Reem Alfrayan, a graduate student in the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education at UC Santa Barbara, has been selected to serve as a student ambassador for the 2103 US-Saudi Business Opportunities Forum in Los Angeles on September 16-18. Student ambassadors to the forum will receive special recognition for their excellent leadership skills, strong interest in promoting trade relations between Saudi Arabia and the United States, and their commitment to represent Saudi Arabia in a professional and positive manner. Moreover, the ambassadors will be invited to meet key members of the Saudi delegation to the U.S. and the U.S. Secretary of Commerce.
The 2013 US-Saudi Business Opportunity Forum will highlight the U.S.-Saudi commercial and trade relationship and how U.S. companies can participate in Saudi Arabia’s expansion. It will also provide a unique platform for American and Saudi executives to establish new and lasting business ties. As the third in a series of annual forums to be conducted in different U.S. cities, this ongoing initiative also reflects the continued strength of ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia. The 2013 Forum in Los Angeles will feature Davos-style panels, keynote speakers, and concurrent breakout sessions. Specific areas of opportunity for small and medium sized companies will be highlighted. Networking events and one-on-one matchmaking programs will enable companies to connect on an individual level and initiate new business relationships.
A Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Education’s Educational Leadership and Organization area, Alfrayan was invited to participate among the Saudi Arabian delegation by the Committee for International Trade (CIT) within the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce where she formerly served as a General Manager for Businesswomen Affairs.
Alfrayan’s dissertation is on the self-efficacy of Saudi Arabian businesswomen across generational/cohorts. “Walking the footsteps of great Saudi women leaders who preceded me in greatness is my approach to the empowerment of the new generation,” she says. “Creating new paths for the next generation is my passion. I thrive to reach a key position in promoting and advocating for Saudi businesswomen in the Kingdome of Saudi Arabia. My research interests reflect my profound interest in the empowerment of Saudi Arabian businesswomen through policy reform.”