Dr. Basel Touchan is a Middle Eastern Immigrant who transitioned from a career in medicine to focus on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) after moving to the U.S. during the Syrian civil war. With over a decade of global strategic and programmatic experience in education, public health, nonprofit, and government sectors, he has played a key role in resettlement efforts and launching programs for immigrant communities in Kentucky.
As a Learning & Development Consultant with History UnErased, Dr. Touchan supports the expansion and implementation of the U.S.’s first LGBTQ-inclusive K-12 social studies curriculum, now adopted in 3,000 schools across 18 states, and provides training for Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, and community health centers. He is also a founding member of the DEIB office in Kentucky’s second-largest school district, supporting over 50,000 employees and students, where he developed holistic support programs for immigrant and newcomer students in partnership with the Kentucky Office for Refugees, which became national models.
An internationally accredited mediator and workplace conflict resolution trainer, Dr. Touchan serves on the Board of the ACLU of Kentucky, the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, and is Vice-Chair of the Mayor’s International Affairs Advisory Commission in Lexington, KY. He also co-chairs the LGBTQ+ & Allies Special Interest Community for the National Council for Social Studies. His research and writings have been featured in the Journal of Endocrinology, Washington Blade, and Los Angeles Blade.