CONSULTANTS
Magda Elkadi Saleh
has been an administrator in Islamic schools since 1992 and is currently Director of Bayaan Academy in Tampa. In her 24 years in Administration, she has spearheaded Accreditation, Strategic Planning, Marketing & Fundraising, the development of the IB Diploma Programme, and building relationships with other schools and organizations. She has served on Accreditation Evaluation Teams for over 10 years and has provided guidance to Boards and Administrators at Islamic schools throughout Florida and the United States.
Necva Ozgur
is the founder and Executive Director of MERIT and the founding School Head of New Horizon School Pasadena (NHSP). She has an M.S. degree in Pharmacy and an M.A. degree in Human Development. She played a pivotal role in establishing NHSP and led the school to its accreditation from WASC and CAIS. Ms. Ozgur served as a trustee of several non-profit organizations, and was a member of The Non-Profit Executive Forum and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. She is currently serving on the Islamic Society of North America’s (ISNA) Education Forum Programming Committee, on the Board of the Council of Islamic Schools of North America (CISNA), and is the board chair of Bayan Claremont Graduate School.
Souheil Zekri
has a Ph.D. in Nano-Biomaterials Engineering from the University of South Florida (USF). He worked with the Hillsborough county public and private schools in collaboration with USF and the National Science Foundation (NSF) for 5 years to improve STEM education. He also served as an Assistant Principal, then Principal, at American Youth Academy and has been a member of Florida Council of Independent Schools (FCIS) accrediting teams. Dr. Zekri has logged hundreds of hours conducting professional development workshops and is currently focused on serving K-12 and Higher Ed institutions through Bright Future Educational Services, LLC, which he has co-founded. Dr. Zekri also teaches and conducts research at the University of South Florida
Sufia Azmat
a certified teacher who has served in Islamic organizations for over 20 years. She has taught students from 2nd to 12th grade with an emphasis on teaching English and Literature. Ms. Azmat majored in Political Science at the University of Chicago and specialized in Management and Marketing at the Graduate School of Business at Northern Illinois University. Ms. Azmat served as Head of the Middle School at Noor-Ul-Iman School in NJ and is now Principal of American Youth Academy in Tampa, FL. She is also the Executive Director of the Council of Islamic Schools in North America (CISNA). Ms. Azmat’s passion is working with Islamic Schools to set up systems and processes to improve upon everything they do. She works towards that goal by serving on accreditation teams and consulting with various Islamic Schools throughout the country.
Susan Labadi
designs Professional Development training and curriculum content through Genius School, Inc. She earned her M.A.T. in Secondary Social Studies from National-Louis University and a B.A. degree in Psychology and Sociology from Northern Illinois University. Her expertise was developed at Islamic Foundation School, where she served 9 years as Instructor and Assistant Principal. She also provides Accreditation Consultation and has reviewed schools in Illinois and other states with AdvancEd, worked with New Jersey Association of Independent Schools, and the State of Illinois. Susan has devoted social marketing and website management for the American Halal Association, and is Marketing Director and an advisor for DEFINE/LeaderLaunch, an after-school, values-based program.
Muhammad Aftab Diwan
is currently working as the Superintendent at the Islamic School of Irving, in Dallas, Texas. He acquired a Master’s in Education from Pepperdine University and completed his Bachelors in Elementary Education from California State University Northridge. Additionally, Mr. Diwan acquired formal training and certification from the Love and Logic Institute in Denver, Colorado as a Facilitator. He has been involved in the field of education and youth development for over 20 years and has presented workshops and seminars at local and national events. Mr. Diwan also serves on the ISNA Education Forum Planning Committee..
Leila Shatara
earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Florida Atlantic University where she also serves as an adjunct professor in the Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry. Ms. Shatara served in leadership positions in public and Islamic schools for 14 years. As principal she led her school to its initial accreditation by SACS-FCIS and helped the school establish a high school program. She taught elementary, middle and high school for ten years in public school and holds 5 certifications and endorsements through the FLDOE. She has worked as an educational consultant since 2012, focusing on principal and teacher training. She currently serves as the CISNA Vice Chair, Council of Islamic Schools of South Florida –Vice Chair, is a member of the Education Forum Planning Committee, and holds board positions in several educational institutions.
Fawzia Mai Tung
earned an M.B.B.S. from the University of Jordan, as well as an Adv. Dip. Ed. from the University of London. After retiring from Psychiatry and Journalism, she founded the Chinese Community School in Jeddah, homeschooled her seven children, served as principal of the Arizona Cultural Academy, and taught Anatomy and Physiology at the Estrella Mountain Community College before founding and running a K-8 charter school, Aim High Institute, and a private PreK-12 school, Pax Academy. Dr. Tung has previously served on the ISNA Education Forum Planning Committee and is presently Secretary of the Board of the Islamic Schools League of America. She is the founder of Tung Education Resources, LLC.
