Dr. Gaby Hawat is a seasoned executive leader with over 35 years of experience spanning higher education, engineering and technology, public-private partnerships, corporate and community engagement, grants and funds acquisition, public relations, government affairs, and economic development with experience in the United States and Middle East. Currently he serves as Principal at Catalyst Partners, a Washington D.C. based government relations and public affairs firm specializing in homeland security, business development, education, and cyber security. He also Chaired the National Visiting Committee Board for the National CyberWatch Center (NCC), a National Science Foundation-funded cybersecurity consortium representing nearly 500 member institutions globally, with a mission to advance cyber awareness, education, and workforce development.
Dr. Hawat most recently served as Senior Vice President for Higher Education at Kaufman Hall, where he advised colleges and universities on institutional strategy and financial sustainability. Previously, he was the Strategy and Growth Lead for Higher Education, South Market Unit at Accenture, the largest consulting firm in the world, and Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Financial Officer at the University of Providence where he was featured at the front cover of the Signature Montana magazine. He also held key advisory position Special Advisor to the Rector at Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the largest all-women’s university in the world, where he lead the development of academic college and help expand international engagement.
Earlier, as Senior Vice President for Operations and Global Initiatives at Florida Institute of Technology, Dr. Hawat focused on institutional efficiency, partnership, and global expansions. He also dedicated nearly three decades to Valencia College in Orlando, Florida, in progressively senior roles including Special Assistant to the President and Senior Executive for Strategic Initiatives and Economic Development, Dean of Architecture, Engineering and Technology, and Chair of Business, Computer Technology, Engineering and Public Services.
Dr. Hawat holds a Doctorate degree in Higher Education Leadership from Nova Southeastern University, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering from Florida Institute of Technology and is a graduate of Harvard University’s Management Development program. His honors include the National Collegiate Engineering Award, National Collegiate Leadership Award, National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Excellence (NISOD) Award, Scholastic All-American Award, Florida Institute of Technology Alumni of the year, and formal recognition from the Partnership with the Department of Homeland Security for his collaborative contribution.
An experienced board member and grant administrator, Dr. Hawat has worked extensively with high tech industries, chambers of commerce, economic development agencies, elected officials, state and federal agencies, and global academic institutions. He is a trilingual citizen of the United States, France, and Lebanon, fluent in English, French, and Arabic, and currently serves as a member of the American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL).