MWM Team
Zaiba Hasan
Executive Director / Host
Zaiba Hasan is an American Muslim who grew up biracial and bicultural. Born and raised in Chicago, Zaiba’s Irish/Pakistani heritage and interfaith upbringing gave her a head start navigating between identities. It’s, therefore, no surprise that she is frequently invited to speak at interfaith events since her background makes her a natural at bridging gaps between Muslims and non-Muslims in the United States. A degree in Political Science and Communication further shaped Zaiba’s outlook on issues like race, immigration, and nationalism, as well as her parenting philosophy, which is geared towards raising compassionate, responsible global citizens. When she isn’t busy with podcasting, public speaking, fostering interfaith community, or working with her parent coaching clients at Emerge Consulting Solutions, Zaiba can usually be found on the basketball court or baseball field with her husband and their four children.
Uzma Jafri
Executive Producer / Host
Uzma Jafri grew up in Houston, the daughter of Muslim immigrants from Pakistan and India. This turned out to be good preparation for confronting people’s misconceptions about both Muslims and Texans. Coming from a traditional Muslim family and being “unapologetically” Muslim, while still identifying with American culture, made Uzma hyperaware of the dangers that arise when people conflate culture and religion. Today, Uzma is a physician running her own practice in Phoenix, medical director of an assisted living and hospice agency, and graduate medical faculty. She is also a certified speaker for the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Arizona and volunteers with multiple organizations to support refugees. However, she considers all of these as side gigs to her real full-time occupation: being Ammi to her 4 kids.
Joseph BalianExecutive Audio Engineer
Joseph Balian is an avid storyteller with more than 20 years of experience in television, radio and podcasting. He has received the coveted Edward R. Murrow Award for Journalistic Excellence, as well as four Emmy Awards, seven Emmy Award nominations, and two Associated Press Awards. Joseph grew up in Los Angeles, but has traveled the country telling stories in Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Arizona. A die-hard Kansas City Chiefs fan, Joseph lives in Phoenix with his wife and two sons.
Saira SufiEvent Director
Saira Sufi was born in Topeka, Kansas to Pakistani physicians who came to the United States in 1972. She attended the University of Kansas and has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and minored in Women's Studies Saira also has an Event Management Certificate from The George Washington University and has worked on Capitol Hill, for the Civil War Preservation Trust, Booz Allen Hamilton and recently as the Director of Volunteers and Community Engagement at Cornerstones. She left Cornerstones in September of 2017 when her son, Hadi, was diagnosed with Severe Aplastic Anemia and went through immunotherapy as well as two bone marrow transplants at the National Institutes of Health. Hadi passed away in October of 2018. Saira has devoted her time to increasing awareness of bone marrow failure diseases and the need for medical research through her website and blog, www.teamwatience.com. Saira is in her words: a child loss experiencer, a bone marrow failure awareness/medical research advocate, a Muslim, a Kansan, a mother of twins, the mother of an aplastic anemia warrior, a divorcée, an event manager, and an honest and unintentional writer.
Feroz FaiziProduction Assistant
Shehla Faizi, is a mum of two boys, with bachelor's in Graphic Design and master's in Strategic Communications. In 2020 she decided to channel her passion for illustration and graphic design to start her freelance business, "Creative Cookie Jar" (www.creativecookiejar.com), to help small businesses and podcasts with all their graphic design, brand illustrations and podcast editing needs.
She also hosts and produces her own podcast, "I'm A Muslim (And That's Okay!)", which showcases the diversity of Muslims within the U.S.
You can listen to her podcast on all major podcast platforms and on www.imamuslimpodcast.com and you can keep up with her podcast updates on Instagram @imamuslimpodcast.
In her spare time, Shehla loves to bike, do Jiu-jitsu, and spoil her four cats rotten!