Our Speakers
Sayed M. Baqir Qazwini
Sayed Mohammad Baqir is a religious scholar, speaker, and author. He studied for ten years at the Islamic Seminary of Qom, and is currently continuing his studies at the Islamic Seminary of Najaf. He has also completed a BA in Sociology from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. In 2017, Sayed B founded Al-Hujjah Islamic Seminary, which currently offers over fifty courses with 1,193 lessons that are available online.
Dr. Arezou Babri
Dr. Arezou Babri B.Sc., ND is a board-certified Naturopathic Doctor, the founder of Armaiti Wellness and creator of both the Sovereign Soul Podcast & Expansive Journal. Dr. Babri's philosophy in medicine is "Whole Human Healing." This means to treat the whole person we must take into account every aspect that makes them who they are, including the physical body, their mental-emotional state, their spiritual wellbeing and the collection of experiences that have led them to this point in time. Dr. Babri looks for patterns of disharmony in the body by weaving together a story told by the manifestation of physical symptoms. She uses a functional medicine approach to determine the root cause of illness. Her goal is to restore harmony among the various systems of the body and return her patients to a balanced state of health and vitality.
Nouri Sardar
Nouri Sardar is a poet and filmmaker born and raised in London. His poetry focuses on the Ahlulbayt the Prophet Muhammad and his family), on divine love, spirituality and on issues of social justice. He has published five books of poetry and produced multiple albums commemorating the epic of Ashura. Through books, albums and videos, his poetry is read and heard avidly by readers and listeners worldwide. As a filmmaker, Nouri has produced and directed dozens of documentaries and short films tackling various issues that affect the Muslim community. He also serves as an advisory board member at the Shia Professional Association for Creativity & Education.
Dr. Payam Mohseni
Dr. Payam Mohseni is the Director of the Project on Shi’ism and Global Affairs at Harvard University’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs and manages Visions, Harvard’s leading online publication on all matters pertaining to global Shi’ism. He is also a Lecturer in the Department of Government at Harvard University and served as a Lecturer on Islamic Studies at the Harvard Divinity School. At Harvard, he teaches Iranian and Middle East politics as well as Islam and is a multiple recipient of the Harvard Excellence in Teaching award. Dr. Mohseni is an active term member of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in New York and also a Faculty Affiliate of the Program in Islamic Law at the Harvard Law School (HLS) and the Center for Middle Eastern Studies (CMES) at Harvard University.
Mohammad Taher
Over the past few years, Mohammad has built an online community of over 400,000 people on social media where he educates about the aviation industry and the engineering that keeps it ticking!
As well as being an educator and international speaker, Mohammad is also the Aerodrome Systems Specialist for Heathrow Airport where he ensures the safe and efficient operation of the busiest airport on the UK.
Mohammad works hand in hand with organizations including the IET, The Royal Academy of Engineering and Fantasy Wings in order to inspire a future generation of Engineers and Aviators from underrepresented backgrounds into the industry he loves!
Aadil Rizvi
Aadil Rizvi is a flight software engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory where he began his career building spacecraft and robotic systems for space exploration. Over the past decade, his contributions have enabled us to land a rover on Mars, fly the first aircraft on another planet and develop technologies for exploring the Moon, near-Earth asteroids and returning samples from Mars. He's currently leading the flight software team in building a network of mobile robots that can cooperate to accomplish a task without human intervention autonomously on the surface of the Moon. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in Electrical engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Zuhair Hussaini
Zuhair is a New York City-based architectural designer specializing in the science and technology sector. He graduated from the New York Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Architecture and Design upon completing his thesis on the rebuilding of the al-Baqi’ Cemetery. Currently, he is working towards his license under the State of New York. Apart from architecture, Zuhair is an avid fan of Islamic art and Arabic calligraphy. He experiments with contemporary and traditional styles through different mediums such as paintings and digital art.
After Maghrib Podcast
The late night buzz - Shia Muslim podcast featuring co-hosts Ahmed Abbas and Sayed Ali Radhawi. They delve into some of the most contentious and pertinent issues each week with laughs and debates along the way.
Dr. Sayed Hadi Qazwini
Dr. Sayyid Hadi Qazwini is a scholar, educator, and public speaker. He currently serves as a Chaplain at The Claremont Colleges. For the past 20 years, he has educated audiences across the globe on a wide range of topics related to Islam and Muslims. He completed advanced training in traditional Islamic studies in Qum and acquired a Ph.D. in Religion and Islamic Studies from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where he currently resides with his family.
Zehra Naqvi
Zehra Naqvi is an educator, award-winning writer, and the founder and director of The Estuary Institute, which offers interdisciplinary arts education for lifelong longers seeking to better understand the pressing issues facing our planet. As an educator, Zehra has designed programming for diverse audiences, including ed-tech companies, digital media, and nonprofits. As a writer, Zehra has published fiction, poetry, and non-fiction internationally. She was awarded the 2021 Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers by the Writers' Trust of Canada. Her debut book, The Knot of My Tongue, is set to appear in bookstores nationwide in Spring 2024. Zehra holds a B.A. (Hons.) in English and Creative Writing from UBC and Master's degrees in Migration Studies and Social Anthropology from Oxford University, where she studied as a Rhodes Scholar.
Dr. Sheikh Faiyaz Jaffer
Dr. Sheikh Faiyaz Jaffer is the Research Scholar for the Islamic Center at New York University and an Associate Chaplain for the Center of Global & Spiritual Life at NYU. He holds a doctorate in education from New York University, with a focus on the identity development of Shia youth in the United States. Pursuing the classical course of Islamic education, he studied in the Seminary of Karbala, Iraq, one of the most prominent centers for Islamic learning.
Dr. Seyed Hadi Yassin
Dr. Yassin is a Clinical Psychologist and a Certified Professional Coach (CPC), specializing in children, parenting, and relationships. He undertook a master’s program in psychology, with an emphasis on child development. Dr. Yassin is the founder of H.A.D.I. Life coaching which provides services for clients nationwide since 2013. He is the founding editor of the Psychology Student Research Journal (PSRJ) under the supervision of CSUSB department of psychology. He also served as the behavioral instructor/Associate Clinical Supervisor, assisting families with Autistic children.
Irfan Bhimji
Irfaan Bhimji is a dedicated Career Coach and Interview Pro, with over a decade of expertise in the tech and consulting domains. His mission is crystal clear: he helps individuals unlock success in the competitive realm of Big Tech. With a rich background working alongside industry giants like Apple, Irfaan has mastered the art of breaking into the tech sector.
Specializing in guiding aspiring tech professionals, recent graduates, and mid-career individuals, Irfaan offers tailored support to refine interview skills, optimize resumes, and navigate the complexities of the tech industry. His coaching philosophy centers on personalized guidance, strategic insights, and unwavering support, empowering clients to achieve their career goals.