Our People

Amaly is an American-Canadian-Muslim mother and physician. She has lived in Edmonton for 15 years, and now calls it home. Amaly is always inspired by the creativity around her, and loves exploring this side of her, as demonstrated by her constant flow of projects and ideas. Creativity is where she flourishes. Since a young age, her parents have always made volunteerism an important part of her life, and she has tried to follow in their footsteps. Some projects she has helped create include: the "One ummah, One Eid” gift program, and the Edmonton Volunteer Society. Amaly also loves giving back to the community. Over the past few years, she has been a board member of Muslim Woman’s shelter, and has traveled abroad multiple times offering medical care to refugees and those in need in foreign countries.

Howaida obtained her Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering degree from the University of Waterloo in 1999. She is currently the General Supervisor of Transportation working on Edmonton’s long-term strategic plan - The City Plan. Howaida’s skills and experience span strategic planning, providing oversight and leading technical teams to achieve goals on complex projects, strategy monitoring and reporting, and survey development. Howaida has 13 years of experience working in Transportation Planning including transportation modelling, household travel surveys, policy and strategy development. She hopes to serve on the IslamicFamily board by offering her skills in strategic planning, program monitoring, and governance. Howaida and her two brothers were born and raised in Toronto. She is the proud daughter of Egyptian immigrants to Canada. Howaida, her husband, three kids, and cat have called Edmonton home for many years.

Kevin, a University of Alberta graduate in Education, embraced Islam in 2019, finding inspiration in the Edmonton Muslim community. As the MLA and Constituency Staff Liaison at the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Kevin brings expertise in communication, outreach, and team management. His leadership roles, including Board Member at the Muslim Association of Canada, have deepened his commitment to community service. Kevin aims to support IslamicFamily in creating inclusive spaces and enriching programs that connect people and foster spiritual growth.

After spending much of my life in Saskatchewan, where I was deeply involved in youth outreach through the local mosque and University MSA, I moved to Edmonton. Family, community, and staying active are central to my life, and I’m grateful for every opportunity to connect with others. As a lawyer in private practice, my main areas of focus are Civil Litigation, Personal Injury, Wills and Estates, and Family Law. I have also provided pro-bono legal guidance to mosque board members on non-profit legal matters, giving me insight into the operational frameworks of non-profits. Before law school, I worked as a Settlement Support Worker in Schools (SSWIS) for the Saskatoon Open Door Society. In this role, I helped newcomer families navigate the Canadian schooling system, advocating for their unique needs and building collaborations with school boards, teachers, and service providers. My work with newcomers and vulnerable individuals has equipped me with skills essential for supporting communities. I am inspired by IFSSA's dedication to uplifting the Muslim community and would consider it a privilege to contribute to their mission. My legal expertise and experience with newcomers would allow me to support the board’s strategic and governance efforts in meaningful ways.

Riad, a pioneer in Shariah-compliant investing, is a Senior Portfolio Manager at TD Wealth with over 25 years of experience. With a Master’s in Investment Management, a BSc in Mathematics & Finance, and designations as a Certified Financial Planner and Chartered Investment Manager, Riad leads one of Edmonton’s largest investment practices. A strong advocate for socially responsible investing, he is passionate about empowering others and believes in building on individual strengths to uplift communities.

I have been a direct beneficiary of IslamicFamily's work through The Green Room's Leadership Team, where as a newly immigrated teenager I was introduced to community service and built many of my meaningful connections in the city. My very first "real" job was with IslamicFamily as an HR and Policy Intern, where I had the chance to research and review IslamicFamily's existing policy and help support the process of achieving Imagine Canada accreditation. As I continue to pursue a higher education in health sciences, I hope my academic background both informs and is informed by my work and learnings as a member of the IslamicFamily board. I hope to give back to The Green Room a fraction of what The Green Room did for me. As TGR navigates developing new programming and restarting

Shaista has been living in Edmonton since 2010. She is an Industrial Engineer by training and after spending almost 10 years in Process Improvement and Technology in the financial industry, she is now working in a machine learning startup. Shaista’s work experience has provided her with the opportunity to apply her knowledge of process improvement, lean and design thinking. In the last few years, she has been a board member for the Edmonton chapter of the Canadian Council of Muslim Women. Last summer, Shaista volunteered as a docent at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden to guide visitors through the Kurimoto Japanese Garden and the Aga Khan Garden. Over the last few years, she has volunteered with the Aga Khan Youth and Sports Board to help with Positive Youth Development. Shaista is impressed with all the good work that IslamicFamily can accomplish for the Muslim community and would love to be involved with the board to help in any capacity possible.

I am an analyst with the government of Alberta with a bachelor in commerce and a graduate diploma in immigration law. My role with the ministry of mental health and addiction connects me with leaders striving to end the addictions issues in Alberta. What the Muslim community often fails to realize is the number of Muslim youth are among those struggling with alcohol and drug addictions, many times the cause being their own familial traumas unaddressed. I want to see more programs addressing the root causes of addictions, implement more recovery based programs, and create programs for young muslims that ultimately deters our community from addictions.

Usman is an experienced professional with over 20 years in accounting, budgeting, and project control across the construction, telecom, and oil industries. Holding a Bachelor's degree and an accounting designation from England, Usman has also contributed to not-for-profits, reflecting his dedication to community service. Passionate about empowering individuals to achieve their potential, Usman joins the IslamicFamily Board to further his commitment to uplifting and supporting others.

Ziad, a Professional Engineer with extensive expertise in energy policy and sustainability, holds degrees in electrical engineering and a double Master’s in smart grids and electricity markets. Currently leading policy consultations at ATCO, Ziad also serves as the Youth Wing Director for the Pakistan Canadian Association of Edmonton. His leadership focuses on empowering youth, addressing economic and food security, and fostering culturally sensitive initiatives like the Halal Housing Lab. Ziad is committed to leveraging his skills and network to create meaningful opportunities for the IslamicFamily community.

IslamicFamily has been an integral part of Omar’s service journey. Omar has worked in non-profit management, global development and for-benefit consulting. He holds an MBA and BSc from the University of Alberta, where he also teaches Corporate Sustainability to MBAs. Before joining as staff, Omar played a key role in the development of IslamicFamily's youth program, and partnership development. He is proud to have worked alongside exceptional leaders who helped the organization expand to serve more people in more ways and more places.

Lena received a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Neurobiology and a Master’s in Business Management from Harvard University. As an undergraduate, she received a number of awards for her activism and advocacy including the Harvard College Women’s Leadership Award and the Harvard Foundation Award for Race and Intercultural Relations. Prior to joining the IslamicFamily team, Lena has worked with and developed close relationships with numerous non-profits throughout the city, and internationally.

Lubna is a registered psychologist with a Master’s in Psychological Studies in Education from the University of Alberta, and a Counselling Certificate from Athabasca University. Lubna first joined IslamicFamily 12 years ago as a board member, and has provided cultural competency training to community leaders, governments, law enforcement and service organizations. She has been recognized for her outstanding volunteer commitment, and has been awarded the Athabasca Volunteer Service Award, the YMCA Peace Medal, and the Governor General's Sovereign Medal for Volunteers

Experienced Immigrant Community Support Worker with a demonstrated history of working in the non-profit organizations and with vulnerable communities. Skilled in networking, community connection and community service, Customer Service, Management, and MS office. Strong community support professional graduated from the Lebanese University.

Experienced finance and business professional with expertise in client advisory, analytics, financial reporting, business development, and scaling start-ups.

Ali has a broad background in various professions like digging ditches, making falafel, journalism and writing textbooks. It wasn’t until he was in graduate school that realized what it was he needed to be doing: visiting folks navigating the carceral system, hearing what they need, and then doing just that. He started this work visiting youth in immigration detention in Chicago, then organizing jail visition in the Chicagoland area. He moved to Edmonton in 2022 to build IslamicFamily’s program. Ali has a Bachelor’s of English from Kalamazoo College and a Masters of Divinity from the University of Chicago.

Sumaira graduated with a degree in Human Ecology from the University of Alberta, and began her work with IslamicFamily two years ago. Currently, she is helping to grow IslamicFamily's volunteer base and establish long-lasting relationships with those who love to give back to their community. She is also the Creative Director of the brand Shubinak and loves all things handmade, eco-friendly and ethnic fusion.

Raj is passionate about service through leveraging technology for the greater good. He holds a BURPI in Urban and Regional Planning and a Certificate in Project and Product Management. He is also a Fellow at On Deck. Before joining IslamicFamily, Raj spent 6 years in the public sector with various organizations working as an urban planner and then transitioned into technology. He built a B2C mobile application that made it as one of top 20 most downloaded apps in Canada and built a B2B saas-based platform that raised 7 figures in funding.

Ibrahim is a passionate advocate for the integration of spirituality and mental health. Throughout his education, he has blended religious studies with training in spiritually-integrated mental health care and counselling. He holds a BA in Religious Studies, an MA in Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations, and a Graduate Certificate in Islamic Chaplaincy from the Hartford Seminary - the first graduate institution to offer accredited training in Muslim chaplaincy. Ibrahim is one of Canada’s only clinically-trained Muslim chaplains, having completed intensive training in spiritually-integrated mental health care and counselling. Ibrahim is presently pursuing a Masters in Social Work with a specialization in Community-Informed Practice for Health and Well-being.

Ray has been working in fundraising in the Canadian non-profit sector for over 5 years after "stumbling" on this beautiful path while studying industrial engineering. His focus and drive is to get community members excited about projects and to make visions come to life. Ray is passionate about helping people and bringing love, joy and faith to their lives. He is specifically passionate about international development, namely helping his home country, Lebanon.

How can design be more human-centered? Zeinab's passion lies in creating design that is tailored to the needs of people and the environment as a whole. By utilizing design thinking methodologies, asking the right questions, and maintaining an empathetic perspective, she works on ensuring that solutions are user-centric. Prior to venturing into the non-profit sector, Zeinab worked in consulting and marketing. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a major in marketing and minor in political science.