Board of Imara (Directors)

Ayman Nassar, Chairman of Imara
Ayman Nassar is founder and chair of the board of directors of Islamic Leadership Institute of America (ILIA). He held positions on the board of directors and advisors of several masjids and Islamic organizations in the US. Br. Ayman brings a diverse background to the institute ranging from expertise in non-profits, civic engagement, youth & family counseling and development, institutional governance and capacity building to technology & engineering, leadership and management, conflict resolution, facilitation and enterprise architecture.

Br. Ayman has managed dozens of high complexity technology projects and led several programs in the fields of telecommunications, embedded design, enterprise architecture and new product development at IBM, Ericsson, Fujitsu, AT&T and other leading innovators. Besides overseeing ILIA’s strategies and vision, he volunteers at area correctional institutions and youth organizations offering leadership coaching and mentoring. He has played various roles in Muslim youth organizations from head of youth committee, to MSA advisor, youth group mentor and coach to program facilitator and halaqa instructor. He is a motivational speaker addressing youth, families and professionals. Br. Ayman also mediated and facilitated numerous technical joint sessions, community member disputes, parent/teen conflicts, business partners’ disputes and offered numerous workshops on leadership at Masjids, government agencies and technology organizations.

Ayman also acts as an advisor consultant to masjids and Islamic institutions on topics of organizational excellence, strategic planning, organizational development, enterprise architecture and sustainability. He published a number of books in the areas of leadership and project management, and writes frequently on topics of leadership and management from the Islamic perspective. Ayman holds graduate degrees in Engineering Management, Systems Engineering and Electrical Engineering, and is certified in project management, systems engineering, IT architecture, quality management, organizational excellence and six sigma. He also attended the Higher Institute for Islamic Studies in Cairo in 2003 where he studied basics of governance models among other topics. He is currently enrolled in the doctoral program with a focus on organizational leadership.

Br. Ayman has significant experience in establishing frameworks and processes for zakat distribution and collection, youth services & counseling, dawaa and interfaith dialogues, mentoring and leadership programs and Islamic institution governance. He is named inventor on two US patents and a pending patent in the area of service management and systems sustainability. Br. Ayman is an expert witness and technical reviewer, and is an adjunct faculty member at Prince George’s Community College, University of California and former adjunct faculty at Howard Community College and Strayer University, and has offered dozens of public speeches at masjids, community centers, schools, youth groups and conferences in the US, Europe and the Middle East.

Mahmoud Abouelrous, Member of Imara

Mahmoud Abouelrous graduated from the University of Maryland College Park in December 2009 with a BS in Business Information Systems. His educational background includes project management, finance and systems analysis & design. He currently works as a Business Analyst and lives in Maryland.

Brother Mahmoud has more than 4 years experience working with youth through summer camps and teaching engagements. He joined ILIA in October 2009 and is currently the director of the Youth Project Management and iLEAD (i Lead through Eman & Application of the Deen) programs.  Br. Mahmoud also served as the ILIA treasurer from Feb 2010 to June 2011.

Mariam Eltoweissy, Member of Imara

Mariam Eltoweissy is a senior at the University of Maryland, College Park, completing her Bachelors degree in Government and Politics and a minor in Spanish Languages and Cultures, aiming to practice International Law or Diplomacy in the future. Currently serving on the Islamic Leadership Institute’s (ILIA) Board of Directors, she is the Government Liaison, responsible for establishing and maintaining connections with local and federal offices and organizations that benefit both ILIA and the surrounding community. She is also an instructor at TAQI (Taleem Al Quran Institute), a Mission Excellence tutor at ILIA, and an avid volunteer active in several organizations including, but not limited to, MIST (Muslim Inter Scholastic Tournament), MWB (Muslims Without Borders), and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Mariam hopes to give back to her community by providing others with the same, and better, opportunities she has been blessed with.

Noha Elansary, Member of Imara
Noha is a student at Hammond High School and has been active volunteer with ILIA since its inception. She joined the ILIA Imara in 2011, and also holds the officer role organization secretary.

 

Past Boards of Imara

2009: Ayman Nassar, Ammar Nada, Arif Kabir, Walaa Sidky, Salah Elleithy

2010: Ayman Nassar, Ammar Nada, Arif Kabir, Walaa Sidky, Mahmoud Abouelrous, Shafqat Abbasi

2011: Ayman Nassar, Mahmoud Abouelrous, Mariam Eltoweissy, Noha Elansary, Saad Rehman