OUR STAFF

Faten Husni Odeh – Executive Director

Faten Husni Odeh currently serves as Executive Director for the Cleveland & Northern Chapter of CAIR-Ohio, a role she commenced on January 3, 2023. 

Odeh is a Palestinian-American civil rights advocate who brings a wealth of experience, skills and talents to her current position. She has an extensive background in educational programming, community empowerment and volunteer service.  

Odeh attended East Carolina University (ECU) where she completed a double major in communication with a concentration in broadcast journalism and political science with a focus on the Middle East. She obtained a Master of Arts in Teaching with a focus on history education also from ECU and a teaching endorsement from the University of Akron. Odeh received a Certified Fundraising Management Certificate (CFRM) from the Center on Muslim Philanthropy at Indiana University. 

Community service has been at the heart of her life from early on. Odeh volunteered as a Sunday school teacher for the Islamic Center of Greenville from 2006-2009. She was a volunteer teacher for teens at the Islamic Center of Cleveland (ICC) and served on the ICC Youth Committee. She also served on the ICC Women’s Committee, helping with the food pantry and volunteering at the Mary Joyce Women’s Shelter. She assisted with the nation-wide annual Pious Project’s Feed the Hungry program which has served more than 5,000 homeless people in greater Cleveland.

As a teacher at Al Ihsan School, she established the Civic Duty program to encourage volunteerism and the Student Government Association. She volunteered with the GIVE organization, which assists refugees and families in need. She helped organize the Lend a Helping Hand Refugee Awareness Banquet with Cleveland State University’s MSA, Hillel and Latinos Unidos. Odeh established the Misada Family Literacy Organization, which aims to empower families through literacy and educational programs.  

As part of her advocacy efforts, Odeh served on the board of Cleveland Peace Action and was the co-chair of the Middle East Committee. Odeh helped organize protests as part of efforts to end the occupation of Palestine, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and to close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. She has also worked on projects with Eyewitness Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace. She helped raise awareness and funds in support of the Rohingya people. Odeh is active in the Cleveland Palestine Taskforce and the Palestine Breakfast Club which brings people together for important conversations over traditional Palestinian cuisine. She regularly works on nonpartisan GOTV efforts and has volunteered for several presidential campaigns. 

Odeh has extensive experience in youth and adult education and literacy programing. She has taught at Saint Anthony of Padua, Old Brook High School, Al Ihsan School of Excellence and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. She also tutored, mentored and served as an adult educator at the Cuyahoga County Library through the Key College Prep program and the Aspire program. She served as a teacher and volunteer coordinator and helped resettle refugees at the International Services Center, now known as the US Committee on Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI). 

Odeh has also gained experience in the public sector where she served as an intern at the Congressional Office of Congressman Dennis Kucinich. In that capacity, she helped address the problems and needs of community members, working on constituent cases dealing with immigration, housing and political concerns.  

Prior to her role as Interim Executive Director, she served CAIR-Ohio in the capacity of a volunteer, and then as a board member for our Cleveland office from 2019-2022 where she supported and participated in dozens of programs and projects including Muslim Day at the Capitol, Teatime for Peace, USCMO Legislative Days, GOTV efforts, CAIR’s Annual Banquets and Sharing Ramadan Community Iftar Dinners, along with public speaking events and media engagement efforts. She also served as Chair of the Board Effectiveness Committee, where she coordinated annual board retreats and training. 

In preparation for her role at CAIR-Ohio, Odeh completed the Certified Fundraising Management Certificate (CFRM) Program from the Lily Family School of Philanthropy through the Center on Muslim Philanthropy. Odeh also completed ServeOhio’s certification program in Volunteer Engagement Fundamentals. She also completed two Diversity, Equity and Inclusion trainings. As an ongoing effort to emulate the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him.), she received her Certificate of Graduation in the Seerah Intensive Program from Miftaah Institute, which she hopes to apply to all the work she does for the community. 

While at CAIR, Odeh hopes to help ensure that Muslims exercise their civil rights, and that their voices are heard on important social and political matters. She also hopes to work on youth development programs, capacity building and organizational sustainability and growth, community outreach and stewardship. Among other goals, she hopes to help dispel stereotypes of Islam and Muslims and to bring together people of all faiths to work for the common good. Her work will center around building partnerships and working in coalitions to help advance the cause of peace and justice.

Faten can be reached at fodeh@cair.com.

Gia Hamed – Community Outreach Coordinator

Gia Hamed, a proud Palestinian American, serves as the Community Outreach Coordinator for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), where she fosters relationships between communities, advocates, and allies to advance civil rights and social justice. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Peace, Justice, and Human Rights, with a minor in Leadership, from John Carroll University. An aspiring law student, Gia is deeply committed to protecting marginalized voices and upholding justice.

During her time at John Carroll, Gia served as the Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) for the university’s Student Government and founded and led the university’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine. Outside of her academic pursuits, Gia contributed to youth empowerment efforts as a member of the Muslim Youth Committee at the West Cleveland Muslim Association.

Gia’s dedication to CAIR’s mission is fueled by her belief that every individual deserves equal protection and dignity. She is passionate about bridging gaps of misunderstanding, advocating for civil liberties, and building strong coalitions that promote justice for all.

She can be reached at ghamed@cair.com.

Ibraheem Rasheed – Accountant

Ibraheem Rasheed is an Accountant at the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), where he manages financial operations with a focus on budgeting, compliance, and reporting. With a Bachelor’s degree in accounting and professional experience at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), he brings expertise in financial management and organizational accountability.

In addition to his role at CAIR, Ibraheem serves as the Treasurer of Al Nour Corporation, a nonprofit organization providing interest-free loans to Muslim graduate students. Rooted in Islamic principles, Al Nour offers a sustainable, halal alternative to conventional loans, helping students pursue higher education without financial hardship.

He is also an active member of the Brothers of Paradise (BOP) community at the Westlake Cleveland Muslim Association (WCMA), a group dedicated to fostering brotherhood, staying connected to the masjid, and seeking knowledge through regular prayers, weekly gatherings, and community initiatives.

Ibraheem can be reached at admin@cleveland.cair.com.

Jenna Muhieddine – Civic Engagement Coordinator

Jenna Muhieddine Jenna serves as the Civic Engagement Coordinator for the Cleveland & Northern Ohio Chapter of CAIR-Ohio. With a background in Health Sciences from Cleveland State University, Jenna has been actively involved in advocacy and leadership roles, including her tenure on the board of CSU’s Students for Justice in Palestine. She is preparing to apply to Law School to further her advocacy skills.

Originally from Akka, Palestine, Jenna is a dedicated organizer with the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) in Cleveland and American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), where she promotes Palestinian rights and spearheads initiatives that highlight social justice issues. Her extensive experience in community organizing was further enriched by her participation in CAIR-Ohio’s 2024 Muslim Civic Leadership Experience (MCLE). During this program, Jenna collaborated with CAIR and USCMO at Muslim Advocacy Days in Washington D.C., advocating for critical issues such as humanitarian aid access to Gaza and calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

She can be reached at jmuhieddine@cair.com.

Nida Imam – Civil Rights Intern

Nida A. Imam is a Civil Rights Intern for the Cleveland and Northern Ohio Chapter of CAIR-Ohio. Born in Pakistan, Nida moved to the United States at a young age and has since lived in NYC, Detroit, and Fort Wayne before settling in Cleveland. Currently a third-year law student at Cleveland State University College of Law, Nida is passionate about addressing legal inequities and helping individuals overcome barriers to justice.

She can be reached at civilrights@cleveland.cair.com.

Julia A. Shearson – Emeritus Executive Director; Consultant; Special Projects

Julia A. Shearson has served for the past twenty years as the Executive Director of the Cleveland Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Shearson received her Bachelor of Arts in East Asian Languages and Cultures from Columbia University in New York City, a Master’s in Linguistics from Ohio University, and a Master’s in Middle East Studies from Harvard University.

While at CAIR, Shearson’s work has centered on civil rights advocacy, educational outreach, and media and public relations. She helps ensure that Muslims exercise their civil rights, and that their voices are heard on important social and political matters. Her goal is to help dispel stereotypes of Islam and Muslims and to bring together people of all faiths to work for the common good.

A vocal critic of post-9/11 policies that have eroded civil liberties, Shearson has fought against excessive government secrecy, unwarranted surveillance, racial profiling, and other abridgements of the liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.  Shearson has also worked to challenge Islamophobia, a form of racism and xenophobia that uses the demonization of Muslims to promote imperialism, unending war, war profiteering, and abusive resource exploitation.

Ms. Shearson has won awards and recognitions for her work to promote diversity and mutual understanding. She was named by Cleveland Magazine as one of the area’s “Most Interesting People” for her work to help immigrant victims of domestic violence. She was recently honored together with 22 area women for their leadership, activism, and community service in an art exhibit entitled “Reflections: The Many Facets of Stephanie Tubbs Jones” installed at Cleveland Hopkins Airport in memory of the late Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones.

Before joining CAIR, Shearson served in the field of education for over 10 years, teaching at Ohio University, Jewish Vocational Services in Boston and at the Summer School and Division of Continuing Education at Harvard University. She has spent many years working in the cross-cultural and interfaith arena and has traveled extensively in Europe, East Asia, and the Middle East.

She can be reached at jshearson@cair.com.