Staff
Rami Nashashibi: Executive Director
Please direct all communication for Rami to Ammiel Mateen (ammiel@imancentral.org), Executive Administrator
Rami Nashashibi has served as the Executive Director of the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) since its incorporation as a nonprofit in 1997. He has a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Chicago and is a Visiting Professor of Sociology of Religion & Muslim Studies at the Chicago Theological Seminary. He has worked with several leading scholars in the area of globalization, African American studies and urban sociology and has contributed chapters to edited volumes by Manning Marabel and Saskia Sassen.
Rami has lectured across the United States, Europe, and Asia on a range of topics related to American Muslim identity, community activism and social justice issues and is a recipient of several prestigious community service and organizing honors. Rami and his work with IMAN have been featured in many national and international media outlets and in 2009, Chicago Public Radio selected him as one of the “Top Ten Chicago Global Visionaries”. In 2014, the Center for American Progress profiled Rami as one of the “14 Faith Leaders to Watch in 2014” and he was named one of the “500 Most Influential Muslims in the World” by The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center in concert with Georgetown’s Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding.
Rami lives with his wife and three children on Chicago’s Southwest Side.
Altaf Kaiseruddin, MD: IMAN Health Clinic Director
altaf@imancentral.org
Dr. Altaf Kaiseruddin grew up in Chicago and has been active in the Muslim community his entire life. He has volunteered on and off with IMAN since its inception, and formally joined IMAN as Clinic Director in November of 2010. He obtained his Medical Degree from Ross University School of Medicine and completed his residency training in Family Medicine at the University of Wisconsin, Wausau Family Practice Center. His entire career has been dedicated to health care for the under-served.
Alia J. Bilal: Director of Community Relations
alia@imancentral.org
Alia J. Bilal serves as Director of Community Relations, where she is responsible for cultivating and maintaining individual donors in order to sustain and advance IMAN’s critical social justice work, and engaging other organizations and institutions around strategic programs and initiatives. In her almost seven years at IMAN, Alia has worked on development, community organizing, and policy, advocating on issues related to food, criminal, and juvenile justice, and strategizing around creative new ways to get healthy foods and safe physical activities into Chicago neighborhoods.
A native of Chicago’s South Side, Alia graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in International Studies and a concentration in Islamic World Studies. She studied Arabic and Islamic history in Cairo, Egypt, and was an intern for the Muslim Public Service Network in Washington, DC. Alia has given talks and conducted workshops on the connection between faith and social justice, IMAN’s community organizing model, and access to healthy food both locally and across the United States. She is an appointee of the Equity Advisory Council of the Chicago Commission on Human Relations and lives with her husband and son on Chicago’s South Side.
Shamar Hemphill: Youth & Organizing Director
shamar@imancentral.org
Shamar brings with him vast experience in the areas of civic engagement, community organizing and youth development. Born on the South Side of Chicago. He attended Langston University in 1999 and began studying Sociology. Upon his return to Chicago in 2005, he took a position at the Mosque Foundation as youth coordinator, working with both Arab and African American Muslim Youth. In 2007, Shamar was recruited to participate in Public Allies, a leadership development program started by Michelle Obama. After graduating from Public Allies in 2008, Shamar began working for the Inner-City Muslim Action Network as coordinator for the organization’s youth department. He posses many years experience working in low-income neighborhoods throughout the Chicagoland area, both as an Organizer & Adult Ally to young people.
Teneishae Coleman: Finance Manager
Ammiel Mateen: Executive Administrator
ammiel@imancentral.org
Ammiel is accountable for IMAN’s high-level administrative functions, human resources, and event management. She also directs IMAN’s Farmers’ Market – the first ever, full-scale farmers’ market in the Chicago Lawn area. Ammiel was drawn to IMAN through her appreciation of organizing and advocacy programs. Her parents were storied community activists in Flint, Michigan, and for the last 20 years Ammiel has followed in their footsteps.
Ammiel is also an avid runner and coach who has completed over 30 races, including the 2015 Boston Marathon. In 2008, she founded the Aquilla Nisaa Project, an organization created to inspire, empower and provide life skills training to young women and children. Ammiel received a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration and Economics from Greensboro College. She is also working toward certifications in both Project Management and Mediation.
Harriet Lewis: Senior Director
harriet@imancentral.org
Harriet Lewis has an eclectic professional background, and has worked and volunteered in service to others for over twenty years. She has been the executive director of organizations that serve women internationally, local small business owners, survivors of domestic violence, and youth. A former U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer to Guinea-Bissau, she co-founded an organization that served refugee and immigrant women, and has presented internationally to leaders in business, health professions, and government. Harriet holds a PhD from Walden University in Human Services-Social Policy Analysis and Planning, and an MPA in Nonprofit Management from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Angela E. Rosario: Operations & Facilities Manager
angela@imancentral.org
Angela joined the IMAN family in 2007 as Receptionist / Office Manager. She is now the Operations and Facilities Manager. Angela graduated from Wilbur Wright College and for five years served as Security Manager at Sofitel Water Tower Hotel. Angela is certified in CPR and Basic First Aid, is a Certified Nursing Assistant, a Designated Fire Deputy certified by the Chicago Fire Department, and is certified in emergency preparedness.
Sara Hamdan: Muslim Run Corner Store Manager & Organizer
sara@imancentral.org
Sara Hamdan was raised in the Chicagoland area, with roots in Palestine. In 2011, Sara graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a degree in Anthropology. Prior to joining IMAN, Sara worked with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights administering programs and working in the field with community-based organizations across the state. Sara has experience developing and implementing programing for Muslim American youth particularly around issues of identity exploration and creative expression. Sara currently manages IMAN’s Muslim Run Corner Store Campaign.
Ali Rashad: Green ReEntry Program Manager
Mansoor Sabree: Regional Community Organizer (Atlanta)
mansoor@imancentral.org
Mansoor Sabree has long served as a community leader in Atlanta through being a full time imam (religious leader), non-profit director and organizer. After completing tenure as the Director and Imam of the Atlanta Masjid, Mansoor joined the IMAN team in December 2015. Mansoor has lectured throughout the United Sates as well as in West Africa and the Middle East on a range of topics including Islam in America, community development, African American history and social justice. Mansoor is fluent in Arabic and is a fellow of the American Muslim Civic Leadership Institute (AMCLI) at the University of Southern California.
Sadia Nawab: Youth & Arts Manager
sadia@imancentral.org
Sadia Nawab is an arts organizer, youth educator, artist and curator. Having been raised in many communities, Sadia has been inspired by understanding identities, culture and community and is passionate about finding a way to be of service to support individual and communal efficacy through cultural capital and the creative class. As a young person who underwent a number of traumatic and eye-opening experiences, she knew creativity coupled with integrity were integral to life. As a teenager she not only learned how to DJ through a youth program at IMAN, but also better understood the power of music and cultural movements. As an artist known as ‘Ms. DiJa’, Sadia uses music to transcend borders and time by promoting dignity and positive values with conscious lyrics and beats.
Sadia earned a Bachelors of Science in Anthropology from Loyola University Chicago, was an inaugural fellow for World Islamic Economic Forum’s (WIEF) program on social entrepreneurship, served young people at Lurie Children’s Hospital, has experience creating and implementing curriculum for young change makers that intersect health and the arts through the Chicago Freedom School, and administering programs for marginalized and at-risk youth on four continents through the Zakat Foundation. She was recruited as IMAN’s full-time Youth & Arts Manager in 2015 focusing on cultivating a cadre of young creative community leaders, applying creative placemaking to IMAN’s organizing campaigns, producing some of IMAN’s largest CommUNITY Cafés in Chicago and Atlanta, and Takin’ It to the Streets 2016 with the unveiling of the MLK Living Memorial. Currently as the Arts & Culture Manager, she is launching the first neighborhood ceramic studio in Chicago Lawn on Chicago’s South Side: the Beloved Community Ceramic Arts Studio.
Maysoon Haleem, RHIT: Health Information Coordinator
maysoon@imancentral.org
Maysoon Haleem was born and raised on the Southwest Side of Chicago and is a proud first generation Palestinian-American. Maysoon earned her bachelor’s degree in Health Information Management from Rasmussen College, and has a history of commitment to the organ transplant community. Maysoon is a living donor (to her son in 1992), which led to her founding Miracles Made Thru Research, a nonprofit organization that organizes fundraisers to support research on pediatric liver transplantation in Chicago and in New Haven, CT.
Maysoon will be a part of Team Illinois as a living organ donor at the 2016 Donate Life Transplant Games of America. Previously, Maysoon has served on the Family Advisory Board at University of Chicago Hospitals and she recently joined the America Transplant Foundation’s 1+1=LIFE mentorship program, where she will provide valuable input to families based on her experience as a mother of a living organ transplant recipient.
Dallas Wright: Communications & Volunteer Coordinator
dallas@imancentral.org
Dallas was born and raised on Chicago’s Southwest Side. He graduated from Northwestern University in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism, and is currently pursuing an M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at DePaul University. Dallas has years of experience as a freelance photographer and videographer, and has worked with several community organizations across Chicago like Communities United (formerly Albany Park Neighborhood Council), Chicago Wisdom Project, and Chicago Health and Medical Careers Program (CAHMCP).
Madeehah Muhammad: Office Coordinator
madeehah@imancentral.org
Madeehah has served at IMAN since 2003. She attended Barry University for Pre-K Primary Montessori Education. She also worked at Clara Mohammed School in Miami as a Pre-K instructor for four years.
Rosa Mandujano, RMA: Medical Assistant
rosa@imancentral.org
Rosa graduated from Coyne College in 2015 and is a Registered Medical Assistant with CPR certification. She volunteered at IMAN’s Community Health Center for almost 2 years before being hired full-time. Rosa is passionate about helping people and has worked with other non-profit organizations like Angel Tree Chicago and Hope & Prison Ministry.
Bilaal Evans: Public Safety Coordinator
Nasir Blackwell: Green ReEntry Resident Coordinator
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