Speakers
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Aisha Jill MorganAisha has been an ING speaker since 2008. She received her B.A. in Humanities and has a Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) certification. She received an MA-Education in Adult Education and Training. As a specialist in language proficiency, Aisha develops tests and trains teachers internationally. Aisha lives in Sonoma County and is Principal of the Islamic School at the Islamic Society of Santa Rosa. |
Amany NasserAmany received her B.S. in Electrical and Telecommunications Engineering from Cairo University in Egypt. She previously served as President of the Arab Cultural and Community Center in San Francisco. Amany has been volunteering for ING since its beginning in 1993. She lives in the East Bay with her husband and four children. |
Ameena JandaliAmeena received a M.A. in Near Eastern Studies from from the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.A. in History from the University of Illinois. She lives with her husband and four children in Berkeley. She is an editor of ING training handbooks on outreach for American Muslims. She is also the co-designer and developer of ING’s educational presentations and cultural competency seminars, overseeing all ING content. She is also a speaker and trainer for ING. Since 1993, she has delivered hundreds of presentations in schools, colleges, universities, churches, and other venues on Islam and related subjects. Her speaking engagements have included repeated lectures at UC Berkeley, UC Davis, Sacramento State, St. Mary’s College, San Jose State, San Francisco State, Los Positas College, Diablo Valley College, as well as lectures at Stanford, Santa Clara University, University of San Francisco, California Institute of Integral Studies, School of the Pacific, Cal State Hayward, Chabot College, Ohlone College, San Francisco City College, Sacramento State, Sonoma State, University of Colorado, Boulder, and Texas A & M. She has also delivered cultural competency trainings to a variety of healthcare providers, including repeated trainings at Kaiser, UC San Francisco and Sutter-Alta Bates. She has conducted trainings for dozens of police departments throughout the Bay Area, and conducted a weekly class for the SFPD over an entire year. She has appeared on numerous television and radio programs, including KPIX, KPFA, and KQED. She has presented on a variety of interfaith panels and events, including conferences and series through the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. She has also been a frequent guest at conventions, seminars, and other forums, speaking on a variety of topics relating to Muslim outreach, family, and the environment. She currently team teaches a class on Islam at San Francisco City College. |
Asma GhoriAsma Ghori has a B.S. in Corporate Communication from the University of Baltimore. She currently works in the art world as a corporate recruiter. She lives in San Jose with her husband and son. |
Berget JelaneBerget has had a Buddhist meditation practice since 1986 in the Zen and Theravada traditions. She teaches in San Jose and Redwood City as well as other Buddhist centers, and is an active participant in several interfaith organizations. In her role as a Buddhist minister, she performs weddings, funerals and baby blessings for families.Berget represents the Buddhist religion. |
David MarshakDavid was born and grew up on Long Island, NY. He is married with two children. David is a Conservative Jew who has spent his life studying how people think and communicate, their philosophies and the religions of the world. He is a retired VP and Technology Manager at Bank of America. David has worked on a number of computer development projects at Bank of America including the security guidelines for the Interlink debit card payments switch and an automated FX trading system for major corporations’ treasury departments. David arranges speaking programs for the Princeton Club of Northern California, is a member of the East Bay JCRC, and is a member of the ING Interfaith Speaker’s Bureau. He has a degree in English from Princeton and did graduate work in English at Tulane in New Orleans. |
Dianne MullerDianne Muller has an M.A. in Theology from the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology [Graduate Theological Union] in Berkeley. She has been involved in a variety of interfaith organizations and activities. An active participant in local churches, Dianne is not only a practitioner but also an instructor, lector, and leader of community programs such as RENEW and formation of an ecumenical council. She has worked professionally both in the publishing industry and in viticulture. Dianne and her husband have three grown children and live and farm in the Napa Valley. Dianne represents the Christian religion. |
Dustin CraunDustin Craun is an activist, a writer, a facilitator and an intellectual who has worked with many organizations in California, Colorado, Mexico, and in Ghana. These organizations include: The American Indian Movement of Colorado, the Transform Columbus Day Alliance, the Wassa Association of Communities Affected by Mining, the Hip Hop Congress, and Annunciation House. Since moving to the San Francisco Bay Area Dustin has worked as a writer, researcher, consultant and student advisor for Zaytuna College. Currently he works as a Content Manager at Islamic Networks Group, where he writes and designs curriculums, presentations and various media projects. He has lectured throughout the country at many universities and conferences and has been featured in a number of print and television media outlets. He has a Masters Degree from the College of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University, and a BA in Ethnic Studies from the University of Colorado-Boulder. Dustin has studied Islam with some of the world’s leading Muslim scholars. His research interests include: Ethnic Studies, Islamic studies, critical whiteness studies, the modernity/ coloniality research project, Islam in America, grassroots social movements, classical Islamic epistemology, and spirituality. |
Eli TaubAfter a long career at Kaiser Permanente as a pediatrician, Eli retired and is now an active member in many Jewish organizations. He served on the Santa Clara County's Human Relations Commission and has helped plan the County Holocaust Remembrance Ceremony. Eli attended the University of Michigan and received his M.D. at the University of Chicago. He and his wife have two grown children and one adorable granddaughter. Eli represents the Jewish religion. |
Esther HellerEsther worked in the computer industry as an engineer for 15 years. Trained at Equity Institute, she has been active in the diversity arena, speaking, training, coaching and facilitating for almost two decades. She is part of the Jewish Community Relations Council Interfaith subcommittee and a past president of Keddem Congregation (Reconstructionist Jewish). She actively volunteers in girls' and women's organizations. An insightful author and a dynamic speaker, she is listed in Who's Who in America. Esther has an A.B in Mathematics from Brandeis University and an M.S. also in mathematics from Stanford University. |
Fahima RahmanzaiFahima received her B.S in Business Administration from San Jose State University with an emphasis in Management Information System (MIS). She is currently working as a Reporting Analyst for PMI Mortgage Insurance Co. based in Walnut Creek, Ca. On her spare time she works as an event planner and volunteers for various non-profit organizations such as Ta’leef Collective and Islamic Relief. |
Fouzi HusainiFouzi received his B.S. in Computer Science from the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. He currently works independently as a consultant for various Silicon Valley software companies. |
Hank MillsteinHank has extensive interfaith experience. He holds a Ph.D. in Jewish Studies from the University of California Berkeley and the Graduate Theological Union, with a focus on Jewish-Christian relations. He worked for sixteen years with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs in Oregon developing a program to preserve and teach their native languages and cultures, during which he was privileged to participate in their traditional religious life. His interfaith experience also includes close involvement with Jewish and Buddhist communities. He has taught humanities and history of religion at GTU, Stanford, and the University of California Berkeley and Davis. Hank has a B.A. in Classics from Reed College and an M.F.A. in playwriting from Carnegie-Mellon University and is a published poet and fiction writer. He also has an extensive grant-writing and administrative background. |
Harry CornbleetHarry is a staff physician at the San Jose State University Student Health Center. He received his M.D. degree from the University of Missouri. After his internship and residency, Harry served as a Medical Officer in the U.S. Navy, and then worked as in internist with a large medical group before moving to his present position. Harry enjoys hiking and nature study in his spare time. He lives with his wife in Saratoga.Harry represents the Jewish religion. |
Helena Miller-FleigHelena received a B.A. in History & Religious Studies from Fordham University before going on to complete a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School in 2007. As part of this degree, Helena participated in Harvard's Program in Religious Studies and Education, the aim of which is to promote religious literacy, particularly on the level of secondary education. She currently lives in San Francisco with her husband and teaches in the Religious Studies department of Saint Francis High School in Mountain View. Helena represents the Christian religion. |
Herman RosenbaumHerman studied Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science and received his B.S. and M.S. from the University of Pennsylvania and his Ph.D. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is an active member of the Jewish community and Temple Beth Torah in Fremont. Herman was honored by ING with the Building Bridges Award for helping to organize an anti-hate forum focused on pressures in the Muslim and Sikh communities after 9/11. Herman is married with three grown children and two grandchildren. Herman represents the Jewish religion. |
Imran MaskatiaImran received his B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science from Stanford University. He currently works as a program manager for Microsoft Corporation. |
Ismael NassIsmael Nass received a B.S. in Computer Science from King Fahd University in Saudi Arabia, and an M.S. in Software Engineering from San Jose State University. He is currently the president of EngineersWhoWrite, a consulting firm specializing in the development of technical documentation and publishing tools. |
Jean RamacciottiJean received a B.S. in Theology and Philosophy at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology [Graduate Theological Union] in Berkeley. She serves on the pastoral staff at St.Thomas Aquinas Catholic parish in Palo Alto as Director of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Jean produces and hosts a community cable TV talk show about spirituality at The Media Center. She lives in Palo Alto where she has served on many non-profit boards and has four children.Jean represents the Christian religion. |
John GiuntoliJohn is pursuing a second career in teaching after retiring. He is working towards a M.A. in Theology at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology [Graduate Theological Union] in Berkeley. John received a B.S. in Business from California State University, Hayward, and a B.A. in Philosophy and Religion from San Francisco State University. Additionally, he graduated from the Oakland Diocese’s School of Pastoral Ministry and Serra Catechetical Institute. John lives in Pinole and enjoys gardening and woodworking. He attends services at the St. Rose of Lima church where he teaches a youth conformation class and helps out in the music program.John represents the Christian religion. |
Joy AspenallJoy has been a religious teacher for the last 38 years, the last 23 of those she has been a Master Catechist for the Diocese of San Jose. She has also been the Adult Formation Coordinator at St. Martin of Tours Parish for the past 15 years. Her position brings her into contact with people with diverse faith traditions. She currently resides in San Jose with her husband of 42 years and has two grown children. Joy represents the Christian faith. |
Judith FleenorJudith Fleenor worked in hospitality and technology management training after graduating from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. After a corporate career, she studied at Holmes Institute and received her M.A. in Consciousness Studies. Judith is now a Religious Science Practitioner with the United Centers for Spiritual Living. Her ministry focuses on bringing people of various faiths together to understand each other and meet the divine in useful ways to empower lives. Judith is a facilitator for the IFSB program. |
Karen StillerKaren has been the Peninsula Director for the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), a nonprofit organization that is the public affairs arm of the organized Jewish Community, since 2002. She is actively involved in various intergroup/interfaith and social justice projects, and served on the board of directors of the Community Working Group and the Community Housing Alliance. Prior to JCRC, she worked in the Preventive Defense Project of Stanford’s Center for International Security and Cooperation, and in various non-profit management and social work positions. She has an M.S. in Social Administration with a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio and a B.A. (cum laude) in Psychology from the State University of New York at Buffalo. |
Ken MakiAfter a long career in the IT industry. Ken is CEO of his own company. In addition to writing several PC computing books, he taught at a junior college in Washington. Ken received his M.S. in Information Systems from the University of San Francisco and a B.A. in Philosophy from Portland State University. He is married and lives with his wife and two stepsons in San Francisco. Ken enjoys photography, reading and martial arts.Ken represents the Jewish religion. |
Khushroo ShaikhKhushroo received a B.A. from Brandeis University, a M.S. from Rutgers State University and an Ed.D. from the Teachers College of Columbia University. She last worked for Hewlett-Packard as a management consultant. After retiring, Khushroo began volunteering as a speaker at ING. |
Laurie SchlaepferLaurie became a personally devout Christian at the age of 15. Laurie and her husband work in Christian ministry at a church in Aptos, California. Their work has taken them around the country and to many places around the world. For the past eleven years she has also taught World Religions at the college and master's level. Laurie and her husband have three children. She earned a B.A. degree in Biblical Studies, and a Masters degree in Christian Theology. |
Maahum ChaudhryMaahum is a student at San Francisco City College where she is studying Business. Born and raised in San Francisco, she is also currently an intern at YO! Youth Outlook. Maahum enjoys writing and has published articles in Illume Magazine, The Guardsman, Pacific News Service and Muslim Girl Magazine. |
Maha ElGenaidiMaha is the founder of ING and author of training handbooks on outreach for American Muslims as well as training seminars for public institutions on developing cultural competency with the American Muslim community. Recently named by the San Jose Business Journal as one of Silicon Valley's 2010 Women of Influence, Maha is active with many state and federal government agencies and was a former commissioner on Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante's Commission for One California as well as the Santa Clara County Human Relations Commission. She currently serves on the California Three Rs Advisory Committee and is an Advisor to California's Commission on Police Officers Standards and Training (POST) for cultural diversity and hate crime prevention. Maha has been recognized with numerous civil rights awards, including the "Civil Rights Leadership Award" from the California Association of Human Relations Organizations, and the "Citizen of the Year Award" from the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. She is pursuing her graduate degree in religious studies at Stanford University and received her bachelors degree in Political Science and Economics from the American University in Cairo. She is married and lives in Santa Clara, California. |
Marianne FarinaSister Marianne is an assistant professor at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology [Graduate Theological Union] in Berkeley, CA. She received an M.A. in Pastoral Theology from Santa Clara University and a Ph.D. in Theological Ethics from Boston College. With more than 20 years of experience in education and pastoral ministry, Sister Marianne has worked in education and social development projects that promote social justice and interfaith dialogue. Sister Marianne represents the Christian religion. |
Michael BennettMichael received a B.A. from Stanford University, an M.Div. from Yale Divinity School, an M.P.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Ph.D. from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology. After retiring from several state and national organizations focused on social justice, Michael is active in his Buddhist community as a member of its Chaplaincy Council and the facilitator of support groups for persons with life-threatening illnesses and chronic health challenges in addition to volunteering at the Zen Hospice Project in San Francisco. Michael lives in Atherton with his wife Gabriele and enjoys daily hikes in the forests of Woodside.Michael represents the Buddhist religion. |
Muslimah AlabiMuslimah was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. She attended University in TX where she received her degree in Journalism. She worked as an editor for a regional magazine in Chicago. After getting married she moved to the Bay Area. Since then she has worked as a computer programmer and in the airline industry. Muslimah went back to school to earn her law degree. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Greater Richmond Interfaith Program (GRIP). |
Nadia WadalawalaNadia was born and raised in St. Louis Missouri. She currently works as a Registered Nurse in San Francisco. Nadia’s community outreach efforts include her commitment in serving as a mentor to young women in their spiritual and academic growth. Her extensive non-profit experience includes volunteer work for Islamic Relief, American Red Cross, and the Rota Care Clinic. She attended Saint Louis University's School of Nursing. |
Nashwan HamzaNashwan received his B.S. in Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz. He is currently the CEO of an Architectural Design and Construction Group. Nashwan lives in Carmel with his wife and three children. |
Nauman AzharNauman Azhar grew up on the East coast living in Philadelphia, New Jersey, North Carolina and Virginia. He moved to the Bay Area in the summer of 2001 and has lived here ever since. He currently resides in San Jose with his wife and two lovely kids. He is a Manager, Professional Services at Intelenex where he has been working for the last three years. He is an Oracle CRM On Demand Certified Consultant. Nauman has 10 years experience as a Consultant, Software Developer, Team Lead, and Project Manager across various industries such as CRM, Medical/Health, Professional Services, Online collaborative systems and Data Management. Nauman's main interests are religion and sports. He is an active member in the Bay Area Muslim community and an active participant in interfaith events. He is a huge football and basketball fan. Nauman loves spending time with family and friends enjoying the lovely Bay Area weather. Nauman has an MS in Computer Engineering (Management Information Systems) from Santa Clara University. |
Nora TalebiNora received her B.S. from the University of Maryland. She currently works as a pharmacist for Kaiser Permanente Medical Group. Nora has worked with the Poison Center of Maryland and has volunteered as a speaker to the elderly about medications at Kaiser. She is married and has two sons. |
Nuha ShumanNuha was born and raised in the east coast. She left Westlake, Ohio and moved to the Bay Area, where she has been residing for the last 16 years. Nuha is a dedicated mother of five children. Nuha loves to volunteer at her children’s elementary school and high school. Nuha also enjoys volunteering for ING, Zaytuna and other non-profit organizations such as the GiveLight Foundation, which provides global humanitarian relief that focuses on creating orphanages for children of war, poverty and/or natural disasters. Nuha is a firm believer in strengthening the ties between all races and faiths. She currently resides in Redwood City, CA. |
Reshma HyderReshma was born and raised in Saudi Arabia and received her B.S. in Biochemistry from the Aligarh Muslim University, India and her B.Sc. in Finance with a minor in Accounting from San Jose State University. She leads the Saratoga Argonaut Div. CERT, an emergency Rescue team, She volunteers on various non-profit boards including the West Valley Muslim Association of Saratoga and the PTA of Argonaut Elementary as Financial Secretary. She currently works in the Financial Services industry with New York Life. as a licensed agent. Reshma lives in Saratoga with her husband and six children. She enjoys cooking, travel and playing sports. |
Richard (Dick) HeimanAfter retiring as president of a major manufacturing firm, Dick moved with his wife from Cincinnati to San Mateo. Since then, he has been involved with many interfaith activities, which includes serving as a board member on the interfaith committees of several Bay Area community organizations. Dick's goal is to promote world peace by helping people of all faiths understand, appreciate and accept each other.Dick represents the Jewish religion. |
Sadaf SiddiqSadaf has extensive experience in the non-profit sector, particularly grass-roots and activist organizations that focus on Islamic relations. She is an active volunteer for the Children of Afghanistan Hope Project, working to provide education and basic aid to orphans and widows. She is committed to social justice and activism in her community. She graduated with honors and received a Bachelors degree in Political Science with a pre-law emphasis and a Minor in Arabic Islamic Middle Eastern Studies from Santa Clara University in 2009. She is currently working on her Masters degree in Public Administration at San Jose State University. |
Sarah AzadSarah is an obstetrician and gynecologist in private practice in Mountain View. She completed her medical studies at St. Louis University and her residency at Washington University and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. Since 1999, Sarah has been engaged in cultural sensitivity training regarding Muslims, particularly in the context of health care. Through two local youth groups, she also serves as a mentor to young women in their spiritual and academic growth. |
Sheila MohanSheila Mohan was born in India and has been a resident of California for more than 30 years. She works in local government and currently manages a section of Santa Clara County’s budget. Until recently, she served as the Library Commissioner for the City of Cupertino, and was involved in the design of the new library. She is an active member of the Chinmaya Mission, a non-profit global organization which provides individuals with the knowledge of Vedanta, the essential core of Hinduism and the means for spiritual growth and happiness . |
Sobia SultanSobia received her M.D. from the King Edward Medical University in Pakistan. She did her residency training in Texas and is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Currently she works as a pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente. She lives in East Bay with her three children. In her spare time, Sobia enjoys poetry and music. |
Terry FletcherTerry has worked as a Spanish bilingual and literacy support teacher in San Francisco and Berkeley public schools for over 20 years. She is a member of Congregation Sha’ar Zahav in San Francisco. A Middle East peace activist and daughter of a Holocaust survivor, Terry enjoys learning new languages, singing, bicycling and yoga. She lives with her husband in Berkeley. Terry represents the Jewish religion. |
Theodore TimpsonAs a former elementary school teacher and director of children theater productions, Theodore uses interfaith experience with students to develop identity and religious understanding. He founded Young Spirit Foundation which sponsors events for young people and teachers, aiming to establish an interfaith school in the Bay Area. Theodore received a B.A. from Harvard University and an M.S. in Education from Bank Street College in New York. He lives with his family in Palo Alto and practices yoga meditation.Theodore is a facilitator for the IFSB program. |
Ursula VelonisUrsula received her B.S. at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and her Ph.D. in Curriculum Theory and Instruction from Simon Fraser University in Canada. In addition to teaching at Los Medanos College in Pittsburg. she is a psychotherapist in private practice and has a certificate in Psychosynthesis Psychotherapy. Ursula has served on the Board of Directors of the International Transpersonal Association of Psychology and has presented at several conferences. She is a founding member of the Center for Peace through Culture and a member of the research faculty at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto.Ursula is a facilitator for the IFSB program. |
Venerable Jian Hu ShifuVenerable Jian Hu came to the U.S. from Taiwan as a teenager. He graduated from the California Institute of Technology and received a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of California, San Diego. In 2004, Venerable Jian Hu helped establish the Zen Center of Sunnyvale where he now serves as the Abbot. Venerable Jian Hu is a spiritual leader, teaching many classes in the Bay Area. He also frequently gives lectures and conducts retreats within and outside of the U.S. Venerable Jian Hu represents the Buddhist religion. |
Venerable Jian Sheng ShifuVenerable Jian Sheng is currently the Abbess of Buddha Gate Monastery in Lafayette. Her experience includes serving as Vice Abbess and Head of the Reception Department of Chung Tai Chan Monastery, as well as Abbess of Pu-De Zen Center in Taipei, Taiwan. Venerable Jian Sheng is also a lecturer and instructor on meditation and Buddhism at many universities, government, and private organizations. Venerable Jian Sheng represents the Buddhist religion. |
Wazhma JamiatWazhma Jamiat is an Afghan American residing in the Bay Area. She was one of the first graduates from the Granada Islamic School in Santa Clara, CA. She currently works at Google as a quality evaluator within the engineering department. She is dedicated to continue her volunteer work in the Muslim community. Wazhma received her B.A from the University of California, Davis and is in the process of pursuing her MBA. |
Zahra BillooZahra received her B.S. in Human Resources Management and Political Science at California State University, Long Beach and her law degree from the University of California Hastings College of Law in San Francisco. She currently works as the Director of Programs and Outreach for a non-profit organization. Zahra lives in Hayward with her husband. |
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