Paul R. Edleman is co-director of APEX and Professor of Political Science and Communication at Sauk Valley Community College in Illinois, where he teaches a range of political science courses, coordinates international programming, and serves on the Board of Trustees of the American Institute of Pakistan Studies. He has a PhD in Political Science from Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and a master's degree in Communication Studies from the University of Kansas. Paul also serves on the Executive Board of the Illinois Consortium for International Studies and Programs (ICISP) and is an Affiliated Faculty member of the South Asia Center at the University of Pennsylvania. He has run international programming in Cambodia and Pakistan. His work focuses on international relations, South Asia, and the promotion of international education.
Farah Habib is co-director of APEX and Professor of English at Bristol Community College in Massachusetts where she teaches writing and multicultural literature, and
serves on the Board of Trustees of the American Institute of Pakistan Studies. She has a master's degree in English. Farah received her MFA in Creative Writing from Bennington College, Vermont. Her teaching focuses on exposing students to cross-cultural experiences and perspectives that encourage them to question their preconceived notions about the world. In 2024, she was included in the American Pakistan Foundation Rising Star list, which recognizes the achievements of women in the Pakistani American diaspora. Her creative work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, and she is currently revising a collection of essays and short stories on her experience of living between two worlds as a transnational person residing in the United States.
Zubda Zia Ur Rehman is co-director of APEX, Assistant Professor of Economics at Kinnaird College for Women in Lahore, and is currently serving as the Managing Director of Academics at the Punjab Education Curriculum Training and Assessment Authority (PECTAA). She holds a PhD in Public Policy from Forman Christian College University’s Center for Public Policy and Governance. At PECTAA, Professor Zubda facilitates curriculum development and teacher training in the Punjab province and provides leadership to expand and improve educational opportunities in Pakistan. She also participated in the U.S. Department of State’s Study of the United States Institutes (SUSIs) for Scholars program. Professor Zubda’s research interests focus on civic diplomacy.