(WASHINGTON, D.C., 1/12/2023) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today announced that Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors following the completion of prior CAIR National Board Chair Roula Allouch’s term in office.
CAIR also announced that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board of Directors.
In a statement, CAIR National Board Chair Dr. Manal Fakhoury said:
“I am honored beyond words to be working with this incredible organization to defend the civil rights of American Muslims and all Americans. I can think of no greater joy than serving our community together with the amazing team at CAIR. I look forward to working with our staff to overcome new challenges and continue the growth and development of the American Muslim community.”
In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:
“We congratulate Dr. Manal Fakhoury, an incredible leader with a long history of serving the community, on her appointment as Chair of our National Board of Directors. We are confident that her expertise and knowledge will lead this organization and our community to the next level, God willing.
“We also thank our inspiring leader Roula Allouch for her many years of excellent service as Chair of the National Board of Directors, as well as our other outgoing board members Massoud Nasimi and Ahmed Al-Shehab. Roula’s heroic leadership helped make this organization what is today, and we hope to continue benefiting from her example and wisdom in the months and years ahead.”
“We are excited to see how Dr. Fakhoury, our other returning board members, and our accomplished new members, attorneys John Floyd and Spojmie Nasiri, will help us build upon our progress as we continue to serve American Muslims, defend civil rights, and promote justice.”
Dr. Manal Fakhoury is the president and CEO of Fakhoury Leadership International. She has strong business intuition and has managed multi million dollar budgets. She has a distinctive skill set of strategy, organizing, fundraising, and is best known to be results-oriented. She has a passion for community service, communication, and leadership.
Dr. Fakhoury earned her undergraduate and doctorate from the University of Southern California and her MBA from Webster University. She has been recognized with many professional and community awards including Person of the Year, Business Women of the Year, Communicator of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, the Webster University Distinguished Alumni Award, and many others.
With over 30 years of non-profit and leadership experience, Dr. Fakhoury serves on many community and national boards. She has served as Chairwoman of the Chamber of Commerce and currently serves in many top leadership positions, including on the Truist Bank Board of Directors, YMCA Executive Board, American Heart Association Heart Walk Chair, Rotary International, Toastmasters International. Dr. Fakhoury is founder and President of Ollin Women International, curator for TEDxOcala and Gavel Club Counselor for the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC).
A graduate of Leadership Florida, Dr. Fakhoury has brought innovative personal development programs to the FDOC. She is also a consultant pharmacist, inspirational speaker, coach, trainer, TEDx speaker, and mentor. Dr. Fakhoury was honored to participate in the Climb of Hope and summit Mt. Kilimanjaro in January 2014. She enjoys traveling, exercising, advocating for peace, and lifting up people.
Spojmie Nasiri is an attorney in the San Francisco Bay Area focusing on family-based immigration, consular processing visas, U visas, T visas, VAWA, Naturalization and deportation defense. She is Afghan-American, and currently serves as the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s Afghan Response Task Force. Nasiri previously served as both a member and president of CAIR-San Francisco’s board of directors.
John T. Floyd is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has been rated as a Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters and AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell. He accepted Islam in 1994 and has dedicated over twenty years of pro-bono legal representation as a volunteer civil rights lawyer for the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Texas, representing hundreds of Muslims in civil rights matters free of charge. He serves on the Board of Directors for CAIR Texas-Houston, the Board of Directors for An Nisa Hope Center, and the Board of Directors for Masjid at-Tawhid. He is active in the criminal justice reform movement and has drafted legislation, policy and platform planks addressing systemic flaws in the criminal legal system. He has appeared on national and worldwide television and radio programs as an expert in criminal law and has been quoted in newspapers worldwide.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational
Subscribe to CAIR’s Email List
https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters
Subscribe to CAIR’s Twitter Feed
http://twitter.com/cairnational
Subscribe to CAIR’s YouTube Channel
Follow CAIR on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/cair_national/
Donate to CAIR
https://action.cair.com/a/donate
Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
If you would like to join CAIR’s media list, please sign up here: https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters — For more information, email: [email protected], CC [email protected]
END
CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Coordinator Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]