Meet Our Team
AMAANA Disability Resource Center was founded by Muslim mothers, educators, and relentless advocates for families living with disabilities. This majority female-led staff and board, along with over a dozen dedicated volunteers, are passionate about bettering the lives of individuals with disabilities and their caregivers.
Founders & Staff
Rana Ottallah, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director for Advocacy and Development
Rana Ottallah is a lifelong community leader and advocate for disability rights and equity in education. As a devoted single mother to four children, including one with special needs, Rana is personally committed to AMAANA’s core mission of providing equitable access to education for individuals of all abilities.
Rana leads AMAANA’s advocacy efforts with invaluable knowledge gleaned from extensive experience as a disability rights advocate in the school system. Her dedicated service on state and local Special Education Advisory boards has deepened her understanding of federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and policies pertaining to special education services and supports.
Throughout her career, Rana has made a profound impact on Muslim communities worldwide through her passion for fundraising and community organization. She has raised nearly one million dollars for causes she believes in including UNRWA USA, ANERA Jerusalem Festival, and Helping Hand for Relief and Development. Rana's dedication, experience, and collaborative approach with students, volunteers, families, school districts, and policymakers make her an invaluable asset to AMAANA and the communities it serves.
Email: advocate@laamaana.com
Rawida Abukhalil, Co-Founder, Co-Executive Director of Day Program and Volunteer Lead
Rawida Abukhalil is a lifelong activist, community advocate, and an unwavering champion for individuals with special needs. As a mother to five, including children with special needs, Rawida intimately understands the unique joys and struggles faced by the families AMAANA serves. Her experiences over the last 25 years have led her to become a beacon of support and a compassionate ear for families navigating the complex journey of caring for children with disabilities.
Rawida taught Islamic Studies at JMA’s Main Ave. Campus for over 10 years and is currently a student of Quran Revolution with Imam Wisam Sharieff. Rawida has completed numerous classes at Al-Maghrib Institute, including Yasser Birjas’ “Project this House” and “The Art of Manners” with Ustadh Masjed Mahmoud.
Driven by the teachings of Islam and a sense of duty to all in need, Rawida is a pioneer for disability advocacy in the New Orleans Muslim community. Faith, relentless advocacy, and the urgent need to provide a safe, religiously and culturally appropriate day program in the Muslim community led Rawida to co-found AMAANA, Louisiana’s first community resource center dedicated to caring for and uplifting Muslims living with disabilities.
Email: rawida@laamaana.com
Zainab Shawky, Dallas Chapter Director of Operations
Rafia Munir, Dallas Chapter Director of Advocacy and Development
Rabiya is a compassionate and skilled Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with over five years of experience supporting children and adolescents across school and clinical settings. She holds a Master’s degree in Education and is committed to using evidence-based practices to foster meaningful progress for every child she serves.
Rabiya began her journey with AMAANA as the first Lead Teacher in our Westbank Saturday School program, where she played a vital role in shaping inclusive, supportive learning environments for children with disabilities. She is deeply passionate about empowering families by equipping caregivers with practical tools, strategies, and the confidence to nurture their child’s development and well-being.
Now based in Dallas, Texas, Rabiya continues her work with AMAANA as a Behavior Consultant as well as the Dallas Chapter Director of Behavioral Support & Training, where she collaborates with families, educators, and interdisciplinary teams. Her individualized, compassionate approach ensures that every child’s unique strengths and needs are honored, while fostering growth both at home and within the community.
Rabiya Farooqui, M.Ed., BCBA; Dallas Chapter Director of Behavioral Support & Training; AMAANA Behavioral Consultant
Please send us a note about your interest and qualifications for part-time and full-time positions at AMAANA.
OUR GOVERNING BOARD
Houssem Aouididi, Board President
Rania Saleh, Board Treasurer
Jade Fedele, Board Secretary
Suezanne Mubarak, Board Director
Dr. Samia Suleman, Board Director
Rana Ottallah, Co-Executive Director
Rawida Abukhalil, Co-Executive Director
AMAANA is committed to transparency and becoming better as we grow. Click here to view our board meeting minutes.
Meet AMAANA’s Board of Directors
Houssem Aouididi, Board President & Dallas Chapter Executive Director
Houssem Aouididi is a father to two beautiful boys, one of whom is proud to be an AMAANA student. Houssem is the Chief Financial Officer of a national live entertainment firm and the CEO of his own finance firm. Houssem’s impressive work resume, certifications, and education are outshined only by his values, emotional intelligence, and passion for education and bettering himself and the organizations he believes in. When not volunteering as Board President of AMAANA, or working as a CFO, or on his own businesses, he’s chasing around his sons, dreaming of the sparkling blue coasts of his native Tunisia, and trying new food pop-ups with his family.
Email: president@txamaana.org
Rania Saleh, Board Treasurer
Rania Salah is a mother of two children, including one on the spectrum. She is a strong advocate for her child’s education rights in the school system. She has 14 years of experience in the shipping field and now runs a very successful catering business, loves cooking different foods from Middle Eastern to Italian, in addition to baking cakes and sweets. Rania serves AMAANA as board treasurer and represents parents living in the East Bank of Jefferson Parish.
Email: treasurer@laamaana.com
Jade Fedele, Board Secretary & Dallas Chapter Oversight Supervisor
Jade Fedele is the Secretary on the Board of Directors for AMAANA. She is the Keeper of Records and provides administrative or editorial support as needed. A native of Louisiana, Jade has lived in the Greater New Orleans area for more than 10 years. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of New Orleans in 2016 and has been busy volunteering with various charity and Muslim organizations in the area ever since. Jade was inspired to join AMAANA through her personal journey as a mother of three sons with special needs. After losing her first child to a congenital heart defect in 2017, her second child was later diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in 2021, and her third child was born in 2024 with another rare congenital heart defect.
It was through her firsthand experience in struggling to finding parental support, researching her children’s disabilities, and learning to be an advocate that she gained a deep appreciation for the need of a non-profit organization like AMAANA, seeking to improve the quality of life for Muslim families with disabilities in our community; one program at a time.
Email: secretary@laamaana.com
Suezanne Mubarak, Board Member
Suezanne Mubarak is a mother of three children on the spectrum, she has firsthand experience with the challenges and rewards of raising kids with unique needs. This personal journey sparked her passion for helping other parents who are just starting to navigate the world of special needs. Suezanne’s desire to make a difference comes from her own experiences as a stay-at-home mom. She knows how overwhelming it can be when you first learn your child has a disability, and she’s committed to being a source of support and guidance for other families facing similar challenges. Whether it’s offering advice, sharing resources, or simply lending a listening ear, Suezanne is eager to help others through the tough moments and celebrate the victories.
Beyond supporting parents, Suezanne is passionate about ensuring that children with special needs have the opportunities and resources they need to thrive. Her work with Amaana is driven by her belief that every child deserves the chance to succeed, no matter what obstacles they may face. Through her role on the board, she hopes to work towards building a more inclusive, understanding community for families and children alike.
Email: suemubarak91@gmail.com
Dr. Samia Suleman, MD, MSPH, Board Member
Dr. Samia Suleman is a physician and public health leader dedicated to using healthcare as a tool for social change. With a career spanning clinical practice, health systems innovation, and community mobilization, she has consistently worked to reduce disparities and improve outcomes for underserved populations. As President of the Pakistani Community Association of Greater New Orleans, Dr. Suleman has spearheaded initiatives to expand education, women’s health programming, and civic engagement.
She is a partner at Infinity Health Direct Primary Care, where she integrates preventive medicine, patient empowerment, and accessible care into a model designed to break down traditional barriers to healthcare. Her board service with the Louisiana Direct Primary Care Coalition, The Citizens Foundation New Orleans Chapter, and American Muslim Health Professionals further reflects her dedication to equity-driven policy and collaborative solutions.
At Amaana, Dr. Suleman brings a unique blend of medical expertise, public health training, and a lifelong commitment to community-based strategies that drive sustainable, meaningful social impact.
Email: suleman.samia@gmail.com