Learn More About the Panelists of This Weekends Conference
details enclosed.
Meet The Panelists
Dr. Jihad Saafir is the Founding Executive Director of Islah LA and Imam of Islah Academy, a K-8 Islamic school in Los Angeles. With a Ph.D. in Practical Theology and a Master's in Islamic Studies and Leadership from Bayan Claremont, Dr. Saafir brings deep expertise in faith-based community development. He has served as a prison chaplain and mosque leader, and his work has been recognized with honors such as the KCET Local Hero Award and the South Coast Interfaith Councils "Faith Leader of the Year." His leadership has advanced restorative practices in underserved communities, making him a vital voice in faith-rooted justice and healing.
Dr. Deana Helmy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the Director of Counseling Services at ICNA Reliefs Crescent Counseling Center in Fullerton. She also serves with Orange Countys Mental Health and Recovery Services. With advanced degrees in Counseling and Business Administration, Dr. Helmy brings a unique, holistic lens to her work in emotional and psychological healing.
In her restorative justice work, Dr. Helmy focuses on the healing journey of both victims and offenders, drawing from her expertise in positive psychology and trauma-informed care. Her approach centers on resilience, humility, and rebuilding connectionessential elements in the process of true accountability and communal healing.
Tabari Zahir is an Associate Clinical Social Worker (ACSW) and registered Alcohol and Drug Technician (RADT) specializing in dual diagnosis and trauma. With nearly two decades of experience, he works directly with the formerly incarcerated, helping individuals navigate substance use recovery and mental health challenges through a trauma-informed and spiritually grounded lens.
Holding a Master's in Clinical Social Work and a background in Arabic Language and Culture, Tabari integrates his deep understanding of faith and psychology to support healing and transformation. He has served as a teacher in Islamic institutions, a chaplain at UCLA, and a frequent khateeb across Southern California. His work bridges spiritual care and clinical practice, with a strong focus on mentoring youth and reconnecting them to purpose and community.
Dr. Samiha Rahman is an educator and scholar whose work centers on justice, healing, and liberation for youth and families navigating the intersections of race, religion, and education. She serves as an Assistant Professor of Human Development at California State University Long Beach and holds a Ph.D. in Africana Studies and Education from the University of Pennsylvania.
Her research explores how communitiesparticularly Black Muslim youthengage education and spiritual practice as tools for collective care and transformation. Dr. Rahman's work has been supported by leading institutions including the Mellon Foundation, Spencer Foundation, and the National Academy of Education. Her upcoming book, Black Muslim Freedom Dreams, follows a transnational community in the Tijani Sufi tradition working toward liberation across the U.S. and Senegal.
Dr. Azizah Ali is a dedicated school administrator with a strong commitment to cultivating trauma-informed, restorative school environments that prioritize the well-being of the whole child. With a proven track record of building high-performing teams, [he/she/they] focuses on enhancing teacher practice, fostering inclusive school culture, and using data-driven strategies to improve outcomes for both students and families.
Lii Furumoto is a passionate Community Advocate and Parent Organizer with a deep commitment to restorative justice, especially in educational settings. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Lii is of Japanese American and Chicana/Indigenous descent and embraced Islam in her early twenties. With over 25 years of experience in nonprofit and community organizing, she has co-founded the UCLA Student Initiated Access Center and served as Program Director for youth and parent programs at Asian Americans Advancing Justice LA and the Asian Youth Center and is the founder of Urban Visionaries, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth and communities.
Shaykh Suhail Mulla is a spiritual counselor and licensed social worker dedicated to holistic community healing. He currently serves as Director of the Los Angeles branch of the Khalil Center, Resident Scholar at the Islamic Society of West Valley, and Muslim Chaplain at Cal State Northridge (CSUN). With a background in both Islamic law and social welfareincluding a Masters from UCLA and Shariah studies from Al-Azhar Universityhe brings a unique integrative approach to faith and wellness.
Shaykh Suhail is the co-founder of the Muslim Marriage Rejuvenation Retreat and has supported individuals and couples through his roles at UMMA Clinic, LAUSD, and juvenile court systems. His work centers on strengthening relationships through compassion, communication, and faith-based restorative practices.
Ustadha Lobna Youssef Mulla is a community educator, speaker, and chaplain known for her warm, engaging approach to faith, relationships, and personal growth. With over 20 years of experience mentoring youth and supporting families, she brings a deep understanding of emotional and spiritual development to her work.
A former National Tarbiya Director of the Muslim American Society and current Muslim Chaplain at UCLA, Ustadha Lobna has led countless youth camps, study circles, and community classes. She also explores social issues through creative storytelling, holding a Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting from Chapman University and running her own YouTube channel, Double Shot Mocha Productions.
Her experience as a wife, mother, and student of Islamic sciencesincluding time spent studying in Egyptshapes her restorative approach to nurturing healthy marriages and family life. Ustadha Lobna lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Shaykh Suhail Mulla, and their four children.
Khalid Alexander comes from a powerful legacy of racial and social justice. His great-grandfather escaped enslavement to find refuge on an Indigenous reservation in Omaha, Nebraska. His grandfather became a labor organizer through the International Workers of the World, and his mother was a member of the Oakland chapter of the Black Panther Party. These roots shaped Khalids lifelong commitment to justice, dignity, and community care.
As the founder of Pillars of the Community, Khalid centers Islamic ethics in his organizing, advocating for humane, restorative approaches to safety and rehabilitation. His work calls on us to recognize the full humanity of all peopleespecially those at the intersections of systemic injusticeand to imagine a more just and compassionate future for our communities.
Umar Hakim-Dey is the Principal Founder of INKERIJ and Consulting Director for the Intellect, Love and Mercy Foundation. A committed community organizer and faith-based leader, Umar brings a deeply spiritual and heart-centered approach to restorative justice and collective care.
His journey with Islam began in 1998, inspired by the Quranic verse, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves. That teaching became the foundation of his lifelong commitment to transformationboth personal and communal.
Through initiatives like Humanitarian Day, a health fair and service event for unhoused communities, Umar helps bring people together around dignity, compassion, and shared humanity. His work embodies the essence of restorative practice: to give, to heal, and to serve from a wholehearted state of being.
Umars leadership is rooted in the belief that real change begins in the heartand that when we give with sincerity, we create the conditions for justice and mercy to flourish.
Restorative Justice in Muslim Communities
Saturday, May 10th, 2025
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM | Islamic Center of Southern California
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