Board of Directors

2007 - 2009

Chair, Pamela Taylor

Pamela Taylor is a co-founder of MPV, multi-genre writer and free-lance editor. She is the Director of the Islamic Writers Alliance, an a member of the advisory board of the Network of Spiritual Progressives. She is also member of the National Writers Union, the Muslim American Journalists Association, and the ACLU. Her poetry has won several international awards. Her columns have been published in national newspapers such as the Dallas Morning News, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, and in the Muslim media in venues such as MuslimWakeUp.com, The American Muslim, and NaseebVibes. She is a contributor to the Newsweek-Washington Post On Faith panel. Pamela also speaks on Islam, progressive values, and women, and has given lectures at many universities and conferences. She received a Masters of Theological Studies with a concentration in Islamic Studies from Harvard Divinity School. Her website is http://www.pktaylor.com/. She has a personal blog at Warped Galaxies, and she contributes to the Hope and Politics Blog.

President, Ani Zonneveld

Ani is a co-founder of MPV, a songwriter, producer, singer and a multi-instrumentalist. She has worked with many different artists with releases in Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Germany, the U.K., Japan, and the U.S. Her work in Malaysia resulted in an Album of the Year award at the AIMM, which is the Malaysian equivalent of the Grammy. She also contributed a song to Keb’ Mo’s album “Keep It Simple” which helped him win a Grammy (2005) in the Contemporary Blues category, a song for the Grammy nominated album “Big Wide Grin” (2003) performed by Grammy winners Keb’Mo’ and Brenda Russell, and to Melissa Manchester’s latest release called “Thank You For Your Faith In Me”. Ani contributed three songs for Japanese artist Yuki. Her album ‘Joy’ was at #1 for several weeks. In the genre of Islamic music, she has produced Irfan Makki’s first album for SoundVision called “Salam”, and recorded vocals with Dawud Wharnsby Ali. Recently Ani’s undertaken a personal journey through an Islamic pop project called “Ummah Wake Up” and “One” (www.a-n-i.net). Her speaking and singing engagement includes Churches, Synagogues, peace vigils, panel discussions, magazines, and radio and television features.

Vice-Chair, Kareem Elbayar

Kareem Elbayar is a JD and MA - International Affairs candidate at the George Washington University Law School. A scholar of politics and law of the Middle East and North Africa, he works for the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law on law reform projects throughout the Arab world.

Secretary, Nooreen Dabbish

Nooreen Dabbish is an aspiring physician-scientist in the University of Pennsylvania’s MD/PhD program. She organizes a local group for progressive muslims of Philadelphia.

Interfaith Coordinator, Vanessa Karam

Vanessa Karam is Assistant Professor and Chair of Languages at the Buddhist-affiliated University of the West, near Los Angeles. She holds an MA in Islamic Studies and Linguistics.

New Media Coordinator, Sabahat Ashraf

Sabahat Ashraf is a writer, blogger and activist. The founder of http://humanrights.progressiveislam.org and other efforts, he has a degree in engineering, a Masters’ in Technical Communication and has been active in social causes in Pakistan and the US.

Sammer Aboelela

Sammer Aboelela is a photographer, writer, and activist. His work has appeared in the NYC publications ARAMICA and The Brooklyn Rail and the online journal LOGOS as well as the website altmuslim.com. In September 2006 he travelled with a peace delegation to Sudan in an effort to promote dialogue as a means to help resolve, and promote awareness of, the Darfurian humanitarian crisis. He also organizes the New York City Progressive Muslim Meetup which has over 500 members and meets weekly.