2007-2008 Board of Advisors of the MSA of US & Canada
Sr Omaira Alam, Chair
Born in Scotland, raised in Toronto, Canada, Sr Omaira has been teaching for almost 10 years in public, private, and Muslim schools. She graduated with a BSc from the University of Toronto with a double major in Neuroscience and World History. She then went on to the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, an affiliate of U of Toronto, for her Bachelors in Education. After a brief sojourn to Egypt, she moved to Virginia to complete her Masters in Transition Special Education at the George Washington University, specializing in secondary students with emotional and learning disabilities. She previously served as the Vice President-Canada (1999-2001) and the Exofficio (2001-2003) of MSA National. She currently serves as the chair of the Board of Advisors and is a staff member of COMPASS, MSA National's training team. She has recently returned to Toronto, Canada to continue teacher training programs and to teach in the public school sector.
Lubabah Abdullah, Member
Sr. Lubabah is a third year law student at the University of Missouri. She graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Sociology. While at the University of Missouri she served as MSA President (1999-2000). She also chaired the Central Zone Conference and the Central Zone Camp in 2000. She then served as Treasurer and Vice President-US of MSA National.
Lina Hashem, Member
Sr Lina graduated from George Mason University with a B.S. in Management Information Systems and a Minor in Information Technology in 2003. She currently works at Booz Allen Hamilton, an IT and Management Consulting Firm in Herndon, VA as a Senior Consultant. She worked with MSA National as VP of US from 2003 - 2004, as Ex-Officio from 2004 - 2005. She lives with her family in Northern VA and enjoys travelling, photography, and diving.
Altaf Husain, Member
Br Altaf is a doctoral candidate in the Howard University School of Social Work, focusing on Muslim immigrant and refugee adaptation in the United States. He is a double alumnus of Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), receiving his bachelor's and master's degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Social Work, respectively. Br Altaf is a board member the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), the Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA), and Islamic Social Services Association of the US and Canada (ISSA). He is also a licensed social worker in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
He has served Vice President - US (1997-1999) and two terms as President (1999-2001, 2001-2003) MSA National. Currently he serves on the Board of Advisers of MSA National and is a staff member of COMPASS, the MSA National Training Program. He currently resides in northern Virginia with his wife and two sons.
Hadia Mubarak, Member
A native of Panama City, Florida, Sr Hadia is a doctoral student at Georgetown University's Islamic Studies department. Sr Hadia received her Master's degree in Contemporary Arab Studies with a concentration in Women and Gender from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. She received her Bachelor's degree in International Affairs and English from Florida State University. Sr Hadia's publications include "Young and Muslim in Post 9/11 America" (The Brandywine Review of Faith & International Affairs Vol. 3, No. 2); "Breaking the Interpretive Monopoly: A Re-Examination of Verse 4:34" (Hawaa Vol. 2, Issue 3); The Politicization of Gender Reform: Islamists' discourse on repealing Article 340 of the Jordanian Penal Code (MA Thesis, Georgetown University, 2005); and "Blurring the Lines Between Faith and Culture" (America Now: Short Reading from Recent Periodicals. 5th ed.), among others. In 2004, Sr Hadia was the first female to be elected as president of the MSA National since its establishment in 1963. She also sits on the CAIR executive board.
Mohamed Sheibani, Ex-Officio
A recent graduate of the University of Ottawa, Br. Mohamed has been with MSA National since 2003 serving as the East Zone Canada Representative, Vice President Canada, President and now Ex-Officio. He has also worked with the Ottawa Muslim Association, The Family Eid Festival as well as Human Concern International. As Ex-Officio of MSA National for a second term, Mohamed hopes to continue to build on the work that has been completed by previous boards, with regards to putting an emphasis on institutionalization. He also intends to make MSA National more transparent and relevant to the regular MSA chapters and students.
