Adeeb and Ali are high school students in Bahrain who race together and form the Bahrain 1 karting team. They are participating in the upcoming Under-18 championship final, which will be held November 9 at the Viva karting track in Sakhir, Bahrain. Additionally, Adeeb recently won the Red Bull kart fight held in Bahrain, and will be representing Bahrain in the upcoming finals, to be held in December in Bologna, Italy.

Ahmed was born and raised in Bahrain. He works as a banker, but out of the office enjoys spending time riding Harleys or pearl diving. Regardless of the island's size, he believes that Bahrain has a big heart enough to accommodate everyone and is special because of its caring people and their spontaneous attitudes.

Alban grew up in France and became involved in racing at the age of 10. He grew up racing for a French team and has been competing for Bahrain’s Batelco team since 2005. He is now based in Bahrain and is working on opening a company to teach driving. The Batelco Racing team was founded in 1998 and is sponsored by the Batelco Telecommunications Company.

Ali is Batelco’s social media manager. He is responsible for setting up and managing the company’s social media strategy. He is also a co-founder of the digital marketing consultancy, eStisharaTech, which focuses on marketing needs of small and medium businesses in the GCC region. Ali graduated magna cum laude from the University of Sunderland in England. He holds a bachelor’s degree in multimedia computing. Ali also holds a master’s degree in economics, finance and management from the University of Bristol in England. Additionally, he is a Certified Project Finance Specialist CPFS® by the International Association of Financial Management.

Ali B. was born in Bahrain and lived there until he was middle school aged, at which time he moved to Dubai with his family. Ali, continued to explore this passion for motorsports during his high school years in Dubai. Ali graduated from high school in 2005, and briefly attended the American University in Dubai before returning to Bahrain to work full-time for a family business. He currently works as a finance executive in a commercial group specializing in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and the distribution of general products and furniture. You can check out Racer Times
here, follow them on Twitter @RacerTimes or check them out on Facebook to learn more!

Ali is a banker and Bahraini rock star. His band won the 2011 Budweiser Battle of the Bands, and is scheduled to open for Skid Row on their tour stop in Bahrain. He went to university in the United Kingdom, and was previously an instructor at the Ministry of Education and a public relations executive at Banyan Tree Hotels. To learn more about Ali and his band, Atom, check them out on Facebook.

Ali H. was born and raised in Bahrain, and has been passionate about motorsports since he was young. He began working for car magazines when he was 17, and at 19 became an assistant editor for one of the best car magazines in the region. He worked as a volunteer with the Bahrain Marshals Club from ages 16-19, and has fully planned and organized three car shows. You can check out Racer Times
here, follow them on Twitter @RacerTimes or check them out on Facebook to learn more!

Ali started his career as a graphic designer, before deciding to pursue photography as a full time career. Ali works with select, high-profile clients and is working n expanding his business. Ali grew up in Bahrain, and his favorite memories come from the 80s and 90s when he felt that Bahrain was greener and life was simpler. He misses the special taste he felt that the gardens and the theme parks had, however now, Ali loves to visit the art galleries, as he explains that the art scene in Bahrain is getting bigger and bigger. Ali would describe Bahrain as, “the home of dreams, original and imperfect.” His hobbies include football, swimming and reading.

Ammar was born in Sudan and currently lives in Bahrain. He had a passion for interior design from a young age, and founded his own company in 2006. Ammar studied in London, and launched his career as a window designer for Harvey Nichols. He has designed spaces for royal weddings, private events in Washington D.C., storefront windows, restaurants and private residences, among other projects. One of Ammar’s favorite memories is flying to Paris 17 times while he was helping design the space for a wedding, and how Christian Louboutin had designed the wedding shoes for the bride. Ammar’s most recent work can be seen at the Intercontinental Regency Hotel, where he designed the Turaya Ramadan tent.

Andrew is an award-winning commercial photographer based in Bahrain. He specializes in photography for advertising, hotels, food and drink, industry and portraiture. Apart from his commercial work, Andrew also founded and owns Picture Arabia, the world's leading Arabian stock image site. Andrew has made his home in Bahrain for the past 12 years and has two children. Andrew has also produced many books, including "Between Two Seas," a best-selling photographic book that shows off Bahrain's natural beauty and urban achievements. Andrew also has offices in Spain and Thailand, from where he services his European and Asian clients. Apart from his photography, Andrew will most likely be found cruising the waves on his windsurf board! To learn more about Andrew and his photography, check out his portfolio, or his Facebook page. For more information on Picture Arabia, check out the Picture Arabia image library, look it up on Facebook. Additionally, Andrew's most recent book on Bahrain, "Between Two Seas," has a Facebook page as well!

Areej was born and raised in Bahrain, where she is now raising a family of her own. She had an early interest in art, and is currently the owner of Shades Art Center, where she displays her work and also teaches art. Areej has diploma’s in commercial studies and business management from the University of Bahrain, and an access diploma in general management from Hull University. She has an art diploma from the London College of art as well as a diploma in play work and therapeutic play from the University of Gloucestershire. She has held personal exhibitions of her work in 2010 and 2011, and hopes to hold an exhibition in 2012 as well. She is proud to be Bahraini and finds Bahrain a unique place because of the people. “We are family oriented more than anywhere in the GCC,” she said. You can view Areej's work online here.

Ayyoub is a fire chief for the Alba, Bahrain fire department, and is a volunteer with the Bahrain Marshals Club. Within the Bahrain Marshals Club Ayyoub is the chief emergency services coordinator, making him in charge of emergency response procedures on the track. He is also an accredited driving instructor. Ayyoub’s love of motorsport began when he was a rally driver, and his position within the Bahrain Marshals Club seemed natural given his experience as a fire chief. “I got dragged into this fire marshal thing because I am a fire chief as my day job and I like it. I like to help,” he said.

Dalia grew up in Bahrain and studied International Securities, Investment and Banking at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. She recently became the first Bahraini Female to be certified by the American Council on Exercise; accredited by the NCCA (National Commission for Certifying Agencies), and is also the first Bahraini certified Kettlebell trainer. Dalia also runs the popular blog, Dalia’s Training Lab, where she shares her own journey into fitness, as well as tips and advice for those looking to lead a more active lifestyle. In addition, she has a Facebook page where she continuously updates with information. She currently works and trains clients on the side. To learn more about Dalia, check out her blog, Dalia's Training Lab, or contact her on Facebook, on Twitter at @dalia_training, or by email at dalia.personaltraining@gmail.com.

DJ Outlaw is an internationally renowned producer and DJ. He records and produces his own music and serves as a Bahraini-based booking agent. His network of industry connections is vast including collaboration on projects with G-Unit and Ludacris. His 2010 album “History in the Making” is available on iTunes.

Ella is a self-taught artist who was born and raised in Bahrain. She began painting at the age of 12 and at 18 became a member of the Bahrain Arts Society. In 2004 she opened her own art gallery, Ella Art Gallery, in Adliya. Her permanent collection is housed in Southern Nevada Museum of Fine Art in Las Vegas and her work has also been exhibited in art galleries in the United States, Europe and India. She was the winner of the TOPEN International Art Competition, Women in the Arts award, and the American Art Jury 10th International Awards. Learn more about Ella and her gallery by clicking here!

Fayez has been the president of the Motorsports Marshals Club since 2004 and has been clerk of the course at the Bahrain Grand Prix since 2004. He has also been the director of circuit operation at the Bahrain International Circuit since 2009. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University from which he received a bachelor’s of science degree in computer information science. Prior to his work with the Bahrain International Circuit, Fayez worked for Gulf Air, Sabre, EDS, Satyam Computer Systems and Computer Science Corporation. Fayez was born and raised in Bahrain, where he currently resides with his wife and two children.

Glenn works for an interior design company and pursues photography as a hobby. He is the winner of the 2012 Best of Bahrain talent competition for his photography and has also won the Facts Bahrain photography competition and the Panasonic MENA photo competition. To learn more about Glenn’s work, visit the Best of Bahrain Facebook page and follow Best of Bahrain on Twitter @BESTOFBAHRAIN.

Hassan is a software engineer and the first app developer in Bahrain. He studies software engineering in Cairo and also at Greenwich University in Bahrain, and he considers himself to be an active user of the Internet since 1996. Hassan is credited with creating the first game for Bahrain TV in 2001, and has created more than 100 additional games, including the Middle East versions of “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune.”

Hebah is a fashion designer who focuses on creating versatile clothing for woman who love to feel beautiful as well as comfortable. Hebah’s interest in fashion began when she was a little girl in elementary school competing in costume designs. Hebah showcased her first collection in 2004, in conjunction with the first Formula One Grand Prix in Bahrain. She has showcased her work across Bahrain and the Gulf, in various exhibitions and boutiques. Hebah now has her own storefront where she exhibits her collections. Hebah counts reading and painting among her hobbies. You can learn more about Hebah and her designs by checking out her Facebook page here.

Hussa was born and raised in Bahrain. She is actively involved in the Bahrain and Arab football community and is the head of both the Arab and Bahrain Women’s Football Committees. In addition to her work in the football communities, she is the founder of an electronics boutique called Tronix in Riffa, Bahrain. Hussa holds two master’s degrees: an MBA and a master’s of science in human resources from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. In her free time, Hussa enjoys anything having to do with the beach and traveling. She believes that the friendliness and openness of the Bahraini people comes from the fact that Bahrain is an island, and thus its people are used to having visitors from other countries.

Big J is a chief marshal at the Bahrain International Circuit. He trains regularly with his team to ensure motorsport events happen smoothly and safely. Big J began his career as a marshal in 2004 and has since increased in scope of work and responsibility. He acquired his marshalling skills and knowledge from teams in Australia, where he traveled for five years. These trips inspired him to package what he learned in Australia and apply it to the Bahrain Marshal’s Club. Big J currently oversees 75 track marshals during race time at the BIC.

Julian was born in the South of England and was brought up on the small, friendly island of Hayling. Julian moved to Bahrain with his wife in 2009. He was an honors degree in geography from the University of Leicester, and has been a marketing and communications consultant for the last 18 years. He started ACK Solutions in 2010 with two partners in Bahrain, and they deliver market research, marketing and communications strategy, and stakeholder and engagement projects across Bahrain and the GCC. Julian loves the water and tries to spend as much time as possible discovering small sandbar islands and relaxing with friends around a BBQ. Julian is an active member of the Rotary Club of Adliya and enjoys the opportunity this gives him to give back to the community he lives in, whether it be through raising money for important projects or helping to redecorate a center for children with learning difficulties.

Maryam Yusuf Jamal made history as the first Bahraini to win an Olympic medal when she won the bronze medal in the 1500m race at the 2012 London Olympic Games. She is a two-time world champion in the 1500m race, having won it at the 2007 and 2009 Athletics World Championships. She represented Bahrain in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games where she finished fifth in the 1500m final. Maryam has also won two gold medals at the 2006 Asian Games in addition to the Asian Cross Country Championships in 2007 and 2009. Maryam was born in Ethiopia and received citizenship to Bahrain after leaving Ethiopia for economic and political reasons. She hopes to compete in the 2016 Olympic Games to be held in Rio Di Janeiro.

Born in South Africa, Melissa has a Masters in translation from the University of the Witwatersrand, and has been working in publishing for the past 15 years. Her editorial experience includes writing, editing, translation and production management on magazines including Marie Claire South Africa, Elle Decoration UK, Time Out Bahrain and Gulf Air’s in-flight magazine, Gulf Life. She is currently in search of a publisher for her first novel and will be launched her travel guide, StreetSmart Bahrain, in late February. When she isn’t out exploring Bahrain, Melissa enjoys doing yoga, reading, travelling, and anything related to food and cooking. Learn more about Melissa's travel guide, StreetSmart Bahrain by clicking here!

Mohammad works as a traffic security guard at Bahrain’s City Centre Mall. He is known to colleagues, City Centre employees and shoppers by his trademark smile. Mohammad moved to Bahrain in 2008 from Pakistan, where he was an officer in the Pakistani army.

Mohammed is a tennis player who grew up in Bahrain. He was inspired to begin playing tennis after reading the book, “Breaking Back” by James Blake, a professional tennis player. Mohammed studied business management at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. He is a great advocate of encouraging people to work hard and achieve their dreams, and often uses tennis as a way to drive positive change in the community. He is the Lehigh Fall Open 2009 Finalist, FCTG Chairman’s Cup 2010 Finalist, Lehigh Fall Open 2011 Finalist, FCTG Winter Open 2011 Champion, FCTG Chairman’s Cup Team Tennis 2012 Champion, and JC’s Tennis Academy Box League 2012 Champion. You can learn more about Mohammed here, can find him on Facebook, or can follower him on Twitter @nervebullet.

Armed with an interior and spatial design degree from Chelsea College of Art and Design, and a master’s degree in urban design from University College London, Muna began her career working for international interior design firm DWP. She then went on to work on Bahrain’s winning project, Reclaim, for the Venice Biennale Golden Lion awards. Realizing that she didn’t need to restrict her love of design to one specific field, she created her newly launched design brand, HARAKA. With her first collection of colorful watches, t-shirts and bags already out in the market, she hopes to expand the HARAKA brand to include more product lines in the near future.

HARAKA, Muna’s brand of watches, is available at La Boutique 92 and Khaleda Rajab’s shop in the Diplomatic Area and will be available online shortly.

Nada was born and raised in Bahrain. She is originally from Manama, lived most of her childhood in Sanabis and currently resides in Hamad Town. She went to high school in Manama and continued her studies in the United Kingdom, earning a bachelor’s degree in graphic and communication design. Nada’s favorite place in Bahrain is the Bahrain Fort at sunset, and her hobbies include reading, swimming and tweeting.

Nisreen is one of the co-founders of the charitable endeavor Ramadan Boxes. In preparation for the month of Ramadan, Nisreen, and co-founder May, assemble boxes of food and clothing that are then distributed to families in need. These boxes are filled with supplies to last a family and entire month. The two women came up with the Ramadan boxes concept after they met as colleagues at a university. Ramadan boxes has been helping people for the past eight years and this year they distributed around 120 boxes. Nisreen is also actively involved in charity work in Bahrain yearlong. She works in education and tries to share this love of charity with students, encouraging them to get involved so they can learn to care for others at a young age. To get in touch with Nisreen or to get involved with her charity work, you can follow or contact her on Twitter at @nalmoawdah.

Rana is originally from Egypt, and moved to Bahrain in 1998. She calls Bahrain home, and feels fortunate to have ended up in a place where people are friendly and open-minded. Rana co-runs the popular blog, Bahrain Events, who was founded by the author of Bahrainipreneur (sister blog). They both felt like there was a lack of promotion surrounding local events in Bahrain. Bahrainivents was launched to cover as many events as we can, with the help of their supporting readers too.
Ideally she and her colleague hope that it will be a platform for people in Bahrain to come to not just for updates on events, but also to read feedback and comments on these events from other readers. We also want to help the smaller events get as much exposure as possible for free.

Rashed was born into a family of artists in Bahrain. Thanks to the influence of his father and uncle, Rashed works to connect Bahrain’s past and present through art. He is currently studying at the University of the Arts in London where he is working towards a degree on interior and spatial design. Among his accomplishments, Rashed counts a series he did on prominent individuals in Bahrain, an exhibition the Bahraini embassy in London held for him, and getting the Le Opera coffee shop to commission a painting.

Reem is a 24 year old marine biologist and spokeswoman for the AYCM’s Bahrain chapter. She graduated from Imperial College London a year ago with an MSc. in ecology, evolution and conservation. Reem is also a diver. She hopes to change the perception the rest of the world has about the Arab world with AYCM and encourage Bahrainis to save the environment.

Ricardo is a chemical engineer by training, and also holds an MBA. He began his media career behind the mike of Lebanese radio station Magic 102. He moved to TV shortly after to become a TV host. Throughout his career, he interviewed high-profile guests such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Her Majesty Farah Diba Pahlavi, Her Majesty Noor Al Hussein, the Abbe Pierre, Kofi Annan, Luciano Pavarotti, Celine Dion, Charles Aznavour, Paolo Coelho, Ivo Pitanguy, Valentino, Andre Agassi and many more.

With almost two decades of experience Ricardo is one of the most popular TV personalities in the Arab world. Ricardo is a philanthropist and the driving force behind the TAKREEM Arab Achievement Awards, now in its third year. You can follow Ricardo on Twitter @ricardokaram1, and like his page on Facebook.

Samantha is the senior logistics events organizer for the Bahrain International Circuit. She has lived in Bahrain for 34 years. She is a public relations executive by trade, working for Regency Intercontinental and later American Express. She oversaw the original construction of the Bahrain International Circuit, and now manages all logistics for daily operations as well as events.

Sara is an Olympic swimmer who lives with her family in Bahrain. She is competing in the 50-meter freestyle at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Sara has been swimming since she was young, but began seriously competing in 2010. London is will not be the end of the road for Sara, she already has her eye on 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Shub runs the popular fashion and beauty blog, Dimpled Fairy Diary. Launched in February 2012, the blog covers the topics Shub is most passionate about —fashion, health, beauty, art and travel. Shub was encouraged to start her blog by her best friend, who noticed that Shub was always the one family and friends went to when it came to matters of style or fashion. The name “Dimpled Fairy” comes from a nickname Shub received in college, and she decided it would be a fun blogger identity as well. Shub was born and raised in Bahrain and studied fashion design and business and management in the United Kingdom. She currently works at an oil and gas company and runs her blog on the side. Shub placed third in the category of “best personal blog,” at Bahrain’s Social Media Day Awards. She was also the winner of the Vogue Eyewear competition. Besides running her blog, Shub is passionate about go-karting, horses, design, theater, historical books, architecture, food and travel.

Tala has lived in Bahrain her whole life. After high school she studied in San Diego, California before moving to Newcastle, England, and finally to London for her studies. Tala feels fortunate to have had these experiences, and believes her travels and the various places she has lived have changed the way she views things and has opened up her mind. She currently works as the communications manager at Al Riwaq Art Space, and aspires to be a full time artist one day. Tala counts photography, mix media art, traveling, football and doodling among her hobbies. She believes in helping others and lives by the motto, “spend less, give more.”

Waddah grew up in Bahrain and is currently the owner of Badawi Lebanese, a boutique Lebanese restaurant in Manama. Waddah moved to the United States in 1996 to study aviation. He lived in Florida and worked in commercial aviation for seven years. After leaving aviation, Waddah opened his own restaurant, Italian Grill, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Waddah is also a rising star in the Middle Eastern comedy scene. He has performed with well known comedians such as Gabriel Iglasias, The Axis of Evil Comedy Crew, Moz Jobrani, Ahmed Ahmed, Dean Obeidallah and Aaron Keider. He also hosted several shows with Showtime’s Wonho Chang. Click here to follow Bawadi Lebanese on Facebook