OUR BOARD

PRESIDENT – A’isha A. Samad

A’isha Samad is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio.  She is a graduate of Ursuline College School of Nursing. She served many years in all aspects of Maternity Health, including Labor and delivery and Neonatal Intensive Care at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Cleveland.  A’isha is a frequent speaker on behalf of CAIR particularly on the topic of providing culturally competent care to Muslim patients.  She also speaks on Islamic topics in various interfaith and educational settings.  As a community activist, A’isha collaborates with many organizations in the struggle for social justice.

VICE PRESIDENT – Faheem Shaikh

Faheem Shaikh is an IT professional with 27 years of experience architecting and implementing IT infrastructures. Born in Hyderabad, India, he currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio.

Faheem has a Bachelor of Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering from Osmania University and a Master of Engineering in Electrical Engineering from Tennessee State University. He is the manager and lead architect of storage infrastructure for one of the nation’s largest insurance companies.

Faheem has been involved in the governance and leadership of various organizations. He has served as the Chair of the Board of Education at Faith Islamic Academy (FIA) and Director of Education at the Islamic Society of Akron and Kent (ISAK).

Faheem has also served as the President of ISAK and as a member of the Islamic Society of North America’s (ISNA) Founders Committee. He currently servers on the boards of CAIR-Ohio Cleveland and NE Ohio chapter, ISAK, and FIA.

Faheem has been married for 25 years and has three children.

TREASURER – Mohammad Sohrabi

Mohammad has a background in accounting and economics. His involvement in the Muslim community started with the Islamic Center of Cleveland in the early 1990s. He also was one of the founders of Mohammad Rasul Allah Islamic Society. When the Unity Center was established in 2005 to unite three existing organizations of Akron and Cleveland, Mohammad served as president until 2020. He has also served the Islamic Center of Cleveland as treasurer as well as has served on the board of trustees. Both the Unity Center and Islamic Center of Cleveland still benefit from his knowledge of building and managing assets and facilities.

His vision has always been unity of our community and promoting common good amongst ourselves as Muslims and the greater community.

Mohammad was born in Iran and has lived in Cleveland, Ohio since 1978. He has four children with his wife, Nahid.

SECRETARY – Melaak Rashid

Melaak Rashid is the principal consultant of United Funding and MR Nonprofit Consulting providing grant writing, strategic development, human resources, cultural competency, fund development, organizational, programmatic, and board and staff development services as well as is the Development Director of Smart Development, which focuses its work on community development, civic engagement, and social service work within the refugee, immigrant, and newcomer communities. Melaak has over 7 years’ experience as a nonprofit professional helping bring in over 16MIL to minority-led nonprofits to further their work and missions and small businesses across Greater Cleveland. Melaak received her Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Political Science with a minor in International Politics from Cleveland State University as well as her Master’s in Public Administration and Nonprofit Leadership with certificates in Urban Planning and Nonprofit Management from The Levin College of Urban Affairs. Currently, she is a Ph.D. candidate in Public Affairs. She currently serves as a community liaison and advocate on various Cuyahoga County and City of Cleveland projects. She has received awards from Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club in 2021 for Top 25 under 35 Movers & Shakers, 2020 the Ohio CDC Association Ned Neuhausel Award, Global Cleveland 2021 Youth Leader Award, Arab America Foundation Announces 40 Under 40 Awardees–Class of 2023 and was apart of the 2021 NGen Independent Sector fellowship.

Dr. Ahmad Banna, MD FACC 

Dr. Banna is a native of Halab, Syria. He is the president and long-time member of the Muslim Association of Cleveland East as well as a board member emeritus of the Board of Trustees of the Islamic Center of Cleveland, the largest mosque in Ohio. Dr. Banna maintains a busy cardiology practice and is a member of the Fellowship of the American College of Cardiologists and the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS). He is very active in the Muslim community and is known for his philanthropy and support of many local Muslim institutions and causes. He is a strong proponent of civil rights and full equality for American Muslims. Dr. Banna assumed the presidency of the Cleveland Chapter in January 2011.

Isam Zaiem

Isam Zaiem has helped lead CAIR-Ohio since its inception in 1998. In 2003, he helped co-found the Cleveland Chapter of CAIR where he currently serves as the Board Treasurer. Isam is a native of Damascus, Syria who came to the US in 1970 as a student, having completed his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the Pharmacy College of Damascus University. He also obtained a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology from Roosevelt University in Chicago. Mr. Zaiem then completed his medical training at the Cleveland Clinic, where he worked for 25 years, retiring from the transplant department in 2012 in order to devote more time to his family and civic activities.

Over the years, Isam has served in various volunteer capacities at the Islamic Center of Cleveland and Uqbah Mosque Foundation. He also served on the board of the Fair Housing Center for Rights and Research and on the board of Cleveland Peace Action. He currently serves on the Community Committee for WKYC, Channel 3.

He has recently helped initiate two popular programs called “Teatime for Peace” and “Get to Know Your Muslim Neighbor.” The programs are designed to bring people of diverse backgrounds together to help dispel stereotypes and misperceptions in order to build mutual respect and understanding.

He is passionate about protecting the civil rights of Americans and is a strong proponent of defending the Constitution and an advocate for justice for all under the rule of law.

Abdinoor Abdullahi

Abdinoor Abdullahi was born in Somalia and came to the United States in 2004. He graduated from Lincoln West High School in Cleveland. He is active in the Somali Bantu community.  He attends the Islamic Center of Cleveland. Abdinoor is a straight truck driver with Brother’s Elite Transport. Abdinoor likes to play soccer and basketball in his free time.

Dr. Yasser Armanazi

Dr. Armanazi received his Doctorate of Dental Surgery from Al-Baath University in Syria. He received a Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry in 1996 from the University of Tennessee in Memphis, and another Doctorate of Dental Surgery from Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine in 2002. He has been board certified by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry since 2007. He is a member of the faculty of Case Western Reserve Dental School and Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital. He also serves on the staff of several area hospitals and surgery centers and has a private dental and orthodontia practice in Mentor. His has devoted his life to helping children through his dental practice. He has contributed to his profession by serving on dozens of committees and boards over the years, including the Ohio Dental Association, the Northeast Ohio Dental Association, and the Journal of Pediatric Dentistry. He is also active in the leadership and development of several area mosques including the Muslim Association of Cleveland East (MACE), where he serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees and at the Chagrin Valley Islamic Center (CVIC), where he serves as Vice Chair of the Executive Board. He resides in Northeast Ohio with his wife and three children.

Dr. Syed P. Ashraf 

Dr. Ashraf is an active leader in the Northeast Ohio Muslim and interfaith communities. Dr. Ashraf specializes in internal medicine and primary care. He has served in leadership roles at various hospitals including serving as chief of staff and medical director. Aside from his dedication to improving health and wellness for his patients and teaching medical students and residents, Dr. Ashraf is devoted to community service and philanthropy. In addition to serving on the CAIR-Ohio, Cleveland Chapter Board, he is also the President of the Chagrin Valley Islamic Center (CVIC) which is currently engaged in a major building project. He also previously served as the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Muslim Association of Cleveland East (MACE), which also recently completed a mosque building project. Through his active board governance and philanthropy, Dr. Ashraf has helped ensure CAIR continues to thrive and grow in service to the community.

Mohammad Faraj

Humera Khan

Humera Khan was born in Hyderabad and raised in New Delhi, India, where she was educated in a convent school run by Irish nuns. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in History (Hons) from St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi, and her Master’s in Business Administration from the Faculty of Management Studies, also at the University of Delhi. She also completed coursework at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland.

She has worked for 17 years at Progressive Insurance in the Cleveland Custom Contact Group. She appreciates the flexibility her job gives her to achieve a good work–life balance. Her volunteer activities include serving as a member of the steering committee of Teatime for Peace, an interfaith group working to dispel stereotypes about Muslims and helping to foster a sense of community through shared humanity. She has also served on the board of Communities in Conversation, a group dedicated to increasing understanding between people of diverse religious and ideological views. She served as President of Salaam Cleveland, a Muslim women’s social work organization, which is not confined to women but has opened its doors to everyone. She served as General Secretary of the Muslim Association of Cleveland East (MACE) for 10 years, during which period the organization expanded and completed a new building project. Humera was instrumental in the fundraising and organizational aspects of the new building project. She also served on various committees at MACE and is very active in community activities, including interfaith events. She is a member of the Hillcrest Clergy Group, a group of faith-based leaders in the area. Humera is frequently invited to give talks on Islam and Muslims in local area churches.

Her mantra for life is a quote from the American mystic Edgar Cayce, who said, “You get to heaven on the arms of people you have helped.” Humera has lived in the Cleveland area for 32 years. She is married and has two adult children.

Wali Ahmed Shariff

Wali Ahmed Shariff was born and raised in Northeast Ohio. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Public Affairs & Communications from The Ohio State University in 2015 and his Master of Public Administration from Cleveland State University in 2018. Wali is currently a business analyst for the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority and previously spent time in Washington D.C. with the Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General. He served on the Muslim Students Association board and led Project Downtown, a volunteer initiative to provide bagged lunches for the homeless. Wali is active in the community with the Islamic Center of Cleveland and is author of several op-eds that have been published in the Plain Dealer.

Dr. Ihsan Ul-Haque 

Dr. Ul-Haque graduated from King Edward Medical College in Lahore, Pakistan. He came to the US over thirty years ago. He is past-president and long-time member of the Board of Trustees of the Islamic Society of Akron and Kent, one of the largest mosques in Ohio. Dr. Haque is a cardiologist at Summa Health System Hospitals and Akron General Health System. He serves on the Boards of Summit County Medical Society and American Heart Association. He is a member of the Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America (APPNA) and a member of the Islamic Society of North America. He is an active participant in interfaith dialogue and is a strong proponent of civil rights. He has been a long-time supporter of many Islamic and social justice causes.

ADVISORY COUNCIL (under formation; to be comprised of board members emeriti)

Imam Abbas Ahmad

Imam Ahmad is the leader of the First Cleveland Mosque. He is the grandson of Wali Akram, the founder of the First Cleveland Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in the United States. Imam Abbas Ahmad is the first Muslim ever appointed as official Police Chaplain for the City of Cleveland. He is a much sought-after speaker for interfaith functions as well as for his sermons on Islamic topics. Imam Abbas is deeply committed to his community. He founded the Maidah Project which provides hot meals to needy families. He also maintains a community garden to promote urban renewal and sound nutrition. Imam Abbas graduated from Hiram College where he was a star football player. He enjoyed a long career as a coach and administration in the Cleveland Public Schools. Imam Abbas is active in many Islamic and social causes. He serves as a member of the Majlis Ash-Shura of the Muslim Alliance of North America (MANA). Over the years, Imam Abbas, together with his wife Sr. Eva Jean Wilson, have opened their home to more than 100 foster children.

Shehadeh Abdelkarim

Shehadeh Abdelkarim has been a CAIR-Cleveland Board member since 2011. A long-time community leader in the greater Cleveland area, he has served on the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee of the Islamic Center of Cleveland for 11 years. He is the current president of the Islamic Center of Cleveland, the largest mosque in Ohio. He also serves as the Treasurer of the Islamic Council of Ohio, a statewide network of Islamic centers and organizations.

Shehadeh has been working at Cleveland State University for 31 years in various capacities. He is currently Director of Facilities Management for the University. He holds a Masters in Economics from CSU, a Bachelor of Economics with a Minor in Math from CSU, a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from CSU and an Associate of Science from Tri-C.  Shehadeh is a member of the Professional Engineering Society (intern) and an associate member of ASHRAE, a global society that advances human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment.

Dr. Mohammad B. Assar

Dr. Assar was born in Tehran, Iran. He came to the United States more than twenty years ago for his graduate studies. He was awarded a Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Case Western Reserve University in 1995. Since then, he has distinguished himself as an award-winning engineer for many years in various steel plants in the greater Cleveland area. He has published dozens of national and international journal articles in his field and holds a US patent for one of his engineering designs for increasing steel production efficiency. He is an active member of the Unity Center in Brecksville, Ohio and has been active in the past in organizations such as the ACLU of Ohio, the Muslim Students Association, the Islamic Center of Cleveland, and Ershad Institute. He currently serves as the secretary of the Unity Center.

Imam Ramez Islambouli

Imam Islambouli received his Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering in 1990 and his Master of Arts in Bioethics in 2004 both from Case Western Reserve University. He currently serves Adjunct Professor of Islamic Law at the Case Law School. He also serves as a full-time Lecturer of Arabic Language in the Department of Modern Languages and as a part-time Lecturer in Islamic Studies in the Department of Religious Studies at Case. He has served as the faculty advisor for the Case Muslim Students Association since 1998. His board leadership experience includes: Institutional Review Board (IRB) for University Hospitals; Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Advisory Committee for the Cleveland Clinic; and the Muslim Association of Cleveland East (MACE). He is active at Uqbah Mosque Foundation where he served as President for many years. He is certified by the State of Ohio as a Muslim minister and holds an ecclesiastical endorsement from the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). Due to his broad knowledgebase, engaging speaking style, and cross cultural experience, Imam Ramez is a much sought after panelist and keynote speaker on Islamic topics at events in the Muslim and interfaith communities. He has been frequently nominated for and has been awarded the Carl F. Wittke Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching at Case. He also received the Mortar Board Undergraduate Teaching Award. He received the InterAct Partner of the Year Award in 2010 for his service in the interfaith community. Imam Ramez is a native of Lebanon and has two children.

Dr. Amir Taraben 

Dr. Taraben is a native of Damascus, Syria where he graduated at the top of his class at the School of Medicine at the University of Damascus. His professional life has been devoted to the field of cardiac medicine. He currently practices as an Adult Interventional Cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Taraben has held numerous staff, faculty and administrative appointments in premier hospitals and medical centers in the US and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well. Dr. Taraben has served as a fellow in the American College of Physicians and the American College of Cardiology, among others. He is a long-time fellow of the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions. Dr. Taraben is engaged in philanthropic work through the non-profit Syrian American Medical Association, which helps support medical students and provides humanitarian medical relief. He has served as a board member for the Council on American-Islamic Relations since 2011.

Nasser Assad is a native of Beit Hanina, a city on the outskirts of Jerusalem, Palestine. He is active in the Cleveland area Beit Hanina Federation and works on issues related to justice in Palestine. He is a business owner in the greater Cleveland community and is active in Islamic and social justice causes.