MAPS State Committees

MAPS STATE COMMITTEES

State Committees help organize MAPS National members and local public servants, and represent MAPS among government officials within their respective States. 

These local leaders are key to strengthening MAPS National community while ensuring community and professional development are brought directly to local public servants where they live and work.

Presidents of all MAPS State Committees are also connected to one another on a State Leadership Coordination Council.

Muslim Americans in Public Service New York (MAPS-NY)

Founded: 2022

Contact: newyork@mapsnational.org

Basem Hassan

President, MAPS New York
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Hesham El Meligy

Membership Director, MAPS New York
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Muslim Americans in Public Service Massachusetts (MAPS-MA)

Founded: 2022

Contact: massachusetts@mapsnational.org

Sofia Abdi

President, MAPS Massachusetts
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Hodan Hashi

Vice President, MAPS Massachusetts
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Abdullah Beckett

Membership Director, MAPS Massachusetts
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Faarooq Sahabdeen

Outreach Director, MAPS Massachusetts
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Muslim Americans in Public Service Pennsylvania (MAPS-PA)

Founded: 2024

Contact: pennsylvania@mapsnational.org

Omar Bakri

President, MAPS Pennsylvania
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Muslim Americans in Public Service California (MAPS-CA)

Founded: 2023

Contact: california@mapsnational.org

Mahanaz Ebadi

President, MAPS California
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Zeeshan M. Chaudhry

Vice President, MAPS California
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Muslim Americans in Public Service Michigan (MAPS-MI)

Founded: 2024

Contact: michigan@mapsnational.org

Machhadie Assi

President, MAPS Michigan
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All Board members participate in MAPS in their personal capacities. Participation in MAPS does not reflect or imply endorsement by the U.S. Government or any of its agencies and departments.

Basem’s passion for wielding communication as a tool for good has earned him the reputation as a pivotal figure in driving positive social change and fostering a more inclusive global society.

He is a seasoned communications strategist and executive leader, currently serving within the NYC Mayor’s Office.

His strategic vision and execution capabilities have been instrumental in overseeing national strategy development with the highest levels of government and foreign embassies.

Prior to his current role in government, Basem’s experience includes significant contributions to mission-driven causes, leveraging his skills in activating communities and creating culturally responsive communications that influence policy makers around the world to work for all people. Basem’s work has had a profound impact on creating equity for marginalized and vulnerable communities across America and internationally.
 
Basem is also a former tenured Associate Professor of Visual Communications and research academic with multiple Master’s Degrees and Certificates from institutions like Columbia, Harvard, Princeton, and Rutgers. His graduate research concentrated on intercultural communications with extensive focus on Muslim Americans.

Hesham El-Meligy is a Senior Financial Services Examiner at the New York State Department of Financial Services. In 2013, he achieved the historic milestone of becoming the first Arab American to reach the general election in New York’s political history when he ran for New York City Comptroller.

Hesham has played a crucial role as the coordinator of the Coalition for Muslim School Holidays, successfully advocating for the recognition of Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha as official holidays in the New York City public school system. He has been an active part of the Muslim leadership that organized against the surveillance of Muslims by the NYPD.

Beyond his professional and political endeavors, Hesham is an interfaith leader, a compelling public speaker, and the host of a thought-provoking podcast. His dedication to fostering understanding and cooperation among diverse communities is a testament to his commitment to a more inclusive and harmonious society

Sofia Abdi is currently the Community Engagement Manager for Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, where she is dedicated to serving and advocating for the constituents, community partners, and municipalities of the Massachusetts 7th district. In her role, Sofia addresses diverse needs spanning immigration, housing, education, public safety, and various other areas.

Previously, Sofia served as the Program Outreach Coordinator for the City of Boston’s Diversity Office under Mayor Martin Walsh’s administration. In this role, she spearheaded impactful initiatives aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion within the Boston Police and Fire Department. Sofia’s work involved conducting in-depth research to identify areas for improvement and implementing strategies to enhance diversity recruitment and retention efforts within these vital public safety organizations. Moreover, Sofia played a crucial role in facilitating the successful reintegration of returning citizens into society. Through her efficient and empathetic approach, she addressed the diverse needs of returning citizens, providing them with the necessary support and resources to navigate the challenges of reentry.

Sofia also gained valuable experience working on Capitol Hill in Senator Ed Markey’s office. In this capacity, she ensured constituents’ voices were effectively represented on a wide range of issues, including healthcare, education, environment, and economic development.

Sofia pursued her academic journey at Northeastern University and Cambridge College, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science and psychology. Proudly calling Boston home, she actively advocates for marginalized communities, working tirelessly to create spaces where Muslim and immigrant voices are heard and their needs addressed. Her commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion underscores her passion for building equitable and empowered communities.

Hodan Hashi is a communications professional, photographer, and first-generation Somali American Muslim, committed to promoting diversity and representation in her field. In a landscape where representation is often lacking, she strives to break barriers and pave the path for individuals sharing her immigrant identity. As the Communications and Community Outreach Director for Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune, Hodan leverages her skills to foster community engagement and empower underrepresented groups.  

Hodan also co-founded Black Boston, an organization dedicated to supporting Black Bostonians and addressing racial disparities, reflecting her deep connection to her community and her commitment to positive change. Her advocacy work led her to serve as a field organizer for current Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s 2021 Boston mayoral campaign, where she applied her knowledge of politics and social issues to make a meaningful impact.

Her efforts were recognized when she received the Boston Magazine Social Justice Advocate of the Year award in 2021, affirming her dedication to amplifying marginalized voices and advancing social equity.

Hodan earned her bachelor’s degree from Boston University, where she studied political science and African American Studies. 

Abdullah Beckett, a Boston native born to Muslim American parents, is the Director of Engagement and Constituent Services for Boston City Council Vice President Brian Worrell. Growing up in the vibrant city of Boston, he was deeply influenced by its diversity and the struggles faced by marginalized communities, particularly the African American population.
 
While in college, Abdullah founded the National award winning NAACP chapter at UMASS Boston and served as Vice President . He’s also the Founder and first President of the UMASS Boston chapter of My Brother’s Keeper where he championed mentorship and youth development as the university and still serves as an advisor for the fellowship program. 
 
He recently served as a commissioner for the City of Boston’s Commission on Black Men and Boys and was apart of the Education and Youth Development subcommittee, where he used his position to advise Boston’s Mayor on equitable initiatives for black males in the city.
 
Abdullah earned his B.S in Exercise Health Science from UMASS Boston. 
Faarooq Sahabdeen has an intentional focus on uplifting and serving historically underserved communities. Currently he serves as the Regional Director for United States Senator Ed Markey. Leading the Senators portfolios on Housing, Small Business, and advising the Senator on Justice and Antiracism matters.
 

Prior to joining the United States Senate, Faarooq served as the Secretary for the NAACP – Boston Branch, the first chartered Branch of the Association.  In his role as a Secretary, he assisted the Executive Leadership with all internal and external communications, in-take, supported the Branch in its advocacy-based priorities, and helped support the 114th National NAACP Convention which was held in Boston. During the pandemic Faarooq co-founded the Boston Black Hospitality Coalition and served as the inaugural Executive Director. He worked to prioritize the needs of Black and minority owned restaurants in the City of Boston as well as advocating for equitable policy changes in the hospitality industry. Faarooq also served as the Director of Research, Policy, and Budget for a Boston City Councilor. In this position he penned policy which includes: The Elected School Committee Home Rule Petition (HRP), Boston’s Tree Canopy (HRP), Food Waste Recovery Ordinance, and helped finalize Boston’s Reparations Task Force Ordinance.

Faarooq grew up and went to high school in Amherst, MA, and is the son of immigrants from the island of Sri Lanka. He is the oldest of three with two younger sisters. Faarooq received his B.A. in Political Science with a concentration in American Politics from Emmanuel College in Boston. Faarooq is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Omar Moustafa Bakri is the proud child of Syrian immigrants, born and raised in Philadelphia. From an early age, he has been deeply involved in the Muslim community, dedicating his time to volunteer work, community building, and mentorship. His passion for advocacy is reflected in his volunteer efforts with refugees and immigrants, supporting those navigating complex resettlement processes and helping them integrate into their new communities. He has also contributed to various political campaigns, among them the Biden for President campaign in 2020.

With a passion for public service, Omar has worked in the nonprofit sector, notably with the Partnership for Public Service in Washington, D.C. Currently, he is employed with the City of Philadelphia, serving in the District Attorney’s Office.

Omar is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned his degree with honors, magna cum laude in Sociology and Political Science. He is currently pursuing a Juris Doctor at the Kline School of Law at Drexel University.
Mahanaz Ebadi is a Legislative Aide for a District Supervisor at San Francisco City Hall where she works on resolutions, ordinances and legislation improving the City and County of San Francisco. As an Attorney, she is passionate about working alongside the leaders of tomorrow regarding the injustices that women face globally. She aspires to set an example for Afghan women to be strong, outspoken, determined individuals and take active steps to partake in the betterment of themselves and their community.

The youngest of four children, Mahanaz is the child of immigrant parents who were granted political asylum back in the 1920’s during the invasion of Afghanistan. Her grandfather was given an award signed by Rosa Parks in recognition of having his name on the wall of tolerance honoring him for taking a personal and public stand against hate, injustice, and intolerance. His passion for advocacy, public interest, and the law was what inspired her to pursue her Juris Doctor.

Mahanaz completed her undergraduate studies at the University of California Davis with a Bachelors in both Psychology and Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies and two minors in History and UWP (University Writing Program). She graduated from Golden Gate University School of Law with a specialization in Public Interest and Family Law. Reach out to join or learn more about MAPS-California by contacting california@mapsnational.org.

Zeeshan M. Chaudhry is a Senior Loan Servicing Officer at the SBA (Office of Disaster) in San Francisco, CA, has a decade of experience in Loan Servicing and various other roles. In his role as a Loan Officer, he conducts investigations into potential violations and prepares analyses on a variety of Government Loan Servicing, Collection, and Liquidation matters. 
 
Zeeshan is dedicated to continuing his service in the public sector and embarking on a meaningful journey that allows him to work on social causes that are important to him. He draws inspiration from his late Grandfather, who was the first Pakistani to earn a Masters from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Zeeshan’s goal is to build upon this foundation, strive for excellence, and serve as an example for others in the community. 
 
He takes pride in being a Hafiz-e-Quran and finds inspiration in his status as a proud immigrant who moved from Pakistan after completing high school in Lahore. After completing his studies, he relocated to the Bay Area as a teenager and obtained his higher education from Saint Mary’s College of California, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a major in Finance. Throughout his career, Zeeshan has worked for various organizations including Wells Fargo, LinkedIn, and currently the Government at SBA. 
 
Zeeshan’s professional experience includes working on Government EIDL and PPP loans, overseeing a Portfolio of $1.5 trillion in loans for Small Businesses across the United States. He has had the privilege of working with the White House – Office of Congressional Affairs on Congressional inquiries for Fraudulent loans. Zeeshan has also worked with multiple Senators in Congress, including Nancy Pelosi’s office, to investigate Fraudulent loans throughout California. Currently, he is working on servicing loans from risk management, liquidation, charge off loans, and bankruptcy.. Reach out to join or learn more about MAPS-California by contacting california@mapsnational.org.

Machhadie Assi (Micho) holds a position at the Michigan Democratic Caucus, as the office manager of the Michigan House Dem Communication, under the leadership of Speaker of the House Joe Tate. With over a decade of experience, Micho’s career journey exemplifies a strong dedication to justice and equality, governmental and nonprofit leadership, and operations, project management, and advocacy. Starting as a teaching assistant at the University of Michigan Dearborn’s Criminal Justice program, she transitioned to roles at the Washtenaw County Public Defender’s Office and later the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, notably as a special victim advocate on the flint water case, criminal prosecution unit

Micho has demonstrated proficiency in political campaigns, operational management, strategic communication, and outreach, particularly within the Arab American and Muslim American communities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she led operational efforts at the Michigan Muslim Community Council, establishing partnerships and leading crisis response initiatives,  serving over 27 community centers in 11 counties across Michigan.

Dedicated to enhancing diversity and inclusion, Micho advocates for voter engagement and collaborates with local and national nonprofit organizations to empower women of color and mobilize new American voters. Her insights have garnered recognition in various media outlets, and she has been a featured speaker at conventions nationally addressing topics such as political activism and immigrant empowerment. Her efforts highlight the significant role of naturalized citizens in shaping community and political landscapes, making her a prominent leader and advocate within her communities.

She has received numerous prestigious awards, recognizing her exceptional leadership, skills, and dedication to her values. Some of her notable achievements include being named a “Difference Maker” by the University of Michigan in 2017, recognized nationally among Arab America’s “40 under 40” in 2023, honored as a women leader by USA Hello in 2020, and receiving the 2022 Sgt Vincent J. Bell Service Award. She has also been acknowledged as an Arab American leader by NPNA in 2023 and distinguished as the “Voice of the Voiceless”  by the Washington Center 2023. Additionally, she has been recognized as “Women on the Move” by We Are All America.

Micho has several key areas of focus, including championing gender equality, advocating for the rights of immigrants and refugees, empowering minority women, and bolstering voting participation and civic engagement among naturalized citizens. She firmly believes that those who intimately understand the struggles should hold the reins of influence and authority.

 

Leveraging her expertise in international development, foreign policy, diplomacy, & advocacy, Fatema Z. Sumar leads efforts to fight poverty by transforming global systems in reaching vulnerable populations. She is the author of the book, The Development Diplomat: Working Across Borders, Boardrooms, and Bureaucracies to End Poverty.

Fatema most recently served as the Vice President of Compact Operations at the US Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a role appointed by President Biden. She oversaw all the agency’s compacts – MCC’s signature grant investment vehicle to reduce poverty. She previously served as MCC’s Deputy Vice President for Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and Latin America.

Fatema has a distinguished career in the U.S. government in both executive & legislative branches. She previously served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia at the US Department of State where she led efforts to expand regional economic and energy connectivity & as a Presidential Management Fellow. In Congress, she was a Senior Professional Staff Member on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee focused on Afghanistan, Pakistan, & the broader region.

In civil society, Fatema was the Vice President of Global Programs at Oxfam America where she oversaw regional development & humanitarian response to fight the injustice of poverty. Early in her career, she also worked at the American Civil Liberties Union.

Fatema sits on Advisory Boards for Princeton, Cornell, & Indiana universities & on the Advisory Council for Muslim Americans in Public Service. She has been published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, The New Republic, The Hill, & other outlets. She is a frequent guest speaker & has testified before the U.S. House of Representatives & U.S. Senate.

Fatema has a MPA from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs and a BA in Government from Cornell University. She studied abroad at the American University in Cairo and received an honorary doctorate from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey.

Rummi Khan is an experienced campaign manager, project manager, and strategist at the intersection of culture, faith communities, and politics. He has over a decade of experience in public affairs, political campaigns, community engagement, and event management.

Rummi currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), a national public affairs nonprofit organization working to promote and strengthen American pluralism by increasing understanding and improving policies that impact American Muslims for the past 30 years.

Prior to MPAC, Rummi co-founded an international arts and culture initiative and served in leadership roles on Presidential, Congressional, and Federal Policy campaigns. Rummi can be reached at board@mapsnational.org.

Jermaine Perry is a business operations professional specializing in operations management, systems thinking, and project management. He currently works at the U.S. Small Business Administration developing and executing program-level policies and procedures.

Jermaine is a graduate of Central State University (OH) and received his MBA from Ohio Dominican University. Additionally, he is an Excellence in Government Fellow and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer.

Ahmad Maaty is a Senior Economist with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), where he conducts regulatory analyses and evaluations of the societal impacts of proposed safety and environmental regulations on the U.S. oil, gas and energy transportation industries. 

He worked in a similar regulatory capacity at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including as Acting Chief Economist with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and previously as an economic growth advisor with the U.S. Department of State’s Office of U.S. Foreign Assistance Resources, among other international and multilateral institutions.

Ahmad holds a BBA from George Washington University and an MPA from Cornell University.

Learn more about MAPS at DOT here.

Tamim is a born-and-raised Chicagoan and a career public service professional with 19+  years of Federal experience. He has served in roles and specializations ranging from project management, contracting, real estate development, land use, environmental remediation, economic development and National program administration across stints with the General Services Administration (GSA), the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) and currently with the Department of Homeland Security. 

His love for community expresses itself through non-profit organizations, where he serves on the Board of Directors for the Muslim Caucus Education Collective, Green Muslims and MAPS as an at-large Board member. His diverse educational background, B.A. in Philosophy, B.S. in Finance, M.A. in Education with a focus on transformational leadership, emotional and social intelligence keep him seeking new opportunities to learn and engage.

Asad Nawaz has formerly served successive terms as Vice President and President of the American Muslim and Arabic Cultural Association (AMACA) at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Asad began his public service career in 2004 examining patent applications at the USPTO. Currently a Supervisory Patent Examiner, he leads a group of primary and junior patent examiners in the field of Multiplex Communications and VoIP. Asad has worked with European Patent Office (EPO) counterparts on the Cooperate Patent Classification System, and has served as an Advisor to the Commissioner for Patents. 

In furtherance of his strong belief in personal and professional development, Asad has served as lead Trainer in the Patent Training Academy and as a Resource Supervisor at the Office of Innovation Development. He is also in the process of obtaining his Associate Certified Coach (ICF) credential as part of USPTO’s Career Coach Program. 

Asad completed an Executive Education Certificate in Public Leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where he was also part of the Senior Executive Fellows program. Asad received a BS in Computer Science and an MS in Information Security and Assurance from George Mason University. He can be reached at professionaldevelopment@mapsnational.org.

 

Muqaddas Ejaz is a community advocate and activist. She is currently serving her second term as a member of New Jersey’s Cherry Hill Democratic Committee, where she was the first Muslim elected in 2017. Her leadership skills have been applied on various boards, including the Camden County Cultural and Heritage Commission. The Commission works to strengthen the cultural framework of Camden County by educating the community and supporting local organizations with funding and technical assistance to deepen the interactions between cultural practitioners and residents. 

Devoted to serving others, Muqaddas remains involved in several grassroots organizations that work towards the development of local communities and the betterment of New Jersey’s diverse citizens. She serves as the Director of Community Engagement for The Muslim Network, co-led the First Annual Camden County S.U.R.E. (Students United for Respect & Equity) Summit for the youth, and co-founder of Know Your Muslim Neighbor, South Jersey. Previously, she has also served as the lead for the English as a Second Language and Computer Literacy program at the Muslim American Community Association and has designed, planned, and led other seminars, community and cultural events for the diverse community. 

Muqaddas has been recently recognized by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) chapter of South Jersey as Community Advocate of the Year. She was also awarded the Camden County Freedom Medal in 2018 for her community service, and U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-1) recognized her as a Woman of Honor in Education. She can be reached at outreach@mapsnational.org.

Mariya Ilyas is a career U.S. diplomat. As a political-coned Foreign Service Officer, she is currently serving as the Staff Assistant to Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York. 

Her previous assignments include political-military officer in the Office of Regional Security and Arms Transfers in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs in Washington D.C., non-immigrant visa chief at the U.S. Embassy Doha, and vice consul at the U.S. Embassy Amman. 

Prior to joining the U.S. Foreign Service as a Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellow in 2018, she taught English as a Fulbright Scholar in Turkey and worked as a data analyst at Liberty Mutual Insurance in Boston. 

Mariya holds a master’s in security studies and maritime affairs from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and a bachelor’s in mathematics from Bowdoin College. Mariya volunteers her time as the co-chair of U.S. State Department’s employee organization Muslim Americans and Friends at State (AMFAS) and as a board member of the nonprofit organization Muslim Americans in Public Service (MAPS). She can be reached at profdev@mapsnational.org. 

 

Dr. Leila Hanafi is a Moroccan-American international development lawyer with a record of service in international organizations and  multilateral institutions. She is currently a senior legal adviser with the World Bank Group and adjunct law professor at George Washington University Law School in Washington D.C.  Leila is Founder and Principal of ARPA international Law Group, an international development law firm, and has served in legal advisory roles to United Nations agencies, including UNOPS, UNDP and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), as well as foreign governments.

Previously, Leila oversaw the International Criminal Court’s Middle East and North Africa Coalition work and served as staff attorney and programs manager of the American Bar Association (ABA) World Justice Project. Amidst the Arab Spring reforms, she was selected by the Moroccan Government as Law Commissioner in the National Inter-Governmental Commission for Policy Dialogue and Constitutional Reforms.

Leila is a graduate of American University, Georgetown University, and George Washington University Law School in Washington D.C., and earned her doctorate in law in the United Kingdom under a fully funded merit doctoral scholarship. She can be reached at board@mapsnational.org.

 

David Hunsicker is one of the founding members of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Muslims Employee Resource Group (UMERG) and a current member of their board. He is a Senior Conflict and Peacebuilding Advisor and the Middle East Team Leader in USAID’s Center for Conflict and Violence Prevention where he specializes in issues of religion, identity and conflict. 

David spent eight years living and working in the Central Asian Republics of the former Soviet Union, including three years as the Religion, State and Society Specialist in USAID’s Central Asian regional mission. In this capacity, he was responsible for advising USAID and U.S. Embassies in the five Central Asian republics on integrating religious communities into U.S. Government-funded development programming. Previously, David also worked at the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan where he provided support to local human rights groups and facilitated Embassy outreach to religious leaders. 

David holds a BA in Islamic Studies from the University of Michigan and an MA in Near Eastern Languages and Civilization from the University of Washington. He can be reached at board@mapsnational.org.

Fozia Janjua sits on the Township Council in the Philadelphia suburb of Mt. Laurel, New Jersey and is the first Muslim and Pakistani-American councilwoman elected to office in South Jersey. An educator who has a passion for service and social justice, Fozia is a founding board member of a local nonprofit called CommunitySJP whose mission is to unite communities through service and promote civic engagement.

A longtime community organizer and public servant, Fozia has helped people navigate the housing, schooling, and justice system throughout the years. At an early age, Fozia started volunteering, working with, and advocating for the marginalized members of her local community.  

As a first-generation Pakistani American, and one of three girls, she considers herself fortunate to be born in one of the most inclusive cities in the world, San Francisco, California, and raised by two very progressive, socially conscious parents who instilled the values of hard work, education, and especially the concept of giving back.

Fozia graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in Sociology. She can be reached at board@mapsnational.org.

Dr. Nader Metwalli has been a staff scientist with the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) at the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Bethesda, MD campus since early 2020. Before joining the NIH, he served as a patent examiner with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office (USPTO) working in the Alexandria, VA main office. 

Prior to Federal service, Nader has held a number of research and development centric roles throughout his career in private industry and entrepreneurship. 

Nader received his doctorate degree in bioengineering/biomedical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University in Atlanta, GA. He can be reached at board@mapsnational.org.

Rubina Halwani is a training, education, and inclusion consultant, and currently serves as an Instructional Designer for the State of Utah.

Her career spans over 20 years across multiple industries, including education, government, and public policy.

Rubina is recognized as an industry leader in Learning and Development. Her work has received acclaim and awards for high impact. Her strengths include leadership, public service, and empathy, and she has been recognized for her collaborative work towards building spaces of inclusion and religious plurality. 

Identifying as an American Muslim of South Asian heritage, Rubina has been active in her local and Muslim communities. Born and raised in Maryland, she has lived and worked in Washington DC, San Francisco, Iowa, and Utah. 

Rubina holds a B.A. degree in English Education and a Master’s degree in Educational Policy and Leadership Studies.

Fazal Mirza is a co-founder and Vice-President of the Muslim Americans in Public Service (MAPS) employee resource group at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), where he is a Senior Contracting Officer and Team Lead with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). With a $25 million warrant, and a FAC-C Level III certification, he has procured over $830 million in goods and services for the Federal government. His procurement expertise is with R&D contracts to strengthen the nations pipeline infrastructure, and complex IT services. Fazal leads a team of Contract Specialists on a day to day basis.

During his time at DOT, he was selected to be on a detail with the DOT Office of the Senior Procurement Executive, which involved implementing a Grants Management Certification Program within DOT and implementing policy for the Department’s 11,300 Acquisition Workforce employees. In addition, Fazal was selected to start a new IT Acquisition Center of Excellence (DOT IT ACE) Contracting Office, under which all IT commodities and services would be procured.

Fazal has also participated in the Partnership for Public Service’s Excellence in Government Fellowship program. He began Federal service procuring a variety of goods and services as a DOT Contract Specialist in 2009. Fazal is a graduate from the University of Florida’s Warrington’s School of Business, and serves his local community as a coach and a Girl Scout Troop Leader. Fazal can be reached at board@mapsnational.org.

Ramy Osman is Co-founder and current Treasurer of the American Muslim and Arabic Cultural Association (AMACA) at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), where he also coordinates Friday jumuah congregational prayers and Ramadan community iftar dinners. Ramy is a Patent Examiner of network technology patents at the USPTO, and received their Bronze Medal Award for Outstanding work performance.

Ramy also volunteers for various community and charity projects, and edited the final report, “NYC Coalition for Muslim School Holidays,” submitted to the New York City Board of Education ahead of their landmark 2015 decision to observe the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Ramy holds a master’s degree in Telecommunications, and can be reached at board@mapsnational.org.

 

Maryum Saifee is Outreach Officer with Mosaic employee affinity group at the U.S. Department of State, where she is a career U.S. Foreign Service Officer. She recently took a sabbatical where she was a Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow and a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Truman Center for National Policy. Her overseas postings included Embassies Cairo and Baghdad, as well as U.S. Consulate Lahore. Maryum also served in domestic assignments in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs, the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues, and the Secretary’s Office of Religion and Global Affairs.

Prior to the Foreign Service, Maryum was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Jordan focused on girls’ education and an AmeriCorps Volunteer in Seattle working with South Asian and Muslim immigrant survivors of domestic violence. She also worked for the Ford Foundation, Women Deliver, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Acumen Fund.

Maryum is an alumna of the Presidential Leadership Scholars and the Council on Foreign Relations term membership programs, and is a graduate of Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and the University of Texas at Austin. Maryum is participating in MAPS in her personal capacity, and can be reached at board@mapsnational.org.

 

Judge Dania Ayoubi is an Administrative Law Judge in the Office of Administrative Hearings for the State of Maryland, where she presides over appeals from over thirty state agencies. 

Prior to her appointment, she served in Federal government for almost ten years, most recently as Senior Counsel in the Office of Regulations at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), where she crafted consumer finance regulations and developed an expertise in the areas of debt collection, mortgages, and fair lending. She was also an Attorney Advisor at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), where she worked to develop policies to extend broadband internet access to underserved parts of America.  
 
Judge Ayoubi previously worked at Hughes Hubbard and Reed LLP and clerked for Chief Judge Eric T. Washington at the D.C. Court of Appeals. A graduate of Georgetown University (A.B.) and Georgetown University Law Center (J.D.), Judge Ayoubi is a member of the National Association of Women Judges. 

 

Judge Faruqui has been serving as a Federal magistrate judge for the District of Columbia since September 2020.  He is the first Muslim Judge in the D.C. Circuit. 

Prior to his appointment, he was a Federal prosecutor, first in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, and then in the District of Columbia. 

Over the span of over twelve years of Federal service as an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA), he prosecuted numerous criminal cases, most recently serving as the lead prosecutor for complex and novel crimes involving, for example, terrorists’ use of cryptocurrency, nuclear weapons proliferation, darknet sites dedicated to child exploitation, and antiquities theft. He also litigated over $700 million in money laundering and asset forfeiture proceedings. As a subject-matter expert, he has presented on cryptocurrency and anti-money laundering issues in conferences spanning from Europe to Asia and the Middle East.  

Prior to serving as a Federal prosecutor, Judge Faruqui worked at a corporate law firm where he focused on government investigations and general commercial litigation.

Judge Faruqui is a board member for Jobs for Homeless People, a non-profit that provides housing and vocational training to people in the D.C. metropolitan area. He also served as a Muslim-outreach coordinator for the U.S. Department of Justice and an as an adjunct professor at Harris-Stowe State University. He received his J.D. and undergraduate degree from Georgetown University.

 

​​​​Dr. Sadaf Jaffer is an educator and activist. She recently completed two terms as mayor of Montgomery Township, New Jersey. In January of 2019, she became the first South Asian woman to serve as mayor of a municipality in New Jersey, and the first Muslim woman to serve as mayor of a municipality in the United States.
 
Her signature initiatives included: creating and implementing a crisis communications plan to help Montgomery Township maintain some of the lowest COVID-19 infection and fatality rates in New Jersey; facilitating a participatory design process for the municipal center and library project started by her predecessors while securing millions of dollars in state funding; responding to demands for racial justice by coordinating meetings for Black community members and youth activists with the Township’s police leadership to build trust and mutual understanding; and inaugurating a Youth Leadership Council to elevate the voices of young people who are energized to lead.
 
​Sadaf is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in South Asian Studies at Princeton University where she teaches courses on South Asian, Islamic, and Asian American Studies. Jaffer currently serves as Chair of the Inclusion and Equity Committee of Montgomery Township and on the Board of Trustees for the New Jersey Council for the Humanities. She was one of the founding members of Inspiring South Asian American Women (ISAAW), a group dedicated to encouraging civic engagement among South Asian American women in New Jersey. She is on the Board of Directors for The New Agenda, an organization that promotes women’s economic empowerment and combats sexual harassment and sexual assault. 
 
​Sadaf earned her bachelor’s degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and obtained her PhD in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from Harvard University with a secondary field in Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality.

 

​​Madiha Latif is an innovative thinker with over 20 years of broad-based expertise in leadership, financial management and customer engagement.  She is very passionate about working to improve federal government operations for the greater good of her fellow Americans. 

Madiha is the Deputy Assistant Commissioner  within Revenue Collections Management (RCM) at the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service. She has oversight responsibility for providing executive day-to-day leadership for the Compliance and Reporting Group (CRG), in support of the Government’s collection and settlement of over $4.2 trillion in federal revenue each year (e.g., taxes, fees, fines, loan repayments, customs duties, donations) and the processing of 500 million transactions annually.

Madiha has also held leadership positions in RCM as the Agency Relationship Outreach and engagement Director where she transformed the way RCM facilitated adoption of innovative solutions to its 225+ federal agency customer universe implementing a holistic approach of a one voice methodology.  

Prior to joining the Federal government, Madiha held several leadership positions within the private sector supporting U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Homeland Security.  She is also a veteran, having served in war zones with the active duty Army. 

Madiha has an Executive Certificate in Public Leadership from Harvard Kennedy School, an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) from the University of Maryland and Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management from University of Phoenix.

 

​​​​Ahmed Mousa is a life sciences entrepreneur with a background in molecular biology and an attorney with significant IP and FDA experience. Ahmed currently serves as Senior Vice President, Corporate Operations and General Counsel of Pieris Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: PIRS), a U.S.-German biotechnology company developing cutting-edge therapies in immuno-oncology and for respiratory disease. Ahmed serves as site head for the company’s U.S. office, oversees project leadership and quality assurance, and leads Pieris’ intellectual property, corporate secretary, and legal activities, including licensing and corporate legal as well as the Company’s global patent portfolio.
 

Prior to joining Pieris, Ahmed was an Associate at the law firm Kirkland & Ellis LLP, and an attorney with the law firm Covington & Burling LLP, where he represented pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in a range of matters, including significant experience in generic and biosimilar drug litigation.

A founding Advisor to MAPS, Ahmed’s experience in public service included a stint with the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, and a judicial clerkship at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Ahmed obtained undergraduate degrees in Government and Molecular Biology from Cornell University and a master’s degree in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University, with research experience prior to his legal career focused on tumor biology and angiogenesis. Ahmed graduated from Georgetown Law with honors, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Georgetown Journal of International Law.

Dr. Asifa Quraishi-Landes is a full Professor of Law at the University of Wisconsin Law School, specializing in comparative Islamic and U.S. Constitutional law, with a current focus on modern Islamic constitutional theory.  Her career includes federal clerkships in the Eastern District of California and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. A past Carnegie Scholar and Guggenheim Fellow, her recent publications includes “Legislating Morality and Other Illusions about Islamic Government.”  She is currently working on a book tentatively titled “Islamic Re-constitutionalism,” which presents a non-theocratic and non-secular model of Islamic constitutionalism for today’s Muslim-majority countries.

A lifelong leader in the Muslim American nonprofit scene, Asifa currently serves as Interim Co-Executive Director of Muslim Advocates, and on the governing boards of the Muslim Public Service Network (MPSN), Bayan Claremont Islamic Graduate School, and the Muslim Youth Camp of California.  She has been a past President and Board Member of NAML (National Association of Muslim Lawyers) as well as Karamah: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights. She is also an affiliate of the Muslim Women’s League, and a Fellow with the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding  (ISPU).

She has served as a Public Delegate on the U.S. Delegation to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, the Task Force on Religion and the Making of U.S. Foreign Policy for the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and as advisor to the Pew Task Force on Religion & Public Life.  

Professor Quraishi-Landes holds a doctorate from Harvard Law School and other degrees from Columbia Law School, the University of California at Davis, and the University of California at Berkeley.

Alisha develops and coordinates U.S. policy engagement in Burma as a Desk Officer at the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (EAP), where she works with government agencies, international partners, and civil society to promote security, democratic governance, and humanitarian access.  She formerly advanced policies, public-private sector cooperation, and foreign assistance programming to counter global challenges and strengthen the rule of law in South Asia as a Program Advisor with in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.

Prior to her Department experience, Alisha engaged with domestic and foreign policy priorities through experiences at the U.S. Senate in the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (SFRC) and Senator Cory Booker’s Office, leading global think tanks based in China and Belgium, international media companies, state and local government, and NGOs promoting equity, economic empowerment, and increased access to education for children in Pakistan.

Outside of her professional experiences, she is involved in organizations advancing greater representation in and accessibility to opportunities in public service, including as a Board Member for both MAPS (as Deputy Outreach Director) and the Department of State’s South Asian American Employee Association (SAAEA), as well as an Advisory Board Member for Leading Women of Tomorrow.

Alisha graduated with honors from American University with bachelor’s degrees in International Studies and Political Science, minor in Chinese, and certificate in Women, Policy, and Political Leadership. She can be reached at policy@mapsnational.org.

Ahmad Maaty currently serves as a Senior Economist with the U.S. Department of Justice, developing Federal regulations for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). He worked in a similar regulatory capacity at the U.S. Department of Transportation, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including as Acting Chief Economist with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He also deployed as an Inter-Governmental Affairs Specialist during FEMA emergency responses to disaster declarations in Texas and Puerto Rico.

Previously, Ahmad served as a Franklin Fellow with the U.S. Department of State’s Office of U.S. Foreign Assistance Resources, helping craft State and USAID’s economic growth budget and strategy. He also helped introduce data tools to guide assistance as a founding member of the Country Data Analytics team, liaising with the White House National Security Council on bi-lateral investment opportunities. Ahmad first joined State ten years earlier, helping cover the Middle East portfolio before the United Nations Security Council for the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. 

During the eight year interval in Federal service, Ahmad held roles with the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Islamic Development Bank, developing economic growth, poverty reduction, and evaluation programs with fieldwork in over a dozen countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East. 

A New York City native, he served as President of the Arab Students Association at Pace University in downtown Manhattan during the events of September 11th, 2001, and on the Board of the Muslim Students Association at the George Washington University in Washington DC. Ahmad earned his Masters in Public Administration from Cornell University, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Cornell policy journal.