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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Irshad Altheimer
Barakah Muslim Charity’s President
Irshad Altheimer is the Executive Director and co-founder of Barakah Muslim Charity. He has nearly 20 years of leadership experience in the American Muslim Community. He accepted Islam in December 2000 while attending graduate school at Washington State University. Shortly thereafter, he served as the MSA vice president and president, respectively. Upon completion of his doctorate, Irshad moved to Detroit, Michigan where he remained active in the Muslim community. He served as the faculty advisor for the Wayne State University Muslim Student Association. He also served on the boards of the Wayne State University Mosque, the MAS Qu’ran Institute, CAIR Michigan and the Family and Youth Institute. Additionally, Irshad was the co-founder and president of Islamic Health &Healing Services, which provided weekly meals to the homeless population of Detroit.
Irshad moved to Rochester in 2012. Shortly thereafter, he co-founded Barakah Muslim Charity. In addition to his work at BMC, Irshad is a frequent speaker at local area mosques. He also serves as the RIT faculty advisor for the Muslim Student Association and on the Board of the Family and Youth Institute.
Irshad earned his B.A. in sociology from Alabama State University in 1999; and his M.A. and Ph.D. in sociology from Washington State University in 2001 and 2005, respectively. He is happily married and resides in Rochester, New York with his wife and four children.
AbuBakr Abdul-Latif
Director of Operations
AbuBakr Abdul-Latif serves as the Director of Operations for Barakah Muslim Charity. He acquired a B.S. in Human Development/Psychology from SUNY Empire State College. Mr. Abdul-Latif studied Islam and Arabic language in Damascus Syria, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia for many years. He has served as the Imam/religious leader for Masjid Iqamatiddeen in Brooklyn NY and prison chaplain for New York State. Mr Abdul-Latif is passionate about helping those who need help and lives by the prophetic statement, “God will help His servant as long as His servant is helping others.”
Beatrice Beyah
Kitchen Manager
Currently the BMC Community Kitchen Manager she has had a diverse work experience, having worked in banking, customer relations, strategic planning and Holistic Health. Beatrice is a former teacher and Principal of Sr Clara Muhammad School, Rochester NY. She received a B.S in Organizational Management at Roberts Wesleyan College and is certified as Natural Health Practitioner by Trinity School of Natural Health. She enjoys giving lectures on nutrition and aromatherapy.
Munye Abanur
In 1994 fled his war-torn country of Somalia and lived in Kenya until 1998. He came to America as a refugee. He first landed in Texas, then shortly after moved to Rochester. With the help of the community he learned English, making that the 4th language he can speak, and became involved in the work of transportation. Now he gives back to his community. As a refugee himself, his goal is to always help new refugees in every way possible
Nagwa Moubarak-Ash
Social Media Coordinator
As the BMC Social Media Coordinator, Ms. Moubarak-Ash has a background in Psychology at the University of Ottawa and has over 10 years of experience in Human Resources Management and in the Information Technology industry. Throughout this time, Ms. Moubarak-Ash worked with both the public and private sectors managing contracts and was the Lead for projects in IT/Cyber Security, Telecommunications and Multi-media/Videoconferencing. Ms. Moubarak-Ash is passionate about lifting up our community and advocates for kids involvement in physical/sports activities particularly in martial arts
Mawia Elawad
Mawia Elawad, born in Sudan, is a 2017 graduate of Alfred University where she double minored for Women’s and Gender studies and Global Studies and earned B.A in Communications studies and Spanish. Her passion to cultivate culture and compassion within communities has led her to be the current coordinator for the City Rochester’s chapter of Flower City AmeriCorps. Mawia uses her ability to speak English, Spanish and Arabic to serve communities in need navigate complex systems prevalent in our society
Andi Ongoiba
Director of Refugee Services
Andi serves as the Director of Refugee Services. She has worked personally and professionally with refugees and other displaced people for more than 15 years. Andi is multilingual (Arabic, Bambara, Spanish, French and Italian). She has a Masters degree in Psychology and is currently the Executive Director at Refugees Helping Refugees. Prior to that, she worked as an ESL Instructor for incoming beginner refugee adults at RCSD's OACES program and as Senior Counselor and Advocate in a prominent legal services agency in New York City with victims of human trafficking and domestic violence.
Sabrina Anglin
Pantry Manager
Sabrina Anglin has a heart of compassion and care. Her experience has taken her from healthcare with Visiting Nurse Services and several other reputable agencies in the Greater Rochester area. Furthering her career and passion Sabrina volunteered with LifeSpan of Greater Rochester as an NY State Licenced Long Term Care Ombudsman advocating for the elderly and disabled population. She continued on volunteering in the Rochester City School District as Parent Teacher Assistant as well as Teacher Assistant. In full filing her fieldwork credits towards her Human Services Degree she delivered Meals On Wheels to the elderly and homebound.
Sabrina currently work as a Pantry Manager at Barakah Muslim Charity. She was the first person to answer the call for service in volunteering in the Mobile Food Distribution Giveaway. She started out volunteering in pantry then over the years of being a helper and giving back to her community she climbed the ladder of hard work and compassion which has prepared her to assumed the position as Pantry Manager.
Spencer Ash
Spencer is an experienced litigation and transactional attorney with vast public and private sector experience. Spencer practices law in New York State Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and is a member of the Supreme Court of the United States. He has worked as counsel for several Fortune 100 companies and currently represents the City of Rochester, New York. Spencer is a Rochester native, a graduate of Pittsford Mendon High School, S.U.N.Y at Buffalo and Touro Law Center. He specializes in state, federal and appellate litigation, as well as contract law.
Spencer is also a passionate community advocate who has served on the Foundation Board of the Monroe County Bar Association, participated in Lawyers For Learning as both a mentor and a Vice-Chair, was President of the Rochester Black Bar Association in 2013 and has contributed to periodicals such as the Daily Record and Our Voice Magazine. He has been named an Emerging Bar Leader, an Emerging African American Leader, received the Excellence in Leadership Award from the Rochester Black Bar Association, is a graduate of Leadership Rochester, and a recipient of Dale Carnegie’s Outstanding Performance Award.