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MUSLIMS ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE

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MAX 2022 Annual Highlights

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2021 Annual
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Inspiring leadership and empowering change in our communities

MAX was established to recognize and celebrate the excellent professional, educational and charitable contributions of Muslims in North America, & accelerate high achievement through academic and professional development.

271

Scholarships

271 scholarships awarded worth $1,111,200.00.

48

Awards

48 professional awards presented.

230

Senior Executives

Over 230 senior executives in the Max Aspire Platform.

500

Mentor-Mentee

Over 500 mentor-mentee pairs matched.

5

Cities

Max Mentors operating in 5 cities.

Our Sponsors

MAX Award Winners

Dr. Omolade Saliu (2021) — Dr. Omolade Saliu (2021)

Professional Excellence Award

Imam Dr. Abdul Hai Patel (2021) — Imam Dr. Abdul Hai Patel (2021)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Asalah Youssef (2021) — Asalah Youssef (2021)

Artist of the Year

Noora Sharrab (2021) — Noora Sharrab (2021)

Woman of the Year

Zehra Alibhai (2021) — Zehra Alibhai (2021)

Entrepreneur of the Year

Karen Scott (2021) — Karen Scott (2021)

Friend of the Community

Abdulla Idris Ali (2019) — Abdulla Idris Ali (2019)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Zainab Walji (2019) — Zainab Walji (2019)

Professional Excellence Award

Alaa Murabit (2019) — Alaa Murabit (2019)

Woman of the Year

Mohammad Al Zaibak (2019) — Mohammad Al Zaibak (2019)

Entrepreneur of the Year

Saima Khan (2019) — Saima Khan (2019)

Entrepreneur of the Year

Bernie Farber (2019) — Bernie Farber (2019)

Friend of the Community

Syrian Kids Foundation (2019) — Syrian Kids Foundation (2019)

Charity of the Year

Ambaro Guled (2019) — Ambaro Guled (2019)

Community Excellence Award

Mustafa Ahmed (2019) — Mustafa Ahmed (2019)

Artist of the Year

Ingrid Mattson (2018) — Ingrid Mattson (2018)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Khalid Usman (2018) — Khalid Usman (2018)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Hamid Slimi (2018) — Hamid Slimi (2018)

Professional Excellence Award

Aisha Ahmad & Samiya Abdi (2018) — Aisha Ahmad & Samiya Abdi (2018)

Woman of the Year

Nour Kaiss Soliman (2018) — Nour Kaiss Soliman (2018)

Entrepreneur of the Year

Ali Asaria (2018) — Ali Asaria (2018)

Entrepreneur of the Year

Brian Arthur Brown (2018) — Brian Arthur Brown (2018)

Friend of the Community

Nisa Homes (2018) — Nisa Homes (2018)

Charity of the Year

Mohamed Lachemi (2018) — Mohamed Lachemi (2018)

Community Excellence Award

Yasin Osman (2018) — Yasin Osman (2018)

Artist of the Year

Noor Ahmad (2018) — Noor Ahmad (2018)

MAX Mentor Award

Master Abdullah Sabree (2017) — Master Abdullah Sabree (2017)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Wahida Chishti Valiante (2017) — Wahida Chishti Valiante (2017)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr. Fuad Sahin (2017) — Dr. Fuad Sahin (2017)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Alia Hogben (2017) — Alia Hogben (2017)

Professional Excellence Award

Faisal Kutty (2017) — Faisal Kutty (2017)

Professional Excellence Award

Ziyaad Mia (2017) — Ziyaad Mia (2017)

Professional Excellence Award

Rabia Khedr (2017) — Rabia Khedr (2017)

Woman of the Year

Jahan Ali (2017) — Jahan Ali (2017)

Entrepreneur of the Year

Michelle Shephard (2017) — Michelle Shephard (2017)

Friend of the Community

Peel District School Board (2017) — Peel District School Board (2017)

Friend of the Community

Jim Estill (2017) — Jim Estill (2017)

Friend of the Community

Bonnie Crombie (2017) — Bonnie Crombie (2017)

Friend of the Community

IDRF (2017) — IDRF (2017)

Charity of the Year

Dr. Danyaal Raza (2016) — Dr. Danyaal Raza (2016)

Professional Excellence Award

Dr. Hind Al-Abadleh (2016) — Dr. Hind Al-Abadleh (2016)

Professional Excellence Award

Hussein Hamdani (2016) — Hussein Hamdani (2016)

Professional Excellence Award

Dr. Fariha Khan (2016) — Dr. Fariha Khan (2016)

Woman of the Year

Mohamad Fakih (2016) — Mohamad Fakih (2016)

Entrepreneur of the Year

Denis Edney (2016) — Denis Edney (2016)

Friend of the Community

Muslim Welfare Centre (2016) — Muslim Welfare Centre (2016)

Charity of the Year

Celebrating Excellence Among Canadian Muslims

Mamdouh Shoukri

President of York University

K-naan — K-naan

Poet & Rapper

Izzeldin Abuelaish — Izzeldin Abuelaish

Medical Doctor and Peace Prize Recipient

Dr. Ike Ahmed — Dr. Ike Ahmed

World Renowned Ophthamologist

Haroon Siddiqui — Haroon Siddiqui

Journalist, Order of Canada Award

David Wharnsby — David Wharnsby

Film Editor

Aaron Emes — Aaron Emes

Torys Law Firm Partner

Zarqa Nawaz — Zarqa Nawaz

Creator of CBC Hit Show

Zaib Shaikh — Zaib Shaikh

Actor

Zahra Al-Harazi — Zahra Al-Harazi

Founder of Foundry Communications

Walied Soliman — Walied Soliman

Chair Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP

Dr. Tyseer Abounlnasr — Dr. Tyseer Abounlnasr

First Female Dean of Engineering

Dr. Taufik Valiante — Dr. Taufik Valiante

Neurosurgeon

Salma Salman — Salma Salman

KPMG Partner

Sajjad Ebrahim — Sajjad Ebrahim

Entrepreneur

Nazem Kadri — Nazem Kadri

Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Player

Naheed Nenshi — Naheed Nenshi

Mayor of Calgary

Dr. Omolade Saliu (2021)

Professional Excellence Award

Dr. Omolade Saliu is an Executive Data Scientist & the Head of Data Science at IBM Canada’s Artificial Intelligence & Advanced Analytics Practice. He leads a team of Data Scientists, Data and Machine Learning Engineers across Canada to deliver innovative and enterprise scale AI solutions.⠀
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He has over 20 years of cross-sector consulting and research experience in providing thought leadership and delivering innovative AI & machine Learning and optimization solutions. He leads the IBM’s AI-at-Scale offering development in Canada. Dr. Saliu holds six (6) US patents and has two patents pending resulting from his work on the application of AI/ML to complex industry problems.⠀
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He is the author of numerous publications in international journals, conferences, and books and was featured in the Alberta Oil Magazine discussing the application of AI & ML in Energy & Mining. Dr. Saliu is an IBM certified Data Scientist Thought Leader.⠀

Imam Dr. Abdul Hai Patel (2021)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Imam Dr. Abdul Hai Patel is the Founder of Canadian Council of Imams, representing Islamic religious leadership. Currently, he is the Director of InterFaith relations. He has been serving as Imam and Community Leader for over 46 years in Canada.⠀
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He served as a Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission from 1999-2005 and is a past member of the National Board of Governors of Scouts Canada. Imam Dr. Patel is the immediate past President of Ontario MultiFaith Council, and a member of Interfaith Advisory Committee of the Federal Gov’t’s Corrections Canada. He is also a member of the Advisory Committee of Ontario Law Commission on End of Life Care. He is a Muslim Chaplain at the University of Toronto, York Regional Police, and has served as visiting Chaplain at CAM-H (Centre for Addiction & Mental Health) for three years. He served as a member of the Interfaith Committee and Chaplain for 2015 Pan Am & Para Pan Games in Toronto. He is also a Founder, Director and Patron in Chief of Muslim Children’s Aid and Support Service. ⠀
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Imam Dr. Patel is a recipient of the Governor General and Ontario Government’s awards for Community Service and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal. He is the Founder and member of several interfaith groups and is active in interfaith dialogues and training. Imam Dr. Patel is a regular speaker in national and international conferences and holds a Doctorate degree from the Canadian Institute of Islamic Studies. ⠀
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Being a Canadian gives him pride and a sense of belonging to a great country, that has provided countless opportunities for immigrants in search of a better life and a safe haven for refugees, irrespective of race, religion and nationalities. He strives to promote responsible citizenship and civic engagement among all newcomers.⠀

Asalah Youssef (2021)

Artist of the Year

Asalah Youssef is a Vancouver-based photographer, environmentalist, and well-being advocate.

She uses her love of imagery and storytelling to spark questions and create change. Her 2020 photo series, Screenshots of Home, captured over 40 diverse people from 20 countries around the world in their homes during quarantine through Facetime. This project became a visual journal of lockdown experience, everyday lives, common humanity, resilience, vulnerability and connection.

Youssef has been written about and interviewed by over 15 publications and media organizations such as the National Post, Globe and Mail, CTV, Breakfast Television and MTV. She has travelled across Canada speaking at the WE Day youth empowerment events and has presented at TedxYouth in Langley. She is a two-time finalist in the Chester Fields Photo Competition hosted by the Polygon Gallery, North Vancouver, and has exhibited in Fort Langley and at the Ryerson School of Image Arts, Toronto.

Noora Sharrab (2021)

Woman of the Year

Noora Sharrab is the CEO and co-Founder of Sitti Social Enterprise Limited. She obtained her Masters degree in Political Science with a Specialization in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies at York University in Toronto, Canada. In 2009 she co-founded an NGO called, Hopes for Women in Education (hopesforwomen.org), to provide higher-education scholarships, skills training and online language development (via Banaat Connect – banaatconnect.org) to refugee and displaced women in Jordan.

For several years Noora has worked with United Nations agencies in Jordan focusing on education, international development and relief services. In 2013, she partnered with Jacqueline Sofia to establish a Social Enterprise: Sitti (www.sittisoap.com) with the purpose to empower refugee communities to become self-reliant through employment and to help enhance their opportunity to become financially independent and self-sustainable.

Noora is an Advisory Council member with UNHCR Canada, and an Advisory Council Member with WeConnect International (Canada). She is also an ELLA altitude Participant and most recently a Canadian SheEO Venture Winner. Noora Sharrab has trained and worked with hundreds of refugees and served over 1000 refugees locally in the community. Her active role working with refugee communities in Jordan pushed her towards fundraising and building a Women’s Centre in the Gaza Refugee Camp in Jerash, Jordan. It currently employs over 30 full-time refugee women and men with disabilities.

Zehra Alibhai (2021)

Entrepreneur of the Year

Zehra Allibhai is the Founder of TheFitNest. She is a kinesiologist, fitness trainer, social media Influencer and entrepreneur who shares her passion for health, wellness and fitness with women across Canada and around the world. ⠀
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Following the success of her online Fitness Challenges which have helped thousands of women all over the world, Zehra successfully launched her own line of fitness equipment earlier this year. She continues to leverage her expertise in the space to establish new and exciting collaborations and launch new products for her community. ⠀
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She uses her social media platforms (with a following of over 300,000 across different channels) to help empower women to focus on their health and well-being as well as that of their families. She has been featured in many high-profile international publications and is a regular Fitness Contributor on CityLine TV. Zehra is also actively engaged with a number of local and national charities helping to raise donations and awareness for important causes.

Karen Scott (2021)

Friend of the Community

Karen Scott is the Executive Director of Muslim Children’s Aid and Support Services, a registered charity since 2004 whose mission is to be an overarching child protection and support agency for the diverse Muslim community. In this role, Karen grounded the Scarborough Simbas and Lives Rewritten in Mind, Body and Spirit programs to build resilience in newcomer Canadian children. ⠀
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Karen served as the co-chair of her church’s committee which sponsored one of the first Syrian refugee families in 2015. Refugee sponsorship turned Karen’s world upside down: changing her and her world views profoundly and enriching her life beyond measure. Karen remains actively involved in private refugee sponsorship and currently serves on the Board of the Private Refugee Sponsor Network (Ontario). ⠀
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Karen is grateful every day to her refugee family for the opportunity to walk beside them in their resettlement, and to all refugee families, staff, volunteers, Board, and numerous members of the community who have befriended, educated, supported, trusted, and inspired her. With God’s help, and her long-standing commitment to peace and social justice, Karen is dedicated to doing everything that she can to make a difference for Muslim children, youth, and families.⠀

Abdulla Idris Ali (2019)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr. Abdalla Idris Ali was born in Sudan and immigrated to Canada in 1977 as a graduate student at the University of Toronto, pursuing his Ph.D. in International Relations. His work in education began as a teacher of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the Islamic Centre of Toronto. In 1982, he laid down the foundation of the first full-time Islamic school in Canada and served as the Principal of the Islamic Community School. Dr. Abdalla Idris was later appointed to the Executive Council of the Islamic Society of North America and then elected to its consultative body. This led him to serving as President of ISNA from 1992 through 1997. He is also a founding Board member of the Council of Islamic Schools in North America where he developed and implemented Islamic and Arabic Studies curricula for elementary and junior high students. In 1998, Dr. Abdalla Idris moved to the United States as a curriculum consultant to the Universal Foundation, and then was appointed Director at the Center for Islamic Education in North America in Kansas City, Missouri. He also became a member of the Board of Trustees I.B.E.R.R., a unique organization headed by Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens which services minority communities in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Britain, South Africa and Nigeria. Upon returning to Canada in 2008, Dr. Abdalla Idris started serving as the Secretary General of ISNA Canada. For the last 10 years, Dr. Abdalla Idris has chaired the ISNA Education Forum that attracts more than 250 schools and close to a thousand teachers every year. In 2017, he decided to retire, however the community asked him to stay on as Director of Outreach and Community Development. Today he is serving as the Senior Community Relations Adviser.

Zainab Walji (2019)

Professional Excellence Award

Zainab is a Deals Partner & Inclusion Champion at PwC Canada and a CPA, CGA. Her professional excellence led her to be one of the youngest to be admitted into PwC Canada’s Partnership. An advocate for women, Zainab co-sponsors PwC’s Women in Leadership Program, mentors young professionals and speaks on panels about the importance of gender equity in the workplace. As an Inclusion Champion, Zainab leads by example to foster an inclusive culture and empower employees to bring their whole selves to work. During her partner admission process, she made the decision to wear her hijab and has spoken openly about this very personal decision, inspiring many to live authentically. Zainab has two daughters who inspire her to make the world a better place for future generations. Zainab is an active member in her community, involved at her children’s school, her mosque and with various charities. She is often volunteering with her family, and in 2017, travelled to Iraq with them to deliver donations to Dar-al-Zahra Orphanage.

Alaa Murabit (2019)

Woman of the Year

Mohammad Al Zaibak (2019)

Entrepreneur of the Year

Syrian-born Arab-Canadian entrepreneur Mohammad Al Zaibak is a co-founder of several information technology services companies in Canada and abroad, and was the principal private-sector architect and co-founder of Teranet Inc. Mohammad is President of Canadian Development and Marketing Corporation, Member of the Board of Governors of Ryerson University, Founding Luminary and Director of Luminato Festival, Founding President of Bay Tree Foundation, and Founding Director and President of Lifeline Syria. He is the immediate past Chair of the Board of Directors of Canada Arab Business Council, and Founding Director and CEO of Teranet Inc. He also served as a Member of the Board of Trustees of the ROM, and as Member of the Boards of: Waterfront Toronto, Canadian Chamber of Commerce and Toronto Community Foundation. Mohammad was the recipient of the Toronto Region Builder Award from the Toronto Region Board of Trade (2018), and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012) and Golden Jubilee Medal (2002). He is a graduate of the Harvard School of Business Administration (HBS OPM XII) and holds a B.Sc. in Telecommunications and Electro-Physics Engineering (Alexandria University).

Saima Khan (2019)

Entrepreneur of the Year

SAIMASCORNER is a brand created by Saima Khan – a social media influencer known for her fashion blog and hijab tutorials. She graduated from University of Toronto majoring in sociology and minoring in anthropology and psychology. From an early age, fashion was her passion. Growing up as a hijabi woman in a western country, Saima felt restricted with her options and styles when it came to fashion. This is why she wanted to create her own brand revolving around modesty. Saima’s goal is to inspire others to feel and look confident in modest clothing. Her mission is to offer great quality clothing in a variety of styles and colours to accommodate for various personal styles. She strives to provide women all around the world with hijabs, accessories and modest clothing. As a result she hopes to empower women by making them feel and look confident while dressing modestly.

Bernie Farber (2019)

Friend of the Community

Acknowledged as one of Canada’s most accomplished NGO CEOs, Bernie Farber’s career spans more than a quarter century focused on human rights, pluralism and inter-ethnic/faith/race relations. Recognized and called upon by the courts, media and law enforcement as an expert in human and civil rights he is one of the few in the field to be accepted by Canadian Courts as an expert in hate crime, white supremacy and anti-racism. His efforts have been documented in numerous Canadian Human Rights publications, books, newspapers, film documentaries and magazines. Mr. Farber has successfully run large NGO’s and Foundations such as Canadian Jewish Congress, the Paloma Foundation and the Mosaic Institute all focused on social justice and human rights. He has worked closely with the Canadian Muslim community in countering all forms of Islamophobia. He is a skilled consultant on matters of social justice, and he writes for various newspapers in Canada and the USA. He is Chair of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network and sits as an advisory board member of Human Rights Watch Canada. He chairs the Rights and Ethics Committee for Community Living Toronto and is a former co-Chair of the Ontario Anti-Racism Directorate.

Syrian Kids Foundation (2019)

Charity of the Year

The Syrian Kids Foundation (SKF) is a Montreal based charity that provides free education to Syrian refugee children in the city of Reyhanli, Turkey. Located 5 kilometers from the border with Syria, the region has seen a large influx of Syrian refugees since 2011, where asylum-seeking families soon discovered they had no access to education for their children. In 2012, the SKF created the Al Salam school, providing employment to over 100 Syrian refugees, where approximately 2000 Syrian children are in attendance. The school provides a safe and nurturing environment where children have dignity and peace after so much hardship. The SKF also cares for its students even after graduation from Al Salam, partnering with Concordia University in Montreal to provide scholarships to 5 recent Al Salam graduates who are currently in pursuit of bachelor’s degrees in science and engineering.

Ambaro Guled (2019)

Community Excellence Award

Dr. Ambaro Musse Guled arrived to Canada in 1991 with a degree in Medicine, specializing in gynaecology and obstetrics. She initially worked many odd jobs and volunteered in Brantford and Toronto. Since 1993, Dr. Guled has worked at Toronto’s Regent Park Community Health Centre as a Community Health Worker/Case manager helping immigrants, newcomers and refugees with settlement services, health care, accessibility and advocacy issues related to health, education, immigration, legal, and social services. She helps run programs, such as the African men’s group, advocacy for single mothers, Newcomers Homework Club for children, and adult ESL. Her hard work has been acknowledged by the Wadajir Ramadan Award (2000), Ve’ahavta Tikkun Olam Education Award (2009), Canada’s Citizenship Award (2010), RPCHC 25 Years of Service (2018), and others. She is a proud Canadian citizen, helping and advocating for people who need assistance integrating into Canadian society. Ambaro works to support individuals of all ages, regardless of their faith and culture.

Mustafa Ahmed (2019)

Artist of the Year

Mustafa Ahmed, also known as Mustafa the Poet, is a 22 year old Grammy award winning songwriter & activist from Regent Park, Toronto. He’s created social projects for his city with Drake & has co-written songs with The Weeknd, Camila Cabello, Usher, James Blake & more. A song he co-wrote, Sucker by the Jonas Brothers, debuted at #1 on the billboard 100. He collaborated with the power fashion house Maison Valentino on their (FW 19/20) women’s collection, his work was embroidered on over 40 pieces in the collection. He sat as the Ontario representative on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s youth council. He was the Poet Laureate for the 2015 Pan American games & is a TD scholar. He’s currently completing his debut music project.

Ingrid Mattson (2018)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Khalid Usman (2018)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Hamid Slimi (2018)

Professional Excellence Award

Aisha Ahmad & Samiya Abdi (2018)

Woman of the Year

Nour Kaiss Soliman (2018)

Entrepreneur of the Year

Ali Asaria (2018)

Entrepreneur of the Year

Brian Arthur Brown (2018)

Friend of the Community

Nisa Homes (2018)

Charity of the Year

Mohamed Lachemi (2018)

Community Excellence Award

Yasin Osman (2018)

Artist of the Year

Noor Ahmad (2018)

MAX Mentor Award

Master Abdullah Sabree (2017)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Wahida Chishti Valiante (2017)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr. Fuad Sahin (2017)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Alia Hogben (2017)

Professional Excellence Award

Faisal Kutty (2017)

Professional Excellence Award

Ziyaad Mia (2017)

Professional Excellence Award

Rabia Khedr (2017)

Woman of the Year

Jahan Ali (2017)

Entrepreneur of the Year

Michelle Shephard (2017)

Friend of the Community

Peel District School Board (2017)

Friend of the Community

Jim Estill (2017)

Friend of the Community

Bonnie Crombie (2017)

Friend of the Community

IDRF (2017)

Charity of the Year

Dr. Danyaal Raza (2016)

Professional Excellence Award

Dr. Hind Al-Abadleh (2016)

Professional Excellence Award

Hussein Hamdani (2016)

Professional Excellence Award

Dr. Fariha Khan (2016)

Woman of the Year

Mohamad Fakih (2016)

Entrepreneur of the Year

Denis Edney (2016)

Friend of the Community

Muslim Welfare Centre (2016)

Charity of the Year

Mamdouh Shoukri

President of York University

K-naan

Poet & Rapper

Izzeldin Abuelaish

Medical Doctor and Peace Prize Recipient

Dr. Ike Ahmed

World Renowned Ophthamologist

Haroon Siddiqui

Journalist, Order of Canada Award

David Wharnsby

Film Editor

Aaron Emes

Torys Law Firm Partner

Zarqa Nawaz

Creator of CBC Hit Show

Zaib Shaikh

Actor

Zahra Al-Harazi

Founder of Foundry Communications

Walied Soliman

Chair Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP

Dr. Tyseer Abounlnasr

First Female Dean of Engineering

Dr. Taufik Valiante

Neurosurgeon

Salma Salman

KPMG Partner

Sajjad Ebrahim

Entrepreneur

Nazem Kadri

Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Player

Naheed Nenshi

Mayor of Calgary