Our Board members are responsible for monitoring the organization’s activities, meeting regularly with the CEO and taking an active interest in strategic direction, financial oversight and the overall performance of our the non-profit.
Board members are appointed for two-year terms in accordance with our by-laws. This term can be extended by agreement.
We are always looking for new potential Board members. If you believe in our mission and have some time to commit, we’d like to talk to you about Board service.
John Burke worked in the energy industry as a business founder and CEO for thirty years. His focus is on building donor relationships with companies headquartered in Houston.
John holds a BS from Boston University and completed graduate work at the University of Denver.
Nasir is the managing attorney of Pasha Law PC. He assists his clients in resolving complex legal issues involving contracts, intellectual property rights, employment law, risk management, litigation management, and corporate governance. He joined the Board in 2022.
Born to Palestinian parents and raised in Kuwait, Alma furthered her education in the U.S., earning a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from UT Austin and a Master’s in Structural Engineering from Stanford. She has spent the past decade with the Palestinian American Cultural Center (PACC), where she currently serves as Board Member and Treasurer.
Born in Grand Rapids Michigan, Jake is a former professional soccer player, who became involved in the Amaanah Lions in 2023. He has lived in Phoenix, Denver and now Houston where he is supporting Amaanah’s Sports Committee.
Nazia Mirza is an entrepreneur and CEO, at American Rags Inc., a textile recycling facility near the port of Houston. Nazia has a degree in South Asian studies with a focus on trauma from the University of Texas at Austin, and a masters in Social Work (MSW) with a focus on trauma affected populations, families and youth within a multicultural setting, from Virginia Commonwealth University.
No one leaves home unless home has become the mouth of a shark. You only run for the border when you see the whole city running as well. Wasan Shire
