Our Team
Meet the team behind Lyra MENA
Senior Management
Paul Firth
Managing Director
Paul Firth has over 30 years of corporate health and management experience. He started his career at AXA, one of the largest global insurers, and rose through the ranks to become part of their senior management team. When an opportunity came up to be part of the preventative side of health care, Paul joined the Employee Assistance Programme team at AXA. Paul is a seasoned professional in the area of corporate wellness and mental health with over 16 years of EAP experience. He established the Lyra MENA operations in 2010 and has grown a profitable business and team that supports over 500,000+ lives and 400+ clients in 17 countries. When not working, Paul enjoys golf, football, and walking his gentle ridgeback, Luna.
Hazel Kurian
Associate Director of Clinical Operations & Diversity
Hazel Kurian is a trained psychologist with over 14 years of experience in clinical and EAP work. As the Head of Clinical and Operational Strategy at Lyra MENA, she is committed to finding the balance between the needs of the corporate company, individual client and associated affiliates. She is a mental health advocate and strives to de-mystify wellbeing, social action and therapy in today’s day and age. Hazel believes in the promotion of authenticity in all spheres of life: work, relationships, community and self. Before joining the world of corporate wellbeing fulltime, she ran a successful clinical practice, with her areas of interest in couples counselling and working with people from marginalized groups to empower themselves and their communities. She likes her coffee black with 2 sugars and thinks that you should always read the book before the movie comes out.
Izabela Bradbury
Head of Client Engagement & Services
Izzy thrives on supporting companies and employees in achieving their goals when staying active and looking after their mental well-being. Mental health has served at the forefront of her career and interests ever since she worked for Milton Keynes College in the offender learning department of the UK prison system. She became an advocate for the importance of mental health and its impact on various aspects of our lives. As the Head of Client Services and Engagement, Izzy is the driving force behind ensuring exceptional client experiences and fostering meaningful interactions. Her role revolves around crafting and executing strategies that maximize client satisfaction, engagement, and overall success. Izzy’s energy and enthusiasm are undoubtedly motivating factors behind her success in her role and her impact on the people and companies she supports. She finds joy in taking leisurely strolls with her beloved dog, Baloo, and she also has a deep enthusiasm for exploring new destinations through her travels.
Clinical Operations
Liesl Malherbe
Senior Affiliate Clinical Case Manager
Liesl is a social worker with a passion for helping people become their best selves and overcome the challenges that hold them back in life. She started her social work career in child and youth care and counselling. She has 8 years EAP experience and had a private practice specializing in counselling and family mediation before joining Lyra MENA full time. When not working, she loves being outdoors, reading, painting, running, and spending time with her family and friends. She is passionate about health and mental wellness and the difference it makes in the workplace and in the lives of individuals.
Liesl chooses to view obstacles as opportunities and tries to live by the quote of one of her favourite authors, Maya Angelou – ‘I’ve learnt that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’
Marina Kassis
Clinical Case Manager
Marina has 6 years EAP experience in multiple different capacities. She strives to support people in any way she can and firmly believes that empathy can go a long way. She is passionate about mental health support, and completed her undergraduate studies in Psychology at the University of Toronto. She aspires to continue her studies in the field.
When not working, Marina enjoys travelling, being active and rewatching Friends (for a countless amount of times). She also has a beloved German Shepherd named Kojo.
Renren Pabon
Senior Clinical Administrator
Renren has extensive customer service and administrative roles in US visa application (US Embassy Manila), international healthcare insurance (Aetna International), and the construction industry (Arabtec Construction) that helped him gain knowledge and a deeper understanding of diversity. His experiences have allowed him to gain insights about multicultural sensitivity, work ethos and equal opportunity. Renren’s cheerfulness and optimism win a lot of hearts at work. He always finds the positive in every situation and loves being surrounded by open-minded and health-conscious people. Renren is a nature-lover, health enthusiast and a simple person who strives to help others. He believes that life is a never-ending process of learning. If a situation knocks him down, he just starts afresh and learns anew.
Rebecca Ayaton
Clinical Administrator
Rebecca is a Registered Psychometrician. Being a teacher for eight years to various age groups from Foundation Stage pupils to High School students, taught her meaningful lessons career-wise and on a personal level. She is also exposed to different kinds of work settings—education, government, and corporate. She loves supporting and assisting people in any way she can. She aspires to become a psychologist in the future. She is glad to be part of Lyra MENA because it is not just doing business but more importantly, it seeks to help individuals achieve their potential by promoting their overall wellness.
As an Existentialist philosopher, she loves to explore the deeper sense of meaning and purpose of one’s life. She likes nature, adventure, anime, and music. Writing, blogging, singing, and making music videos are the things that she does to express herself.
Jamal Uddin
Senior Clinical Case Manager
Jamal is a Social Worker with over 15 years of expertise in the UK and UAE in providing comprehensive support to individuals with disabilities, mental health challenges, and complex medical and social needs.
Jamal is passionate about employee health and wellness and is also a Certified Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP) with a strong commitment to empowering individuals and enhancing their quality of life, which has been at the heart of his practice.
Client Services
Diana Baybay
Client Services Administrator
Diana holds a degree in Industrial Engineering and brings over 10 years of valuable experience in the multinational manufacturing industry. Specializing in administrative tasks, team management, and customer support, she has developed a strong foundation in optimizing operations and fostering collaborative work environments. Before joining Lyra Wellbeing, Diana began her career as a Junior Engineer and quickly advanced to the role of Supervisor, where she successfully led her own team. Her extensive experience working in dynamic, team-oriented settings has honed her ability to exceed customer expectations and navigate challenging situations with diplomacy and professionalism. Known for her reliability and trustworthiness, Diana has built a reputation as a results-driven leader who is always focused on delivering exceptional service. Passionate about workplace wellbeing, Diana believes that a healthy work environment directly influences employee performance, productivity, and overall business success. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, reading, and watching movies, which allow her to unwind and stay inspired.
Denise Dressel
Senior Key Account Manager
Denise has always been highly passionate about working with people. She is committed to supporting companies that face today’s fast-paced world’s challenges by positively influencing their employees’ lives and wellbeing. With her background as a Key Account Manager for the Siemens Health Insurance in Germany, Denise understands the importance of analyzing a company’s individual needs to develop a long-lasting and holistic concept for their employees. She is a true believer in customer service and eager to support in areas of learning and development, employee engagement and corporate wellbeing. Denise enjoys being active, travelling to beautiful places and spending time with her loved ones in her free time.
Salma Khalaf
Senior Key Account Manager
Salma Khalaf is a Senior Key Account Manager recognized for her expertise in nurturing strong client connections and driving business growth. With a background spanning over 6 years in account management and consultancy, she has collaborated with prominent organizations to implement strategies aimed at strengthening employee well-being within their corporate environments. Beyond her professional achievements, Salma is deeply passionate about mental health advocacy, committed to ensuring that mental health care and well-being services are accessible to all. Outside of her career, Salma finds comfort in long walks and enjoys exploring deep thoughts that enrich her understanding of the world. She firmly believes that kindness and empathy are pivotal to achieving success.
Lynsey Collins
Senior Key Account Manager
Lynsey is a dedicated Senior Key Account Manager with an unwavering commitment to promoting mental wellness. Driven by passion and proactivity, she continuously seeks out innovative concepts to advance well-being initiatives. Lynsey uses her expertise to offer thought leadership and to shape the development of concepts that not only raises awareness but also fosters engagement and cultivates steadfast support.
With a rich background in client-centric roles, Lynsey recognises the significance of forging meaningful connections to inspire individuals to prioritise their holistic well-being. Her approach is rooted in empathy and understanding, ensuring that her efforts resonate with diverse audiences on a personal level.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Lynsey is an avid Formula 1 fan, passionate Scuba diver and loves exploring new restaurants and food concepts. She is a keen traveller who loves everything from wild camping in Africa to beach bungalows in exotic locations.
Natasha Nomicos
Key Account Manager
Natasha is a passionate and avid promoter of mental wellness. She thrives on embracing new concepts and technologies to advance well-being initiatives, providing thought leadership and steering concept development and content creation to generate awareness, improve engagement, and committed support.
With extensive experience in marketing and client-focused roles, Natasha understands the importance of finding relatable ways to connect with and inspire individuals to care for their holistic well-being.
She enjoys exploring new places and cultures through local markets and food. She also has a deep sense of appreciation for nature and her surroundings.
Kellee Forbes
L&D Manager
Kellee is an accomplished professional with over a decade of expertise in the health, wellbeing, and insurance sectors. As the Wellbeing & Engagement Manager at Bupa Global for the Middle East and Africa, she excelled in designing tailored wellbeing initiatives that boosted productivity and enhanced employee satisfaction. In subsequent roles, Kellee managed a diverse portfolio of enterprise clients, focusing on building strong relationships and implementing effective account management strategies. Her collaboration with internal teams ensured the delivery of bespoke solutions that met client needs, driving transformative workplace wellness initiatives. Outside of work, Kellee enjoys reading, cooking, and exploring new destinations through her love of travel.
Business Development
Nerry Toledo
Business Development Manager
Nerry Toledo is a passionate mental health advocate, strategist, media expert, writer and yoga instructor. She writes and regularly speaks about mental health, wellness, and well-being. Several publications have featured her work, including international outlets. She has also developed a yoga programme for people of determination. With more than 22 years of professional experience, she spent 15 years building an impressive career in Public Relations, planning and executing meaningful and effective communications strategies for high profile clients. Despite feeling satisfied with her career path, she began to wonder what her life‘s purpose was. She believes that when one asks, “How can I serve?” our lives’ true passion and purpose will emerge. She has now dedicated her life to meaningful contributions.
Whenever she isn‘t occupied, you’ll find her seated in the lotus position, still striving to change the world from the inside out.
Firdous Ali Khan
Business Development Manager - KSA
I come with 18+ years of technology Sales and Business Development experience across several industries. My passion for solving problems and being a trusted advisor along with the purpose of helping fellow human beings helped me to become an advocate and practitioner of value selling.
I strongly believe in reflecting on values, passion and purpose periodically and make sure I try to do something intersecting them. The success for me lies in being conscious, passionate and stick to my values for any of the endeavour I am in and make sure I don’t harm anyone in the process.
