freedom, Washington D.C.
- 2004: Board Member, Christians in the New Constitution of Iraq. An Ad-Hoc Committee
- 2005: Chief Scientist, Innovative Cell Technology Inc. A Bio-medical testing & research company, (ICT)
- 2005: Founding Member: American Academy of NanoMedicine (AANM) Washington, DC. (Membership # 078)
- 2005- Member Michigan Small Tech Association (MISTA)
- 2005: Member. Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce (CACC)
- 2006- Board Member, Refugee Council USA (RCUSA)
- 2007- Member, Building Respect in Diverse Groups to Enhance Sensitivity (BRIDGES).US Dept. of Homeland Security-Civil Rights and Civil Liberty Div.
- 2008: Council Member, Heritage Community Liaison Council. Office of Director of National Inelegance (ODNI), Washington, D.C.
- 2008- Board Member, Iraqi Refugee Professionals National Recertification Conference in conjunction with Refugee Works, State of Michigan, MSU, LSSM and ORR.
- 2008- Board Member, Multicultural Leadership Series-New Detroit Inc.
- 2010- Board Member, Gateway Community Health (GCH), Michigan
- 2016- Director, Chaldean American Ladies of Charity, (CALC)
- 2016- First Vice President, One World Medical Mission, (OWMM)
- 2016- Senior Advisor, Nineveh Provincial Council: The Iraqi American Restoring Stabilization-Nineveh Province-Iraq (IARS-NP). Devised Multi Billion Dollars Stabilization Program
- 2017- Board of Director, International Institute for Metropolitan Detroit.
Awards and Service Recognition
Joseph is passionate about his career and has dedicated his life to it. He is always determined to help others and ensure everyone around him is in a safe and comfortable environment whether it’s at work, school, home, and everywhere else. As a result of such determination, he has received multiple awards for a variety of causes and accomplishments. From accomplishments, to humanitarian aid, to simply being friendly to work with, Joseph earned awards, recognition, and certificates of appreciation for multiple occasions. These awards highlight his work and remind us of his efforts to help the community. In 1992, he received Pope John Paul II Appreciation Certificate of :(Pledge of Heavenly Favours). In 2008, he received a Humanitarian of the Year Award from the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce in addition to receiving the Austria Chancellor Gusenbauer Award (watch) in 2008 for helping the people of his country Iraq and surrounding war-torn regions. Another award Joseph prides himself on receiving is the Excellent Public Services Award – U.S. Census Promotion from the Chaldean Federation of America for spreading awareness and promoting diversity. He has received multiple letters of thank and appreciation from major U.S. Government Agencies, important religious international people, and well-known communities and organizations. Joseph has received awards for the past three and a half decades for his contributions to the community and he is still serving the community continuously which makes him eligible to receive more. Personal thank you letter for good humanitarian work from His Holiness Pope Frances date July 5, 2017. IARS-NP Initiative Conference in Beirut , Lebanon, September 2017
Countless Interviews, Media, Mention, and Consultancy.
With his activities, services, and humanitarian work inspiring many individuals, Joseph’s work became the subject in many media outlets, newspapers, websites, and more platforms. His work became known in the community in The United States, and internationally.
He has been featured in multiple TV channels, newspapers, and websites such as Chaldean Detroit Times, American Jewish Community (www.ajc.org), Chaldean News Magazine, and Corner of Iraq in Detroit.
He has given a numerous amount of speeches to different types of audience. A couple key speeches of Joseph include his speech to the US Senate Press Conference regarding freedom for all Iraqis of different religions and ethnicities, his speech at Al-Mashriq Club regarding refugee and immigration issues, and his speech at Vienna Forum 2008 regarding The Plight of Iraqi Christians. He also provided consultation to various institutions such as UNHCR in Beirut, Lebanon, students of Wayne State University, Central Michigan University, and University of Michigan regarding The Plight of Iraqis as a part of the students’ thesis curriculum requirement. Much more is not listed here.
IXV- Community Issues Related Articles:
- 1989: Facts you should know on AIDS. CULTURE Vol: 5 No.5, 136-137
- 1990: Where to go from here…. Chaldean Detroit Times Vol: 1 No. 9, 8
- 1992: The combat is still on. AKLAM MAHJARIA
- 1994: The Agony of Politics and Politicians. Chaldean Detroit Times Vol: 5 No. 84
- 1994: Forum Focus, Stamp Out Stereotypes, Farmington Observer. March 10
- 2001: Chaldean Leadership, Stray or evolution? Chaldean Detroit Times
- 2001: Is Christianity In The Land of Cradle in Demise?
- 2005: ChaldoAssyrians/Christians in Iraq Elections: Dates, Numbers, and Facts. Chaldean Detroit Times. Vol 15, No. 322
- 2005: Chemical/Biological Terror Attack. Are you prepared? Farmington Hills City Bulletin
- 2005: Statement on the Plight of the ChaldoAssyrian Refugees addressed to the U.S. Refugees Admission Program
- 2006 to Present: Three white papers on the state of Middle Eastern Refugees, challenges and admission.
- 2006: Biblical Christians in Iraq in Demise; Unified Global Christians Can Save Them.
- 2013: Who are the Christians of Iraq.
- 2015: The Grim State of Iraq’s Christians: Ways to Rise Out of Ashes.
- 2016: White Paper: The Plight of Ancient Ethno-Religious Communities in Iraq: Strategies and Durable Solutions for Sustainable Survival
- 2017: The Plight of Religious Minorities in Iraq (Detroit Free Press)
- 2017: Iraqi Minorities Facing Challenges in a “Double Whammy” Pattern. (submitted for publication)
- Nationally published Academic Biomedical Research Articles (Total 12) and Abstracts (Total 36)
Consultancy and Engagements:
White House: Community Engagement and NSC, Expert
Office of Director on National Intelligence (ODNI); Expert-Heritage Summit Council
US Dept. of State political affairs offices
United Nations Development Programs for Arab State (UNDP)
Nineveh Provincial Council- Nineveh Province-Iraq
Building Respect in Diverse Groups to Enhance Sensitivity(BRIDGES), Member since 1990
Chaldean American Ladies of Charity (CALC), Director, P.R. & Advocacy and Strategic Planning
Gateway Community Health, Board of Directors
New Detroit, Member Immigration Affairs Council
Global Detroit Welcome Mat, Member
Dept. of Homeland Security: CRCL, USCIS, and ICE, Lecturer and Consultant
US Census, Four decennials adviser and committee chair since 1984
Dept. of State: PRM, NEA-Iraq, and DRL-Expert
Dept. Human and Health Services: ORR and ACF-Expert
United Nations HQ: Geneva and NY and UNHCR
Active member of the Elite Washington Based “National Working Group on Christians and Religious Pluralism in the Middle East”. Renowned leaders like President Trump Faith Advisory Council members are part of this group
Refugee Council USA, NY. Active Member and Expert Witness
Michigan Refugee Council, Active Member
One World Medical Mission, Board of Directors
USAI; Expert and Activist
USCIRF; Expert and Activist
US Immigration Courts, Immigration Law Firms-Clinics, and Law Schools; Expert Witness and numerous case related (350-450) pages sworn affidavits submission
Yazidi American Women Organization: Organizer
Chaldean Syraic Assyrian Popular Council-Erbil, Iraq; Expert and Organizer
The Middle East Christians Committee (MECHRIC): Board of Directors, Wash. DC, NY, and Brussels
Chaldean American Political Action Committee, Co-Founder
Chaldean Assyrian Syriacs Council of America (CASCA), Co-Founder
Chaldean Assyrian Foundation (CAF), Founder
Chaldean Heritage Society, Co-Founder
American Academy of Nano Medicine, Member
Michigan Small Tech Association, Member
International Stability Operations Association (ISOA)
Privileged to work with and/or meet the following dignitaries:
I- The Holiness Popes:
St. John Paul, II (Vatican, more than once)
Benedict XVI (Vatican)
Francis (Reception at the White House 2016) and One-on-One at the Vatican ; May 2017
II- The Beatitudes Patriarchs:
Shikho, Chaldean Church
Bedwide, Chaldean Church
Delly, Chaldean Church
Sako, Chaldean Church
Dinkha, Assyrian Church
Lahham, Latin Church
Sfeir, Maronite Church
Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Church
Joseph III Yonan, Syriac Catholic Church of Antioch
Zaka I, Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch
Ahprem II, Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch
Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan, Armenian Catholic Church of Cilicia
III-The Eminences Cardinals:
Emmanuel III Delly, Chaldean Church
Nasrallah Safeir, Maronite Church
Bechara Cardial Rai, Maronite Church
Le Cardinal Etchegaray, Core Unum-Vatican
Cardinal Gorge Pell, Sydney, Vatican, and Vienna
Christoph Cardinal Schonborn, Vienna and Washington DC
Cardinal William Keeler, Baltimore
Theodore Edgar Cardinal McCarrick, Washington Dc, Kurdistan-Iraq
Donald Cardinal Wuerl, Washington DC
Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Washington DC
Leonardo Cardinal Sandri, Washington DC
IV- The Excellencies Presidents and Supreme Official:
Ronald Regan, Washington DC,
Bill Clinton, Washington DC and Michigan
George H. Bush, Washington DC
George W. Bush, Washington DC. Also spoke side by side at one mega conference in Washington DC
Barak Obama, Washington DC, more than once
Donald Trump,
V.P. Joseph Biden, Michigan
V.P. Dick Cheney, Washington DC
Paul Bremer, US CPA Administrator of Iraq. Bagdad, Washington DC and Michigan
Clapper, McConnell, Negroponte, and Blair. Directors of the Office of National Intelligence (ODNI). Washington DC and Virginia
Top Leaders of US Senate
Speakers of the US House (Congress)
Countless numbers of US House Representatives
Dennis McDonough. Chief of Staff , White House.
Condoleezza Rice, White House
Susan Rice, National Security Advisor and Members of the Council. White House
James Come, National Director, FBI. Michigan
Jeh Johnson, US Secretary of Dept of Homeland Security. Washington DC and Michigan
Large number of US Senate and House Members. Capitol Hill
Stephan Harper, Canada Prime Minister, Toronto
John Howard, Australia Prime Minister, Sydney
US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. Global Diaspora. Wessington DC
Brett McGurk, Presidential Envoy to Iraq, Washington DC and Michigan
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and Iraqi Desk: Schmirer, Corbin, leaf, Pennington
Paul Bremer, U.S. Coalition Provisional Authority Administrator-Iraq
Ahmad Hassan A Baker, Iraq
Dr. Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, Malta
Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his PM Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey
Jalal Al Talabani, Iraqi President. Iraq
Amine Gemyel, President of Lebanon
President Foad Masoum, Washington DC and Michigan
Noori Al Maliki, Prime Minister, Iraq
Hayder Al Abbadi, Iraqi Prime Minster
Ibrahim Al Jafari, Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister, Iraq
Saleem Al Jobouri , Iraqi Parliament, President
Masood Barzani, President and VP Najervan Barzani, Kurdistan-Iraq
Ben Ki-Moon, UN Secretary General, New York
Jan Eliasson, UN Deputy Secretary General, New York
Antonio Guterres, UNHCR Commissioner and now UN Secretary General, Washington DC General, New York and Geneva
Usama Al Nujiafi, Iraqi Parliament President
N. Karkokli, Kurdistan-Iraq President
Lord David Alton, UK House of Lords, London and Vienna
Dr. Shah, USAID Administrator. Washington DC and Michigan
Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of Knights of Columbus. Washington DC
Many Top Brass DOD Generals
Several World Countries Ambassadors
Business History :
- 1982-1993: Kassab Brothers Inc. President,
Retails (Drugs and Liquor stores and Video renting outlets, Properties Developments, and Global Export-Import - 1992-2003, Nano-Engineering and Consulting, President and Sr. Science Officer
- 1994-2002: UniGlobe Trading Inc, CEO. Properties managements and Export-Import
- 1998-2015, Innovative Cell Technology. Principle and CEO. State of the Art Stem Technology Research, Applications and Consultation
- 2014- Present : Iraqi American for Restoring -Stabilization in Nineveh Province-Iraq, Senior Advisor
- 2005- Present : Iraqi Christians Advocacy and Empowerment Institute, President and Founder. Advocacy and Empowerment Consultation
- 2007-Present: ICAE Consultants, Inc. Advocacy, Business, Global Trades, Stabilization, Empowerment, and Reconstruction. CEO and President