TheFace: Ohoud Alhaqbani, Saudi educator

Ohoud Alhaqbani with her husband, Sultan, and their twin daughters. (AN photo by Ziyad Alarfaj)

• Overseeing young professionals in the field, I am overwhelmed by the abundance of talent and hard work before me

Ohoud Alhaqbani I am the eldest of five siblings, and my mother’s only child. I am also a wife, and the mother of beautiful twins. My mother raised me by herself, and her main value in life is education and work.
I attribute my success to her — a magnificent woman, the strongest most pure-hearted woman I know. She is my idol and the reason I am where I am today. Through her determination, she taught me that I can chase my dreams and make them come true. Through her gentleness, she taught me what pure love is and how to project it. I simply grew up looking up to her, hoping that one day I could be half the woman she is.
Since I was young I knew what my passion was and what career path I wanted to pursue. I knew that I wanted to be in education, and I studied special education at King Saud University before gaining a master’s degree in teaching people with autism through the Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain’s program for intellectual disability and autism.
During my studies, my mother was my number one supporter. She encouraged me to give back to society and help kids and parents improve their lives. Therefore, when I came back I worked with kids with autism and trained their parents.
Currently, I am the head of the early intervention unit at the Mohammed bin Salman Autism Center at Prince Sultan Medical City. Overseeing young professionals in the field, I am overwhelmed by the abundance of talent and hard work before me. With hard work comes success, and in the future I see myself obtaining my doctorate, contributing to the advancement of my field and, one day, owning my own clinic.
Sultan, my husband, has been nothing but supportive of my journey. While I’m drowning in all sorts of obligations in my life, he has been by my side, a true partner that stepped in whenever he felt I needed it. I am thankful to him and I am where I am today because of his support.
Most importantly, what fuels my passion today are my two lovely daughters. Wanting to set a good example in both their personal and professional lives, my achievements are directed toward inspiring them and providing for them, and their future brothers and sisters.