PENNY APPEAL USA FOUNDER & CEO, OUSSAMA MEZOUI, ANNOUNCES HIS DEPARTURE

Dated: 07/01/2021

CONTACT: Penny Appeal USA
Email: info@pennyappealusa.org | Phone: 202-851-2112

Alexandria, VA, 07/01/2021 — Today our Founder & CEO, Oussama Mezoui, announced that he will step down from his role at Penny Appeal USA at the end of this year, after a successful five-year tenure.

Under Oussama’s leadership the organization reached a number of significant milestones including:

● Raising over $24 million from individual contributors, corporations, and foundations;

● Serving over one million beneficiaries here in the US and globally;

● Attaining a GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency;

● Building a diverse team of 16 full-time staff members across the nation;

● Opening a full-time women’s domestic violence shelter in Charlotte, North Carolina;

● Launching an Annual Scholarship Program in partnership with The Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership at Georgetown University; and

● Developing partnerships with over 200 community organizations and service providers at the local, national, and global level.

“I’m so proud to have been a Co-Founder and President & CEO of Penny Appeal USA since 2016. This is the right time to step down for me and my family, but it’s also the right time for change for this organization,” Oussama said. “At its core, Penny Appeal USA is a community focused on tackling poverty and need both nationally and globally. We have a remarkable community of staff, volunteers, ambassadors, and partners eager to make the world a more equitable place. I would like to thank each and every person who has helped us on this journey since our launch. The mission, of course, is bigger than one person and the work will continue with speed and urgency.”

Naiel Iqbal, board Secretary said, “Oussama has been an exemplary CEO and leader. In just five years, his vision and hard work has taken us from being a brand new humanitarian charity in the US to an exemplary organization that has positively impacted the lives of over a million people around the world. I will miss Oussama’s thoughtful leadership and wish him and his family the best.”

“I know I speak for all on the Board of Directors when I say we wish we could have served side-by-side with Oussama for many more years at Penny Appeal USA,” said Board Member Prianka Alam. “But thanks, in large part, to his leadership, we are in a position of strength as we focus on ensuring our work continues with the same pace and commitment that Oussama set these past five years.”

“Thanks to Oussama, Penny Appeal USA has a robust infrastructure and healthy financial outlook,” said Penny Appeal USA’s Board Chair Shaun Ahmad. “We will miss him, and are grateful for his exemplary leadership. We must use the momentum he has created to find the right leader to take us forward.”

Over the next several months, the Board will be conducting a thorough search to find Penny Appeal USA’s next CEO. It is our priority to find a dynamic, servant leader with a true passion for our mission which is to create the best societies we can and to break the cycle of need and poverty. Those interested in applying for the position can do so by visiting pausa.org/careers.

About Penny Appeal USA

Penny Appeal USA is a national 501(c)(3) organization based in Alexandria, VA. We are a relief and development organization with a really big vision for the world. Alongside other members of the global Penny Appeal family, our vision is to create the best societies we can and to break the cycles of need and poverty for good. Per our slogan, we work to turn small change into a big difference. We do this not only here in the US but in over 30 countries across the world.