Speakers
Dr. Suzy Ismail
Chaplain Kaiser Aslam
Sr. Fatima Abbasi
Dr. Abu Zayd
Sr. Sumara Khan
Chaplain Khalid Latif
Imam Siraj Wahhaj
Mayor Khairullah
Imam Daud Haqq
Br. Qasim Mazhar
Dr. Eman El-Badawi
Speaker Bio
Dr. Suzy Ismail
Founding Director of a Non-Profit Organization, Author, Lecturer, Professor
Dr. Suzy Ismail is the Founding Director of Cornerstone, a nonprofit, faith-based communication intervention organization. She holds a Master of Arts in Communication, a Master of Philosophy in Human Services, and a PhD in Human Services focusing on Family Studies & Intervention Strategies. She is an author of many books and specializes in educating and empowering women, youth, and vulnerable populations by presenting a range of workshops, lectures, programs, diversity seminars, and corporate training both nationally and internationally. As a Visiting Professor for over a decade in the Communication Departments of Rutgers University and DeVry University, Dr. Ismail has researched, written, and presented extensively on the intersectionality of education, faith, communication, and culture.
Chaplain Kaiser Aslam
Chaplain, Director, National Coordinator, Lecturer
Chaplain Kaiser Aslam is the Muslim Chaplain at Rutgers University. He has studied various classical Islamic sciences and holds a Master’s degree in Islamic Studies & Muslim-Christian Relations from Hartford Seminary. He has served as the Muslim Chaplain at Hartford Hospital and a youth director at various Islamic centers. Most notably, he has served as the National Coordinator of Young Muslims, the largest Muslim youth groups in North America. He is a public lecturer on Islam, Muslim youth, Interfaith work, Muslim culture, and various other topics. He spends his free time commenting on popular culture, consuming scientific journals, reading comics, and adventuring his way through nature.
Sr. Fatima Abbasi
Teacher, Former Principal, Founder of Edchievement and Chai Pearls
Sr. Fatima Abbasi is a teacher, former principal, mother of 2, Special needs mom and founder of 2 businesses, Edchievement (an educational consultancy) & Chai Pearls (a chai confection company). She grew up in NJ, has a Masters in Education from Fordham University, and has completed a post graduate credential in School Leadership & Administration. She is a proud YM alumna, having attended her first halaqa in YM Jersey City at the age of 12. She later went on to serve on the National Shura. In recent years, she has worked as a Coordinator for the ICPC’s Clifton Masjid and Supervisor for MYCC Summer Camp in North Jersey. During her free time, she enjoys a good game night & has a passion for problem solving and community development.
Dr. Abu Zayd
Founder, Director, Speaker
Dr. Abu Zayd is the founder and director of the Quran Literacy Institute. He holds degrees in Islamic Studies, including a Bachelor's from the School of Islamic and Arabic Studies (American Open University) and a Master's from the Islamic University of Minnesota. He also holds a Diploma in Classical Islamic Texts from Cambridge Islamic College and an Advanced License in Islamic Scholarship (Shahādah al-ʿĀlimiyyah) from Al-Salam Institute, UK. With Ijazah in ten modes of Quranic recitation and expertise in hadith and classical texts, his work focuses on bridging traditional scholarship with contemporary education, fostering Muslim unity, and promoting tolerance.
Sr. Sumara Khan
Founder and Cofounder, Arabic and Islamic Studies Teacher,
Sumara Khan is the cofounder of the Quran Literacy Institute and an Islamic studies and Arabic teacher in NJ. She graduated first in her class from the Abū Nūr Institute in Damascus and holds a Master's in Uṣūl al-Dīn from the American University for Islamic Sciences. Sr. Sumara has memorized the Qur'an, receiving Ijāzah from Shaykh Waleed Edrees al-Meneese, and holds Ijāzah in Quranic recitations and classical texts from several renowned scholars. She is also the founder of Iman Roots, a women’s Islamic education forum, and directs the Sisters Ḥifdh Program at the Quran Literacy Institute.
Chaplain Khalid Latif
University Chaplain, Executive Director, Cofounder
Imam Khalid Latif is the University Chaplain and Executive Director of the Islamic Center at NYU, where he made history as the first Muslim chaplain in 2005. A leader in interfaith dialogue, he has worked alongside figures like Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama, and has raised millions for humanitarian causes worldwide. Imam Latif co-founded Honest Chops, NYC’s first all-natural halal butcher, and Pillars of Peace, a nonprofit supporting survivors of domestic violence, particularly within the Muslim community. He is a recognized global leader, featured in major media outlets and honored with numerous awards, including an Honorary Doctorate of Theology. Through his work, he fosters inclusivity, social justice, and the celebration of young American Muslim identities.
Imam Siraj Wahhaj
Imam, Leader, Speaker
Imam Siraj Wahhaj is a prominent African-American Muslim leader, imam of Al-Taqwa Mosque in Brooklyn, and head of the Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA). Raised in a Baptist family, he joined the Nation of Islam in 1969, adopting the name Jeffrey12x. After Elijah Muhammad’s death, Wahhaj embraced Sunni Islam under the guidance of Warith Deen Mohammed, later adopting the name Siraj Wahhaj. He studied at Umm al-Qura University in Mecca and became a respected scholar and advocate for Islamic education. Known for his community leadership, Wahhaj has been an influential voice on issues of social justice, Muslim unity, and the empowerment of African-American Muslims in North America.
Mayor Khairullah
Mayor, Mentor, Speaker
Mohamed T. Khairullah, Mayor of Prospect Park, NJ, has dedicated his life to public service, civic engagement, and humanitarian efforts. Fleeing Syria in 1980, he became a U.S. citizen in 2000 and was elected to office a year later. After serving as Councilman, he was unanimously chosen as Mayor in 2005 and has been re-elected for five consecutive terms. With a background in community activism, Khairullah has led initiatives to improve public safety, infrastructure, and local economic development. He’s also a champion for refugees, having worked on relief efforts in Syria, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, and continues to collaborate with nonprofits to support resettlement and aid. A passionate advocate for democracy, he mentors youth and encourages civic engagement.
Imam Daud Haqq
Islamic Scholar, Community Leader, Lecturer, Counselor
Imam Daud Haqq, originally from Barbados, is a respected Islamic scholar and community leader. A graduate of the University of Madinah, he has lectured on religion and human development across the Caribbean and served as an imam and advisor in various communities. Now based in Newark, New Jersey, he is the imam of NIA Masjid & Community Center, President of Muslim Outreach for Anti-Violence (MOAV), and an active member of several leadership councils. renowned speaker and counselor, Imam Haqq continues to inspire and guide communities.
Br. Qasim Mazhar
Teacher, Former Principal, Founder of Edchievement and Chai Pearls
Sr. Fatima Abbasi is a teacher, former principal, mother of 2, Special needs mom and founder of 2 businesses, Edchievement (an educational consultancy) & Chai Pearls (a chai confection company). She grew up in NJ, has a Masters in Education from Fordham University, and has completed a post graduate credential in School Leadership & Administration. She is a proud YM alumna, having attended her first halaqa in YM Jersey City at the age of 12. She later went on to serve on the National Shura. In recent years, she has worked as a Coordinator for the ICPC’s Clifton Masjid and Supervisor for MYCC Summer Camp in North Jersey. During her free time, she enjoys a good game night & has a passion for problem solving and community development.
Sr. Fatima Abbasi
Indian-Egyptian Mayor, Fosterer, Community Server
Dr. Eman El Badawi is the first Muslim, Indian-Egyptian mayor of Cranbury, NJ, and the first minority elected to the township committee. Guided by her Islamic faith, which emphasizes service to others, she sees her political role as an extension of this commitment. In addition to her mayoral duties, Eman is actively involved in volunteer work, including her roles with the Sisterhood, the Israel-Palestine Task Force, refugee resettlement efforts, and the Islamic Network Group. She also manages a farm and organizes an annual Eid Ul Adha ritual sacrifice to benefit those in need. Eman is driven by the joy of service and the belief that faith, trust, and taking risks can help make a meaningful difference. Through her work, she fosters interfaith connections and embodies the values of community and service.