Board Leadership

Board Leadership

Board Chair – Dr. Syed Khaja Hussain

Dr. Syed Khaja Hussain has been part of St. Louis community for the  last twenty six years.  He is the previous chairman of the Majlis Al Shura of the Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis and a member of the shura for the last 20 years; He has also served as Vice-Chair of IFGSTL as well as  General Secretary of Islamic Foundation and past chair of Social Services committee. He has also served as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Center for Head Injury Services of St Louis. He was the chair of Al-Salam Day School board from 2013-2017 and was reappointed as the Chair of the board in June 2023.

Vice-Chair – Sr. Jaime Dodd (Strategy and Policy adviser – Early Childhood Education)

Dr. Jaime Dodd specializes in the research and application of Montessori theory and practice in early childhood educational settings. She is a member of the executive leadership team for a nonprofit, educational and research institution in St. Louis, Missouri where she has invested more than two decades of her life, representing the greater part of her professional career. Dr. Dodd has served on Al Salam Day School Board continuously, from 2017 to the present. She serves on the board of various St. Louis area non-profit entities, focused primarily on educational, humanitarian and/or healthcare concerns. Dr. Dodd’s passion is manifest in her work with the American Islamic Montessori Association (AIMA), a professional membership organization to advance Islamic Montessori Education (IME) as a bridge to foster understanding, promote education and expand peace across the U.S. and around the globe.

 

Afnan Chikhani

Afnan Chikhani is a Syrian American member of the St. Louis community and a current board member of both the Islamic foundation of greater St. Louis ( IFGSTL)and Al Salam Day School (ADS). She is deeply committed to both educational improvement and fostering a strong Muslim community in St. Louis. Her involvement in both IFGSTL and ADS demonstrates her dedication to supporting educational initiatives and promoting Muslim values and character development within the community.She is a nutritionist with a Masters of Arts in health advancement and promotion. She possesses a deep understanding on various aspects of health, including nutrition, physical activity, mental health. She also has a background in Islamic study since her high school years. This background allows her to advocate for programs that prioritize the overall well-being of students, promoting healthy lifestyles and addressing health disparities within the school community. Her focus is to bridge the gap between health and education, fostering partnerships and initiatives that promote holistic well-being within the school environment.

Ahmad Karadaghy

Ahmad Karadaghy is a physician and member of the St. Louis muslim community since 1996. Joined the board of Al-Salam Day school in 2023 with a vision to expand and advance the mission of the school to meet the expanding needs of our muslim community and put our school on the map as a well established learning institution, providing high quality education in an Islamic environment.

Faten Tamimi

Faten Tamimi is an alumni of ADS. She attended as a student in first grade when ADS was initially founded and located in the basement of West Pine Masjed in St. Louis University. She was in fourth grade when the new campus was built and only a few classes were available in the basement of Dar Ul-lslam Masjed. Faten is a medicinal chemist and certified Toxicologist. At one point she taught chemistry to ADS Highschool students. She is a lifelong devout community member who has sent all 4 of her children to ADS at various times. Faten joined the board in June 2023.

Salman Syed

Salman is currently the global director of Data & Analytics at Slalom. His passion for organizational effectiveness and problem-solving extends beyond the corporate world, where he actively contributes to the well-being of his community. He is an advocate for education. By leveraging his experience, harnessing the power of data, and fostering collaboration within the community, Salman believes we can build a brighter future for generations to come. He is dedicated to using his platform and skills to champion education, empower educators, and ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. Salman has served as former chair and is a current board member of both the IFGSTL and ADS. His dedication to education goes even further, with his role as a founding board member of the American Islamic Montessori Association (AIMA) and former VP and current board member of CISNA.