Our Executive Committee
Our Executive Committee is the decision-making body of Shoulder to Shoulder, and is primarily comprised of institutional representatives from religious denominations and organizations that are national members of Shoulder to Shoulder.
(Campaign Co-Chair) Rabbi Esther Lederman is the Vice President of the Union for Reform Judaism and sits on the Central Conference of American Rabbis' task force on the experience of women in the rabbinate. She is a board member for T’ruah.
(Campaign Co-Chair) Rev. Margaret R. Rose is the Deputy for Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations for The Episcopal Church
(Co-Founder) Dr. Mohamed Elsanousi is the Director of the Secretariat of the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers, a global network initiated by United Nations Mediation Support Unit, UN Alliance of Civilizations, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Religions for Peace, KAICIID Dialogue Center and Finn Church Aid.
(Co-Founder) Rev. Richard Killmer is a Presbyterian minister and the Founding Executive Director of the National Religion Campaign Against Torture, an organization representing more than 300 religious organizations and tens of thousands of Americans of faith committed to ending U.S.-sponsored torture forever.
Dr. Tony Kireopoulos is the Associate General Secretary for Faith and Order and Interfaith Relations at the National Council of Churches.
Kathryn Lohre is an assistant to the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and executive for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations and Theological Discernment.
Dr. Makari serves as Global Relations Minister for the Middle East and Europe with the Common Global Ministries Board of the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He is a co-convener on the National Council of Churches’ Interreligious Convening Table and has been an active participant in national Jewish-Christian and Muslim-Christian dialogue initiatives.
Our Consultative Circle
Shoulder to Shoulder has always maintained close relationships with Muslim, Arab, Sikh, and South Asian organizations and individuals, many of whom we consult with on a regular basis when making programmatic and policy decisions in real time. In 2020, as we marked the 10th Anniversary of Shoulder to Shoulder, we launched our Consultative Circle of leaders who are joining us in their individual capacities, to formalize this in our organizational structure. This is to ensure that both MASA and non-MASA partners alike know that Shoulder to Shoulder, while primarily an ally organization, is deeply and regularly engaged in conversation with those most directly impacted by anti-Muslim discrimination in a way that shapes our work.
Aneelah Afzali is Executive Director of MAPS-AMEN (American Muslim Empowerment Network). She is also a Board Member of Faith Action Network, Washington For Black Lives, and Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Aneelah left her legal career in 2013 to serve as a community activist, interfaith leader, and justice advocate.
Arshan Khalid is the Director of the Islamic Society of North America's National Office of Interfaith, Government Relations and Community Alliances (IOICA). Arshan holds a Master's in Divinity from the University of Chicago Divinity School. His senior thesis was entitled 'A Place for All People: The Possibilities and Challenges of Interfaith Organizations, from a Muslim Perspective,' where he studied the leading interfaith organizations in our country. Arshan has also studied Islamic Studies traditionally traveling to Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, and Mauritania. He has worked with some of the leading Interfaith organizations in our country, including the Parliament of World's Religions, Interfaith America, Multi-faith Neighbors Network, Religions for Peace, the Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign, and others.
Aseelah Rashid is Co-founder and CEO of The Muslim Mix, Inc. a 501c3 non-profit organizationwhich presents creative social events and environments targeted at Muslim young adults, while also fostering social justice activism, and work specifically directed at changing the narrative about Muslim Americans and how they’re portrayed in the media, and society. As an active organizer within the Interfaith community, she currently serves on the Board for Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters (AIB) and Faith Alliance of Metro Atlanta (FAMA).
Aziza Hasan is the Executive Director of NewGround, a nonprofit dedicated to bridging divides and convening constructive conversations around challenging social issues. With over 20 years of experience in program management and coalition building, she is a skilled mediator and trainer who has facilitated multiple groups and workshops on interfaith and intercultural issues. Aziza’s work has been featured in the New York Times, the LA Times, ABC, CBS, NBC, the Chronicle of Philanthropy, and National Public Radio, among others. She served on President Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships from 2015-2016 and the Los Angeles Civil and Human Rights Commission from 2020 to 2023.
Dr. Debbie Almontaser is an internationally recognized, award-winning educator, entrepreneur, speaker, authority on cross-cultural understanding and author of, Leading While Muslim: The Experiences of American Muslim Principals After 9/11. She is an influential community leader and the Founder and CEO of Bridging Cultures Group Inc., a for-profit business that provides professional development and coaching for companies, nonprofits, universities, firms, and K–12 education personnel.
Faria has been involved in numerous philanthropic and community outreach efforts. She currently also serves on the board of Women for Women International, Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, Ta’leef Collective and the Inner-city Muslim Action Network (IMAN). Faria is a member of NYU President’s Global Council. In the years prior, she has served as a board member of the Interfaith Center of New York, Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels, Medina Clinic, Duke Islamic Studies Center, and the Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University.
Hind Makki is an interfaith and anti-racism educator who holds a degree in International Relations from Brown University. She is an Educator with the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) and is the founder and curator of Side Entrance, an award-winning website documenting women’s prayer experiences in mosques around the world. In 2018, Hind was recognized as one of CNN’s 25 Influential American Muslims and her work has been featured in a variety of national and international media.
Hussein Rashid, PhD, is founder of islamicate, L3C, a consultancy focusing on religious literacy. He is currently a freelance academic and his research focuses on Muslims and American popular culture. His work includes exploring Shi’i theology, the interaction between culture and religion, and the role of arts in conflict mediation. He has been active in interfaith work in New York City when it was just known as “hanging out with his friends.” Has served on the boards of Project Interfaith and Al-Rawiya. He is a Ariane de Rothschild Fellow for interfaith relations. His current projects include an independent film, a documentary, and a museum project on religion and jazz.
Inspired by faith and family to work for change at the intersections of gender, sexuality, race, and religion, Jenan has served in a leadership position at IFYC for thirteen years. She currently directs overall strategy, design, and implementation of the organization’s programs focused on alumni and student leaders, including the annual Interfaith Leadership Institute. She also volunteers with Sirat Chicago, a neighborhood space that fosters a healthy community by supporting initiatives centered upon service and worship, education and arts, and family life.
Madihha Ahussain is a policy and legal professional who spent nearly a decade working at a national civil rights organization advocating for vulnerable communities across the country. She spearheaded large coalitions, led national advocacy campaigns for policy change with lawmakers, and developed a special focus on issues related to the intersection of civil rights and tech, which led her to her current work. Ms. Ahussain recently worked at TikTok evaluating company policies and practices through the lens of civil rights, equity and inclusion. Currently, she works at Spotify leading the company’s Safety Advisory Council, which is compromised of external experts and is consulted on a wide range of issues related to the company’s policies, products and features.
Maggie Siddiqi is a freelance consultant specializing in faith-based advocacy for social change, coalition-building across lines of difference, and public policy on religious freedom and standing up against hate. Until recently, she served in the Biden-Harris administration as Director of the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships in the Office of the U.S. Secretary of Education. Previously, she led the Religion and Faith team at the Center for American Progress, and prior to that, spent nearly a decade in national organizations serving American Muslim communities.
Imam Mohamed Magid is the Executive Imam of All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) Center in Sterling, Virginia. He is the Chairman of International Interfaith Peace Corps (IIPC) and the former President of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). He is also the Chairman of Muflehun, which focuses on prevention of violence and hate. He is also the Co-Founder of the Multifaith Neighborhood Network which focuses on building bridges between Muslim, Evangelical Christian, and Jewish communities.
Shariq Abdul Ghani is the Executive Director of Minaret Foundation, an organization focused on bringing faith communities together through multi-faith and civic engagement. Apart from dialogue, dodgeball, and BBQs, Minaret Foundation works with faith communities to change the world through advocacy in food insecurity, child welfare, and religious freedom.
Mona Malik serves as the President of the historic Rockwood Estate and Farms since 2018. Prior to her current role at Rockwood Estate, Ms. Malik has spent over two decades doing philanthropic and non-profit work. After serving as the President of the Peaceful Families Project for seven years, she now serves as an Advisory Board Member. Ms. Malik also currently serves on the Board of Duke Islamic Studies Center and the Virginia Department of Social Services.
Nationally recognized for his commitment to improving the public understanding of Islam and policies impacting American Muslims, Salam is president and co-founder of the Muslim Public Affairs Council. Salam has facilitated hundreds of civic engagement workshops around the country, is an adjunct faculty member at Bayan Claremont, a board member of the Muslim Reform Institute, and an advisor to several political, civic, and academic institutions.
Simran Jeet Singh, Ph.D., is the Executive Director of the Religion & Society Program at the Aspen Institute. He is a well-known scholar and champion of religious pluralism who is committed to driving civic change through disrupting bias and building empathy. He is an Equality Fellow with the Open Society Foundations, Senior Adviser on Equity and Inclusion for YSC Consulting, and a Visiting Professor at Union Seminary. Simran is a regular contributor to major outlets, including The Washington Post, CNN, and TIME Magazine, and he writes a monthly column for Religion News Service. His latest book, The Light We Give: The Power of Sikh Wisdom to Transform Your Life, will be published by Riverhead (Penguin Random House) in 2022.
Soumaya Khalifa is a founder and the current Executive Director of the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta (ISB). In addition to her work with the ISB, Soumaya is president of her intercultural consulting firm Khalifa Consulting which provides coaching and training to business executives across the county. Soumaya is an adjunct professor at Emory University’s Center for Continuing Education where she offers courses on intercultural communication and Human Resources Certification. Along with her work with ISB and her consulting firm, Soumaya volunteers for a wide variety community organizations.
Suhail A. Khan serves as a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Global Engagement, a Christian religious freedom think tank and as Director of External Affairs at Microsoft.
Suhail served as a policy advisor and counsel on Capitol Hill, and a senior political appointee with the Bush administration, where he served in the White House and as an advisor for two cabinet secretaries. He was awarded the U.S. DOT Secretary’s Team Award in 2005 and the Gold Medal for Outstanding Achievement in 2007. Suhail was awarded the Young Conservative Coalition's Buckley Award in 2010.
Tayyib Rana, MD, PCEO is the founder and CEO, Northern Virginia Eye Institute and a Partner at Winchester Eye Surgery Center. His non profit work includes being a Trustee at Zaytuna College for 10 years, serving in a number of leadership roles at the Association of Physicians of Pakistani-Descent of North America (DMV Chapter), and involvement with Emgage, Al Fatih Academy, APPNA National, Unity Productions, Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies, ICNA Humanitarian Relief, IMANA Medical Relief, APPNA Medical Relief, and he is active in several Interfaith Activities.
Valarie Kaur is a seasoned civil rights activist, award-winning filmmaker, lawyer, faith leader, and founder of The Revolutionary Love Project. She harnesses love as a shared practice to fight for social justice. She believes “the way we make change is just as important as the change we make.”
Dr. M. Yaqub Mirza is President and CEO of Sterling Management Group. Dr. Mirza is also Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Amana Mutual Funds. He is a member of the Board of Directors, University Islamic Financial Corporation, and a member of the Board of Trustees, George Mason University Foundation, Inc. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Shenandoah University and advisor to the Byrd School of Business, Shenandoah University.