Category: Spotlight

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Spotlight

Tahir Merali (Canada)

IPN Spotlight: Tahir Merali (Project Management Engineer at the Canadian Space Agency)

Mr. Merali is a Project Management Engineer with the Canadian Space Agency‘s (CSA) Enterprise Project Management Office where he works with teams to implement project governance. He also performs systems engineering activities related to Canada’s contribution to Lunar Gateway program.
Prior to joining CSA, Tahir worked across aerospace, energy & automotive industries, including as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of the Canadian Space Commerce Association (CSCA), formerly Canada’s trade association for space. He has presented innovative strategies to Fortune 500 executives. He previously worked at European Space Agency (ESA), as an astronaut instructor. He developed and delivered training for crew on International Space Station (ISS) systems and operations. He has also reported on the nanosatellite market as a business analyst with a Dutch start-up.

His work experience gave him the opportunity to visit several countries. Tahir offers unique perspectives having spent 10 minutes in “weightlessness” aboard a parabolic flight and developed 2 microgravity life-science experiments that have flown aboard the ISS. He is a strong advocate for space awareness and education, and has been peer-review published alongside several conference proceedings and panels. He has been recognized across industries by superiors & peers for excellence and leadership. In 2018, he was awarded globally as a Top 35 Under 35 of the space industry, selected by a panel of industry movers & shakers for his achievement, dedication, outreach and contribution to the space business.
Tahir is a graduate of the International Space University (M.Sc Space Management) and the University of Toronto (B.A.Sc Mechanical Engineering). He is a licensed professional engineer with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA), certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP), and is a PADI-licensed Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver. Tahir was ranked qualified (Top-163) in the 2016 Canadian Astronaut Recruitment Campaign. Follow him @kulfispace!

What skills have helped you in your career?
Working in the Space industry requires using multi-disciplinary skills and while it may seem odd, skills learnt from my various leadership roles from different industries whether it was serving on nonprofit board, or engineering experience from the auto industry all acclimated and were useful to me in my current profession. One similarity is satellite manufacturing and in today’s NewSpace environment, how it is beginning to mimic models which are used and leveraged more commonly in auto manufacturing. Apply skill sets learnt, even if acquired in one industry because interpersonal skills and the ability to problem solve remain foundationally applicable across various industries.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
My professional career and engagement with the Canadian government requires me to be able to continuously update my ability to communicate with diverse stakeholders and so currently I am strengthening my French.
Serving on various directorship boards have enabled me to gain insight into different skill sets like financial budgeting and strategic planning which can then be reapplied in some capacity in my personal or professional life.
It is important to keep a vision for lifelong learning; work in a volunteer capacity, find opportunities to expand your own horizons, get uncomfortable, and be open to grow the necessary skill set.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
Don’t be discouraged if your plans don’t turn out the way you expected them; I wish I had known earlier in my life that its OK if plans change.
Very early on in my career I was given an opportunity and a challenge to move halfway across the world to Germany as an instructor to astronauts. Never in my wildest dreams had I imagined I would pursue this path, but it was the most memorable and enriching experience of my life. Learn to be flexible in your plans, don’t focus on one “typical” path to success – what is important is to realize there are numerous ways to achieve the same objective.
The best thing that I did differently was pursuing a non-conventional path for my undergraduate degree. Being able to work for a year enabled me to gain insight into how theoretical courses taught were applicable to solve real-life problems. But more importantly it provided me with the opportunity to realize what I was and was not passionate about pursuing as part of my future career.

What is next for you in your career?
I am extremely fortunate that my passion for the space sector and interest in project management both intersect in a way whereby work is an absolute joy for me. We are living in an age of historical space achievement with exciting programs like the international lunar Gateway, and companies like SpaceX, and so for the next phase of my career, I would like to lead and contribute to future projects where various stakeholders, academic institutions and government engage to shape Canada’s space initiatives.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Career and leadership mentorship and guidance for space industry
• Opportunities for connecting researchers to network leads for knowledge sharing
• Creating opportunities to explore new possibilities

Please provide the link to your LinkedIn profile:
Tahir Merali

Please provide your preferred email address so interested professionals can network with you:
[email protected]

Region:
Montreal, Canada

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Spotlight

Judge Halim Dhanidina

IPN Spotlight: Judge Halim Dhanidina (Associate Justice for the Court of Appeal for the Second District of California)

Featured in the DC News & Views Judge Halim Dhanidina, serves as an associate justice for the Court of Appeal for the Second District of California, the first Muslim and South Asian American justice writing a new page in history of the California courts. Previously, Judge Dhanidina served as the deputy district attorney for Los Angeles County from 1998- 2012. During the span of his service, Governor Jerry Brown first appointed him to a judgeship in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Judge Dhanidina, has been an advocate to tackle misguidedness of xenophobic bigotries as well as the necessity for public servants to represent their communities. He is serving as founding member of the Association of South Asian Prosecutors, Asian Pacific American and South Asian Bar Associations. Judge Dhanidina’s accomplishments and exemplary work stand to disrupt the stereotypical image of what a Muslim looks like to the general American public.
Judge Dhanidina received his Bachelor of Arts in international relations 1994 from Pomona College and Juris Doctorate from UCLA Law School in 1997. He has been a professor at the University of California at Irvine, Chapman University, and Western State University law schools.

What skills have helped you in your career?
I chose a career in courtroom law. As such the greatest skill that I possess is the ability to think on my feet and to be spontaneous. As a judge and as an attorney I have had to be able to respond to and be comfortable in stressful situations that are often unpredictable. Another skill is the ability to communicate effectively with a wide variety of people in the court setting, whether it is with lawyers, members of the public, or staff. I also spend a lot of time on career development which requires the willingness to make connections in every environment and the ability to forge relationships with people for the purpose of networking and connecting others for possible opportunities.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
As a judge in California there is a set requirement for continuing education for all members of the judiciary. As an appellate justice, I attend training on an annual basis. I have also been used as a faculty member for the Judicial Council of California in providing training for new judges.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
I wish I had spent more time pursuing the study of foreign languages. Being able to enhance your personal development through experiencing a secondary culture can broaden your perspectives and appreciation for cultural heritage.

What is next for you in your career?
I was recently retained by the voters to serve a full term on the court of appeal so my focus is on making a positive impact on the court where I serve, but I always try to keep an open mind for new opportunities should they present themselves.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Mentorship- shadow, or lead by example career path to emulate
• Advice for how to get involved in civic institutions

Please provide your preferred email address so interested professionals can network with
you:
[email protected]

Region:
West

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Farhez Rayani

IPN Spotlight: Farhez Rayani (Lighting Technical Director at Pixar Animation Studios)

Farhez Rayani has worked in the CG (computer graphics) industry specialising in film for 20+ years. For the last 10 years, as a Lighting Technical Director at Pixar Animation Studios, he worked on animated films such as Up, Toy Story 3, Finding Dory, Cars 3, Coco and Incredibles 2. He previously worked on visual effects films, such as Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, The Golden Compass and The Incredible Hulk. He also was on the development teams for the Academy award winning animation software: Autodesk Maya and also: Adobe Photoshop.
Throughout his career, Farhez has been involved in the research, exploration and implementation of cutting-edge technologies to birth new techniques and looks for films. He also has educated hundreds of artists and technologists on these tools and workflows.

In 2018, Farhez worked on three experimental animated short films. For Pixar, he worked on “Purl” and “Smash and Grab” which used new technologies and workflows at a big cost savings, and they are both available to view on YouTube. The other project is an independent animated short film “Sonder”, available online at Vimeo. “Sonder” was a big feat, involving a collaboration of 144 artists from across the globe, who used the 3D real time game engine: Unity. It was one of the industry’s first attempts to use this process, and as a result a virtual production studio was created.
Farhez is also a photographer and often travels for this work. He recently served as Director of the inaugural Jubilee Arts International Film Festival, that took place in Lisbon in 2018, as part of the Diamond Jubilee Celebration. In 2019, Farhez will be teaching courses at the University of Central Asia in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
I consider myself a self-starter, so I firmly believe in the process of self-learning. Honing one’s skills and trying new things leads to new opportunities. For Sonder, I was working with a new technology in a way it was not designed to be used. I was also leading a large team, that I had never met before in person and whom themselves had little to no experience with this new technology. I had to start from the beginning and not allow uncertainty to prevent us from taking risks. The project greatly challenged my team and myself – we learned a lot and made a beautiful film.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned throughout my career is that it’s ok to not get what you want. I’ve been very blessed to have all the opportunities that I’ve had and know I am very fortunate. However there have been times when I didn’t get what I wanted. It was painful at those times and sometimes it was challenging to let go of what I had been so focused on as a goal.
The most important thing is that in one’s career, there are many paths and the universe has a way of showing you a lot of options and presenting many different opportunities. The trick is knowing how to recognize them and then to bootstrap yourself to pursue them.

What is next for you in your career?
I am smitten by the idea of working on projects with international teams. I want to create my own films and also enable other filmmakers of all cultures, thereby improving diversity in the industry. There are many rich cultures, more than those that are often represented today and I’m working to create projects that will resonate with a global audience, which has a hunger for this new content. Ideally these projects can make a social contribution to underrepresented communities around the world and help to improve understanding between societies. I also want to continue exploring what it will take to maximize the use of new technologies, like real time game engines to create films.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Collaboration
• Coaching
• Career Advice

Please provide the link to your LinkedIn profile:
Farhez Rayani

What are the best ways to see your work and get in touch with you:
Some of my travel / visual diary photos can be seen on Instagram:
instagram.com/farhez
Information about my work can be seen on my website:
farhez.com

Region:
West

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Spotlight

Saleema Vellani

IPN Spotlight: Saleema Vellani (Co-Founder and CEO at Innovazing)

Saleema Vellani is an expert in inclusive leadership and a recognized authority on the Future of Work. She has helped leaders around the world break through their plateaus and maximize their impact. Saleema has been a serial entrepreneur since the age of 21, when she launched Brazil’s largest and top-rated Portuguese school to finance an orphanage and social development programs. For over 12 years, she has led companies to the next stage of growth and innovation through human-centered design. Saleema has co-founded seven companies, two of which were acquired, and has launched several innovative initiatives as an “intrapreneur” within organizations.

Saleema has won numerous awards for her work in social innovation, including her most recent groundbreaking study at the World Bank on how to improve refugee livelihoods through climate-smart food systems technologies in the Middle East and Africa. Her research is now being implemented through hydroponics pilots in Djibouti.

Currently, Saleema is the Co-Founder and CEO at Innovazing, which educates, empowers, and connects changemakers globally and helps leaders learn 21st-century leadership and communication skills. She is also Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at Johns Hopkins University and an advisor to several nonprofit organizations, such as Wonder Women Tech, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) Women’s Alumni Network, Startup Africa, and the World Bank Group Youth-2-Youth Community.

Saleema holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Development from McGill University and a Master’s degree in International Relations and International Economics from Johns Hopkins University SAIS. She is fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Italian. Saleema has worked in over 50 countries, mainly in Latin America, Europe, Middle East, and Africa. She currently resides in Washington D.C. and is proud of her multicultural upbringing as a Toronto native with East African and Indian roots.

What skills have helped you in your career?
Developing an entrepreneurial mindset, along with a ton of grit, has enabled me to collaborate within my community and build partnerships that have led to several professional and business opportunities. Strengthening my communication and leadership skills, particularly emotional intelligence, has been incredibly important throughout my career. Improving my self-awareness, empathy, resilience, and intuition, has enabled me to adapt to the diverse environments I’ve worked in.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
I get out of my comfort zone. I work with diverse groups of people. I participate in a variety of conferences, face-to-face programs and online courses, both within my industry as well as other areas that intrigue me, which have broadened my perspectives. I sit on a few nonprofit boards where I can learn how different organizations work while advising them on how to scale up their impact and improve their leadership. Given we all have different learning styles, I learn best by teaching others—as an Adjunct Professor, community builder, advisor, learning experience designer, workshop facilitator, and as a speaker. I’m also in the process of publishing my first book.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
I wish I had sought out mentors early on. I often felt I had to do it all myself when all I had to do was ask. I encourage others to be proactive instead of reactive and seek out diverse mentors from a variety of industries.

What is next for you in your career?
I’m currently expanding my work globally, especially to emerging market countries. As a connector and community builder, I’m in the process of launching a social innovation conference in order to expand my impact and merge the different things I do.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Developing leadership skills
• Public speaking
• Networking
• Design Thinking
• Entrepreneurship, whether you’re starting or growing a business

Please provide the link to your LinkedIn profile:
Saleema Vellani

Please provide your preferred email address so interested professionals can network with you:
[email protected]

Region:
Northeast- Washington D.C.

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Farzana Nayani

IPN Spotlight: Farzana Nayani (Professional Education Consultant, Diversity & Inclusion Trainer at Farzana Nayani, Consulting & Training)

Farzana Nayani is a recognized Diversity and Inclusion specialist, keynote speaker, trainer, and consultant. She has worked with Fortune 500 corporations, non-profit organizations, higher education institutions, and public agencies to help cultivate inclusion, belonging, and employee
engagement. Her extensive work with Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) has created a platform for programming and advocacy from the White House to Silicon Valley.
An expert on global community relations, her work has been engaged by institutions like the Smithsonian and the East-West Center. She is the mother of two young children and was an athlete at the Jubilee Games in Dubai.

What skills have helped you in your career?
Playing competitive sports from an early age has taught me that both winning and failing are equally a part of growth and development. The key is how you pick yourself up from a loss and get back in the game. This choice to continually face challenge is fundamental to having resilience, grit, and ultimate success. The other part of this formula is to aim for mastery and continued effort and dedication can lead you there.
Growing up in a multi-ethnic, multi-faith family with Filipino and Pakistani parents has offered me the understanding that there are different perspectives in the world, and we can honor all of them with respect and care. This truth has helped me reach and teach across different groups, modeling empathy and appreciation, in order to help people, find unity and cultivate community in and amongst the differences.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
I am involved in a coaching program and also coach and mentor others. I learn so much from talking with people from all backgrounds, ages, experiences – as everyone has a unique point of view. Reading books on the latest thought leadership related to my line of work keeps me current on impactful issues and approaches. I find attending conferences extremely inspiring and a way to connect with others who are interested in making a difference in a similar way. Lastly, I do a lot of reflection through dialogue and writing and that helps me crystallize all of these sources of information into deep learning that I can share with others.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
That I don’t have to follow a career path that others have done or that we think standard educational tracks or implicit cultural or gender norms will lead to. Instead, I can chart my own. That has been extremely empowering and rewarding.
No one has ever told me “no”, but the absence of visible leaders in my career with my identity may have made me think that it is not possible. I am here and openly telling young women of color and anyone else who feels limited, that *they* can choose the course of their own future, and actions toward that path can start NOW.

What is next for you in your career?
I am working on a book and am also going to publish videos and e-learning courses to help my message reach wider audiences. Please connect with me on social media and stay tuned for more!

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion initiatives
• Organizational Change for deep impact
• Inclusive Communications Strategy
• Understanding Identity & Cultivating Belonging

Please provide the link to your LinkedIn profile:
Farzana Nayani

Please provide your preferred email address so interested professionals can network with you:
[email protected]

Region:
Western Region- Los Angeles

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Reef Karim

IPN Spotlight: Reef Karim (CEO & Founder at The Control Center Beverly Hills)

Reef Karim leads a mission driven life centered on storytelling, content creation and the blend of science and entertainment. Reef’s motto is: “Don’t Be Normal, Be You” and he tries to live every day with passion, creative pursuit and the ability to impact others. The three most important qualities to Reef Karim are: Self Expression, Authentic Identity and having an Original Point of View.
Reef’s Science CV: Double board-certified physician in psychiatry and addiction medicine with an expertise in the neuroscience of self-sabotage and self-empowerment. He is also, UCLA Assistant Clinical Professor & Chief Medical Officer of Vitality HealthTech.
Reef’s Entertainment CV: Television host, feature film actor, international speaker, author & stand-up comic. He has worked with Oprah, Anderson Cooper, & Larry King and worked on Bourne Identity, Shark Tank, Private Practice, Veep, Time, ABC World News & CNN. He recently started Mad Lab; a media, personal transformation & nonprofit company- ReefKarim.com.

What skills have helped you in your career?
I pride myself on drive, ambition and developing a unique point of view. These aren’t just “learned” qualities you can pick up in school; they are “experienced” qualities. Yes, you have to go to school, train, learn information and learn how to connect with others but you also have to live, be willing to fail, experiment with different careers and develop your own sense of self; your originality. The most successful people are not clones; they are originals.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
I frequently attend conferences to both skill build and stay current with changes in the field. For me personally, I’m always working on improving myself; improving my ability to host better, act better, write better, speak better and disseminate current, cutting edge information in the most effective way possible.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
I wish someone would have told me, on a questionnaire like this, to FIND MY ORIGINAL SELF and not allow other people, no matter who they are, to dictate what I do or what I should believe in. It’s imperative that people don’t succumb to “group think” and instead utilize your unique experiences, background and training to blaze your own path.

What is next for you in your career?
Reef Madness Show, Mad Lab Company (ReefKarim.com) Next, the focus is a bigger media presence; both in hosting our upcoming show, Reef Madness and writing, acting and producing original entertainment content for television and digital media at Mad Lab. Reef Madness is a new late-night talk show & podcast blending science, comedy and entertainment, similar to John Oliver or Bill Maher. He hopes to be able to entertain people, influence people and help people with personal transformation on the screen and stage.

What advice would you offer to others?
It’s hard to figure out what you want to do and how you want to live your life, especially in our current climate of over-stimulation, noise and division. But, you can’t live in fear; fear is paralyzing, it invites procrastination, indecision and distraction. Sometimes that distraction is not doing what you were destined to do. Other times, that distraction is self-sabotage, doing destructive things you shouldn’t be doing that diminish your emotional and spiritual growth. I wish everyone the courage to blaze your own path and the clarity to find your vision.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Speaking/Hosting
• Creative Coaching and collaboration
• Media Training
• Self Help
• I also consult with people to build their personal brand story.

Please provide the link to your LinkedIn profile:
Reef Karim

Please provide your preferred email address so interested professionals can network with you:
[email protected]

Region:
West

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Husein Cumber

IPN Spotlight: Husein Cumber (Executive Vice President- Corporate Development at Florida East Coast Industries, LLC (FECI))

Husein Cumber is the Executive Vice President for Corporate Development for Florida East Coast Industries, LLC (FECI). At FECI, he has the responsibility to steer major capital projects, including Brightline, the first privately owned and managed intercity passenger rail system in US over 100 years. Previously, Mr. Cumber had worked as Executive Vice President for Corporate Development for Florida East Coast Railway, L.L.C (FEC), a freight railroad that is credited for allowing Florida’s east coast to develop in the late 1800s. In this position he had responsibility for financially structuring and managing capital projects where he successfully executed major seaport and rail infrastructure projects.
Prior to joining FEC, Mr. Cumber was Founder and President of H.A Cumber & Company, a transportation consulting firm that specialized in rail, aviation, and highway issues. The firm provided business development and government relations services throughout the country. Mr. Cumber served as Deputy Chief of Staff at the U.S Department of Transportation. Mr. Cumber is a Board Member of JEA, the eighth largest municipal-owned utility in the United States and largest in Florida.

What skills have helped you in your career?
Communications skills- During his high school and college years, Mr. Cumber was engaged in various extracurricular activities which enabled him to be involved in a team environment. Further development of his interpersonal skills is attributed to other activities which included public speaking, raising capital, and engaging with elected officials. A successful leader must be able to articulate facts by communicating a concise story and be persuasive in your ask.
Another skill which Mr. Cumber finds useful is one of compromise- a perfect outcome rarely happens in business; it is important to learn how to find a solution.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
The private equity firm that I am associated with is constantly going into new businesses. And those investments are unlike others I have worked on before. So, I often volunteer to get involved with these new infrastructure projects which has led my career to span the telecommunications, railroad, real estate, and energy sectors. One common theme in my career has been infrastructure and being exposed to different sectors enables me to continue to learn.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
My career has been focused largely in Florida with a short stint in Washington, DC. I am envious of people who have been able to build their careers by living in multiple major cities. I would have liked to live in New York, London, Hong Kong, San Francisco, etc. Becoming immersed in other cultures is so important today when every industry has international connectivity. I also regret not mastering a second language.

What is next for you in your career?
I want to continue my pursuit for identifying and executing infrastructure projects that are transformative.

What advice would you offer to others?
I think one thing that I did which was novel is that most people try to identify a degree in college and then let the prerequisite courses navigate their education. I did the opposite. I sought out professors who would be great mentors and then looked at the courses they taught to determine what major I would like to pursue. That allowed Duke to become a career defining moment in my life. I created a degree in U.S. National Security, which allowed me to pull together international law, military strategy, business and public policy into one degree.
So, my first advice would be thinking through how your education can expose you to the best career mentors and take advantage of that.

Second, get involved in at least 1-2 years of public service. Find anything that is relevant to your profession and learn how local/state/federal regulatory policies affect your industry. Personally, for me, spending 3.5 years in government changed my career trajectory. It broadened my skill set and enabled me to build relationships with decision makers at a relatively young age.

Lastly, get involved in complicated projects and challenge yourself. Consider investments which have a high barrier to entry. That is where the risks are higher, but so are the returns. Remember, if it was easy someone else would have done it already. I meet so many people that ask why I want to be involved in projects that require navigating through a complex regulatory process. My answer is always the same: if we figure it out first, we will be in a business that is hard to replicate and therefore have a very valuable investment.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Access to capital
• Assist with the development of business plans
• Secure internships in finance, government and media professions
• Counseling for career decisions

Please provide the link to your LinkedIn profile:
Husein Cumber

Please provide your preferred email address so interested professionals can network with you:
[email protected]

Region:
Florida

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Shirin Sharif

IPN Spotlight: Shirin Sharif (VP of Supply at Honor)

Shirin is currently the Vice President of Supply for series-C startup Honor, a home care business based in San Francisco. In this role, she manages a team of 20 recruiting, training, marketing, and HR specialists who are responsible for hiring, onboarding and retaining 1,000+ caregivers to care for seniors.
Previously, she was employed for five years at LinkedIn as their Director of the $1.2B North America LTS business. At LinkedIn, she directly managed a team of more than 20 talented sales operating managers and individual contributors. Initially, she began her career at The Boston Consulting Group. She holds a Master’s in Business from Harvard Business School and a Bachelors in Business Administration in Public Policy from Stanford University.

What skills have helped you in your career?
I started my career in consulting, which served as a good foundation for building my analytical and problem-solving skills. My ability to plan and manage operations in addition to these two skills have been integral in my career.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
I think stressing out about not having everything figured out when I graduated from my bachelors and during my MBA was daunting. If I had to do it all over again, I would not worry as much about being uncertain because eventually, my experiences allowed me to find a match between market needs and my skills which lead to my career calling.

What is next for you in your career?
I recently switched my career from SaaS technology into healthcare startups so no changes expected anytime soon. Eventually I would like to be a COO.

What advice would you offer to others?
Look for that intersection between what you are good at and what the market values to establish your career niche.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Network introductions
• Resume review
• Career advice
• Interview prep

Please provide the link to your LinkedIn profile:
Shirin Sharif

Please provide your preferred email address so interested professionals can network with you:
[email protected]

Region:
West

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Shelmina Abji

IPN Spotlight: Shelmina Abji (Empowerment Speaker at Shelmina Abji Consulting and Advisory Board Member at United Nations Foundation- Girl Up)

Shelmina Abji was born in Tanzania and was the first person in her family to obtain a college degree. She is a global empowerment speaker, a former IBM Vice President, a Distinguished Alumni, a Board member and an angel investor. She rose up to become one of the highest-ranking women of color at IBM by delivering superior business results consistently for 20+ years while being a single mother of two children since they were 2 and 4. She has led hardware, software and services businesses and has delivered over 1Billion USD in annual revenues. She has hired over 1,000 individuals during her career. She has had the privilege of participating in meetings at our state capital and the White House to increase women in STEM.
Abji holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She also has a Bachelor of Science Mathematics from University of Poona India. As IBM’s top talent, she received extensive leadership training at IBM, Harvard and UCLA. Presently, she is an advisory board member at United Nations Foundation Girl Up and TiE-Seattle where she leads the women’s entrepreneurship chapter. In November 2018, Shelmina will be honored for her trailblazing work as a female leader in technology and women’s empowerment by the Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business at their Young Women’s Business Leadership Conference (YWBLC).

What skills have helped you in your career?
• My ability to earn the trust, confidence of and create a win-win for all stakeholders
• My ability to prioritize what’s most important and focusing to deliver on all metrics while not getting distracted by urgent fires coming from multiple sources
• My complete trust in myself to overcome any and all challenges without getting overwhelmed
• My ability to build people up, recognizing their strengths and placing them in the right position to achieve a desired outcome

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
Being on board of TiE, an angel investor in individual companies as well as part of a fund, I get to interact with and learn from many entrepreneurs and other angel investors as well as venture capitalists. I am also an avid reader and love to travel which provides a constant source of learning.

What is next for you in your career?
Over the years, I have witnessed profound positive changes in the girls and women I have had the fortune to work with. After receiving multiple requests, I have decided to share my insights and accelerate the strengths of others by writing a book on empowerment.

What advice would you offer to others?
• Define what success means to you (personal and professional) and ensure all your choices of action are taking you towards that definition. Do not get distracted by noise. Course correct and redefine as necessary
• Become self-aware. Understand what your strengths and weaknesses are so you can lead with your strengths amplify them and neutralize your weaknesses
• Constantly add value in all your interactions
• Continually build new relevant competencies
• Do your personal best under all circumstances

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Be a keynote speaker at events where I can share my insights for personal and professional success
• Lead workshops on various topics as found on my website
• Participate on panels on various topics from leadership to entrepreneurship to work life balance
• Lead round table discussions

Please provide the link to your LinkedIn profile:
Shelmina Abji

Please provide your preferred email address so interested professionals can network with you:
www.shelmina.com

Region:
West

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Faizan Kabani

IPN Spotlight: Faizan Kabani (Assistant Professor at Tenure Track)

Dr. Faizan Kabani serves as an Assistant Professor in the Caruth School of Dental Hygiene at Texas A&M College of Dentistry in Dallas, TX. In addition to teaching various didactic and clinical courses, Dr. Kabani also is the dental hygiene supervisor in the adult special care clinic at the College. He completed his PhD in Public Health at UNT Health Science Center. His research interests focus on improving the quality of life of vulnerable and underserved communities. Dr. Kabani is an avid researcher, published author, and international visiting scholar on diverse topics in dental public health and care for patients with special healthcare needs. In addition to that, he is also a trained and active Al-Waez.

What skills have helped you in your career?
Skills such as understanding and embracing principles of teaching, lifelong learning, evidence-based clinical care, and research are integral in helping me along my career path. More importantly, skills such as building passion and endurance within oneself was and continues to be a necessary skill in going beyond mediocrity and pursuing excellence.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
In retrospect, I would like to have travelled more to gain a broader understanding of the global public health burden. In my experience, first hand exposures to the needs of vulnerable and underserved communities provide a more enriching perspective for public health professionals. Unfortunately, obtaining funds necessary to engage in these exposures is difficult, particularly for early careerists.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
I engage in continuing education courses regularly as part of my commitment to evidence-based practice. This includes a minimum of 12-credit scientific and/or technical hours of certifiable continuing education coursework annually. As an educator, I also strive to continue learning and sharing my knowledge through attending and presenting at various regional, national, and international conferences.

What is next for you in your career?
As I reflect on my journey thus far and look towards the future, I find it in my heart a calling, a vocation, to continue serving as an educator – one dedicated to the principles of lifelong learning, mentorship, and scholarship. I look forward to learning something new every day and using these opportunities as an inspiration for me to become a better person.
More specifically, at the College, I am working diligently towards tenure and promotion with hopes to achieve this goal within the next five years. This includes efforts towards building a national and international reputation within my industry and particular field of expertise. Thus, I invest a significant amount of my time in evidence-based research and practice.

What advice would you offer to others?
One key advice to others is to seek mentorship and counsel throughout your life. As Hazrat Ali -alayhi s-salam once said, “No belief is like modesty and patience, no attainment is like humility, no honor is like knowledge, no power is like forbearance, and no support is more reliable than consultation”. It is important to understand that one simply cannot know the answer to everything in life and that opening ourselves up, with sincere humility, to learn from others is critical in our journey.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Consider the potential for a career in dental hygiene and/or academia
• Navigating graduate school and degree program options
• Seeking to better understand and integrate faith in professional life

Please provide the link to your LinkedIn profile:
Dr. Faizan Kabani

Please provide your preferred email address so interested professionals can network with you:
[email protected]

Region:
Central

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