Meet Our Team!
Resilient Communities is made up of an interdisciplinary team that share a passion for bridging community development and innovative practices to help educate and strengthen communities for the 21st century.
Abderrahmane Ait Lqous
Project Development, Morocco
Abderrahmane is from Tameslouht, Morocco and was Eastman's counterpart while he was a PCV in his hometown. He has worked with various Moroccan and international NGOs and has a BA in sociology of enterprises from Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech. He is also the Director of the Moroccan association, Youth Without Borders for Development.
N.G. Rees
Head of Training and Development
N.G. Rees serves as the Head of Training and Development for Resilient Communities. When not working in development, he is a consultant in education based out of Tangier, Morocco. Rees is currently focused on the intersect between teacher training, task-based teaching, and community development. He previously served with the U.S. Peace Corps from 2014 to 2016 in Khemisset and Kénitra, Morocco.
Our Spring 2022 Student Interns
Kaoutar Benykou
Master of Sociology and Professional License in Arts & Media, Class of 2022
Kaoutar Benykou is a Moroccan of Amazigh origin. She holds a BA in Cultural Studies from Mohammed V University in Rabat and is currently pursuing her master's in Sociology with a focus on Regional Development Issues and also a professional BA in Arts and Media at Ibn Tofail University in Kenitra. Kaoutar's interests are in the field of cinema, photography, editing, and social sciences. She also teaches theater in Rabat. She has participated in a series of trainings related to strengthening and developing the capabilities and skills of young people organized by the Young Pioneers Association in Tiflet, the Youth to Youth Initiative, and the “Hear Your Voice in Tiflet” initiative.
Nouhaila Bouchane
Professional License in Arabic Studies, Class of 2023
Nouhayla Bouchane is a Moroccan citizen from the city of Tiflet, and is an activist in
unification and reform movement "Tiflet Young Leaders Network". She holds a baccalaureate degree majoring in Arts and Humanities from Abdel-Karim Al-Khattabi High School in Tiflet, and is now a second year university student specializing in Arabic Studies at the Faculty of Arts, Languages ​​and Arts at Ibn Tofail University in Kenitra. During her internship, Nouhayla will be supporting the development of two projects including helping create a professional training facility for people with special needs and also assisting a partner association establish a local hospital and a clinic for a group of villages near the town of Boumia.
Jim Creamer
Bachelor of Urban Planning, Class of 2025
Jim Creamer is a second year Urban Planning student at the University of Cincinnati. He is interested in sustainability, historic preservation, and urban equality. Jim enjoys volunteering at a local disaster relief organization and looks forward to making a positive impact as part of the Resilient Communities team.
Aidan Perrone
Bachelor of Urban Planning, Class of 2025
Aidan Perrone is a second-year Urban Planning student at the University of Cincinnati. He has taken interest in transit-oriented development, sustainable infrastructure, and community development. He enjoys working for Resilient Communities remotely while at his home in New Jersey. He will be working on the R&D project regarding solar-powered wells, as well as an additional project regarding improvements to a commercial plaza.
?Interested in Gaining International Development Experience
Resilient Communities likes to create an internship experience that is personal, flexible, and rewarding. Our unpaid internships are remote and in-person internships in Morocco. The remote workload requires 5-15 hours of work per week depending on the assignments given. Our internship cycles last a full semester. Check out our Internship Program page for more information.
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Contact us at training@resilientcommunitiesngo.org to begin creating your experience today!
Trent Lobdell
Vice President, Community Planner & Data Analyst
Trent is a Hoosier with Degrees in Aeronautical Engineering and Urban Planning. He served in Peace Corps Samoa working on public health and small business development projects. He currently works in finance and data analytics while supporting United Resource Connection, a Cincinnati-based non-profit centralizing social service program data.
Eastman Johnson
President, Community Planning and Design
Eastman is a native of Georgetown, Kentucky and first discovered his passion for community planning while studying at the University of Cincinnati. He developed a strong connection with Morocco after serving as a Peace Corps volunteer from 2014 to 2016 and then returning as a Fulbright researcher from 2018 to 2019. Eastman founded Resilient Communities in 2017 and has continued to build a strong network throughout Morocco to support the organization's projects and programs.