Our team

Meet the E-Board

A team of dedicated volunteers guides the life of the center — its worship, programs, and care for the community.

Founder and Executive Director

Syed Faraz Zaidi

Faraz Zaidi is a medical student at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School with research experience in global surgery and medical student education. He serves as a manager in the student family health care clinic, where he is involved in supporting student-led clinical operations and care for underserved patients. In addition to his medical training, he is the founder of the Advanced Learning Institute of New Jersey (ALI Center), an initiative focused on Islamic education, spiritual wellness, and community development. He studied with Mufid Seminary, served as Northeast Regional Lead for the Ahlul Bayt Students Association, and was the Religious Chair and President of the Islamic Society of Boston University.

Favorite ALI Center event

The Ramadan Children's Qur'an competition, as it highlighted children's connection to the Qur'an while bringing families together in a shared atmosphere of learning and spirituality.

Director of Outreach and Events

AbuTalib Mohammed

Abutalib is a seasoned technology consultant specializing in the design and implementation of Workday Financials. With a career spanning a wide range of industries, he excels at building robust financial systems that streamline complex operations for diverse organizations. Beyond his professional life, Abutalib is a dedicated advocate for Islamic education and civic engagement. As the co-founder of Aqeelah Learning, he publishes children's books and translates classical works to make sacred knowledge more accessible to the community. Additionally, he works with government administrations across the USA and Canada to empower Shia youth, mentoring them to take active roles in public office and establish a meaningful presence in politics.

Favorite ALI Center event

At the ALI Center, Abutalib finds his greatest inspiration through the Monthly Mabahatha. He values these sessions as a powerful platform for gaining insight, cherishing both the scholarly lectures on the merits of the Ahlul Bayt (AS) and the opportunity to engage in deep, reflective discussions with his peers.

Director of Library and Learning Resources

Ali Hussain

Ali Hussain is an aspiring physician who brings a deeply holistic perspective to medicine, backed by a Bachelor of Arts in Biology, Psychology, and Biochemistry from CUNY-Baruch College. Actively blending clinical practice with scientific inquiry, Ali currently serves his community firsthand as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) while simultaneously contributing to vital medical advancements as a researcher. Outside of his professional and academic pursuits, he is an avid reader, an outdoor enthusiast who loves hiking, and a dedicated practitioner of mixed martial arts.

Favorite ALI Center event

For Ali, the standout moments at the ALI Center have been the children's interactive science workshop and the official opening of the children's room. Mashallah, establishing a dedicated, engaging space for the youth within the center has been an incredibly rewarding milestone. Inshallah, this is just the beginning of many more community blessings to come.

Director of Media and Technology

Qasim Isphahani

Qasim Isphahani has nearly two decades of financial services experience, specializing in financial markets, risk management, and capital planning. Currently at Morgan Stanley, he interprets financial regulation and formulates capital policy for the trading business. Over a distinguished international career, Qasim has held leadership roles at prestigious institutions including EY, HSBC, Citigroup, and Morgan Stanley. Beyond his professional life, Qasim is deeply committed to community service. He serves on the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors for StreetWise Partners, where he has spent years mentoring individuals from underserved communities. He also volunteers at Mehfil-e-Shahe Khorasan, managing audio-visual operations and teaching Islamic Philosophy and Quranic Studies at the Az Zahra Islamic School.

Favorite ALI Center event

The ALI Center's mission to enrich the understanding of the school of Ahlulbayt deeply inspires Qasim. He is particularly moved by the center's creative community-building initiatives, such as the 2026 Eid Bazaar and Carnival. The event successfully showcased Shia-owned businesses and demonstrated the community's resilience during a time of crisis, an experience that has profoundly re-energized Qasim's commitment to driving positive change.

Director of Youth and Family Programs

Fatima Abdi

Fatima Abdi is a trained infectious disease epidemiologist who has worked with the CDC Foundation and the California Department of Public Health. She holds a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology, with a focus on Maternal and Child Health. She is also a co-founder of Aqeelah Learning Corp., an initiative dedicated to planting the seeds of wilayah in young hearts through thoughtfully curated children's books, workshops, and learning materials. In addition, she is the creator of Yaqeen Book Club, a Shi'i Sisters book club based in New Jersey that fosters reflection, connection, and growth through meaningful reading.

Favorite ALI Center event

Fatima is deeply grateful for ALI Center, a space where learning and personal growth are nurtured through the teachings of the beloved Fourteen (a). Among her most meaningful experiences there, her favorite workshop has been “A Lost Connection: Rediscovering the Women of Islam in a Modern World,” which left a lasting impact on her.

Director of Marketing and Sister's Engagement

Sarah Zaidi

Sarah Zaidi is a practicing clinical psychotherapist holding Master's degrees in Applied Health Informatics and Clinical Marriage and Family Therapy. Her passion for counseling, psychology, hawza studies, and advancing conversations around mental health within Muslim communities led her to pursue certification in Islamic Psychology and Counseling. Recognizing the need for accessible, culturally and faith-informed mental health dialogue, Sarah founded sukoonwithsarah in 2022 and later co-founded the Shia Muslim Mental Health Conference with PSYCHED4U in 2025. Through these initiatives, she works to create spaces that encourage education, connection, and the destigmatization of mental health concerns within Muslim communities. Her work bridges mental health, spirituality, and community engagement, with a focus on fostering meaningful conversations and holistic well-being.

Favorite ALI Center event

Sarah's favorite ALI Center event was “From Struggle to Serenity: A Faithful Approach to Mental Health,” in collaboration with Batool Collective. The space resonated deeply with her because of its thoughtful integration of faith and mental health, creating a welcoming space for open and meaningful conversations.

Director of Arabic Education

Zeena Hassan

Zeena Hassan is a homemaker and an educator. With a deep-rooted passion for faith-based education and community building, she is honored to serve as a teacher of Arabic, Quran, and Islamic Studies at Al-Ghadeer Islamic Center. She also teaches Arabic at ALI Center, where she helps with developing and supporting educational programs for the community. At heart, she is someone who believes that learning nurtures the soul, and the home is the first place where that nurturing begins. She holds a BA in Translation from Iraq and an MA in Middle Eastern Studies from CUNY.

Favorite ALI Center event

For Zeena, ALI Center is the fulfillment of a long-held prayer, to be part of a space that offers authentic, faith-based learning. Among all the inspiring programs there, her personal favorite is “The Lost Connection, Rediscovering the Women of Islam in a Modern World” with Sr. Nabaa Baher.