As part of ensuring the happiness of the community, Dubai’s leadership places high priority on ensuring the welfare of people of determination. All people of determination deserve to receive the highest quality of services
The Beginning
Several years ago, a father was struggling to find an answer to his son’s unexplained difficulties.
It eventually came during a family trip to a shopping mall in Singapore where a stand was set up as part of an awareness campaign. This became his introduction to Autism.
Back in Dubai, he searched for professional help for children diagnosed with Autism, and found none.
So he began his campaign to put this right, dedicating his skills and spare time to meeting with government officials and lobbying for the Autism cause. His efforts were finally rewarded in 2001 by a decree to open a specialized Autism center, the Dubai Autism Center.
The personal experience as a parent had motivated him to work tirelessly, and overcome endless obstacles, to learn more about Autism and use it to help other families in the same situation.
It’s with this same spirit of determination and compassion that he and all the center’s staff and board members continue to work, providing the best possible services to children diagnosed with Autism in the UAE.
Mission
To successfully include children with autism into our community through holistic approaches to their education and therapeutic interventions; together with our focused efforts to create social awareness about autism.
Vision
A center of excellence having highly trained professionals to provide evidence-based and accredited programs to support individuals with autism and their families, and to be an internationally recognized autism-consultancy center for the region.
History
Dubai Autism Center (DAC) is a non-profit organization founded by a decree issued by H.H. Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum in 2001. Initially, the center operated as a resource/counseling center with 3 members of staff and in January 2003 was launched as an intervention center.
In 2017, The DAC opened its new building on an area of 91.000 square meters with a capacity of around 238 children. The new center has been designed based on the latest international standards to provide a special educational environment for children with autism.
Board Members
H.E. Hesham Al Qassim
Chairman
Chief Executive Officer of Wasl Asset Management Group
H.E. Hesham Abdulla Al Qassim is the Chief Executive Officer for wasl Asset Management Group and is responsible for leading the organization’s transformation into a world-class asset management company.
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He is also the Deputy Chairman of Emirates NBD Bank PJSC, the Chairman of Emirates Islamic, one of the leading Islamic banks in the region and Emirates NBD Egypt; both are subsidiaries of Emirates NBD PJSC.
Al Qasim is a member of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Program for Leadership Development and holds a Master’s Degree in International Business. He is also a member of the Financial Markets Court of the Dubai Financial Services Authority and a member of the Board of Directors of the DME and the Board of Directors of Amlak Finance.
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Mr. Sami Al Riyami
Vice Chairman
Al Emarat Alyoum Editor in Chief
Sami Al Riyami is a prominent Emirati media figure who served as Editor-in-Chief of Emarat Al-Youm newspaper from 2005 to 2022. He had a daily column in the newspaper. He previously worked for Al-Bayan newspaper. Al Riyami also previously held the position of Vice President of the Journalists Association in the Emirates. His writings focus on local affairs, and he has published two books: “Eyes of Speech” and “Creatures in Tales.”
Dr. Hind Alrustamani
Board Member
Dr. Hind Alrustamani is the CEO & Founder of Aman Lil Afia Clinic, Counseling Psychologist. previously, she worked as a senior Counselor at Tabyeen Center for Psychological & Family Counseling (2012-2023).
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Additionally, she has held significant roles at Zayed University as: Senior Student Counselor, Director of the Student Counseling Center, and Assistant Provost for Student Affairs (2013-2021).
Dr. Hind’s received her education and experience in counseling psychology in Britain, Switzerland and the UAE.
Her experience encompasses a range of therapeutic approaches, including person-centered therapy, play therapy, Eye Movement Desensitizing Reprocessing (EMDR), and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT).
She specializes in working with children, adolescent and adults on disorders such as anxiety, depression, trauma, post traumatic stress disorder and behavioral challenges.
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Ms. Saleha Khalifa Bin Thiban Alfalasi
Board Member
Ms. Saleha Alfalasi previously held the position of Director of Al Amal Hospital for Mental Health in Dubai and Director of the National Program for Mental Health, where she led efforts to raise awareness of the importance of mental health and create appropriate living conditions and environments to support mental health and enable citizens and residents receiving treatment to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
Dr. Shaikha Ahmed Alraeesi
Board Member
Dr. Shaikha Al Raisi works as a specialist pediatric dentist in the primary healthcare sector of the Dubai Health Authority. She is a graduate of the Master’s programme in Pediatric Dentistry from the Hamdan Bin Mohammed College of Dental Medicine.
Ms. Mariam Alblooshi
Board Member
Ms. Mariam Alblooshi currently holds the position of Director of the Department of People of Determination at the Community Development Authority in Dubai since April 2024. In her current position, she supervises the follow-up of the care and rehabilitation centers for people of determination in the Emirate of Dubai and ensures that the services provided to their members are carried out in accordance with the standards approved by the Authority and the legislation in force in the emirate.
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Prior to joining the Authority, she previously held the position of Director of the Department of People of Determination at the Ministry of Community Development from May 2023 to March 2024, and also headed the Government Centers Department at the Department of Care and Rehabilitation of People of Determination at the Ministry of Community Development from 2018 to 2022.
In addition to her previous experience in psychology at the Dubai Rehabilitation Center for People of Determination (during the period from 2006 to 2016), Ms. Mariam held a number of positions in the field of managing a number of centers for people of determination in the Emirate of Dubai, through which she supervised a number of projects and programs related to the category of people of determination and the services provided to them to improve the quality of life of people of determination, children and adults, and integrate them in a thoughtful and effective manner in various aspects of society.
Mariam Al Balooshi holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the Mohammed bin Rashid University of Government, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the United Arab Emirates University.
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Mohammed Al Emadi
Board Member
Mohammad Amin Al Emadi is a Board Member and Director General of Dubai Autism Center, a position he has held since 2005. In addition to his position at the DAC, he is also the Head of Executive Committee at Princess Haya Award for Special Education, and he is a Member of the Advisory Council for People of Determination in UAE. Also, he is one of Dubai Cares’ Board Members. His current positions follow several positions at various government departments including: Project Manager of the Dubai Cares Campaign (2007), Project Director in the Executive Office of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (1998 – 2005), Deputy Coordinator-General for Dubai Quality Award in the Department of Economic Development (1993 – 1998).
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Al Emadi had owned the idea of establishing the Dubai Autism Center, and he has taken it upon himself to spread awareness about autism.