Founding President

Arbazz is an award-winning marketer, philanthropist, and leadership expert. He’s the President and Co-Founder of Sahaba Initiative, an award-winning nonprofit he co-founded at the age of 17 using social media to create opportunities for families impacted with poverty. 

He’s also a United Nations Global Ambassador,  host of The Bazz Show, and head of digital marketing in online education.  Arbazz has used social media to raise over $30 million and has managed over $10 million dollars in advertising spend to grow organizations. Arbazz holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership and is completing a doctorate in Organizational Change.

Executive Director & Co-Founder

Malek Bendelhoum was born and raised in Southern California in a multicultural home with his father from Algeria and his mother an African American from Alabama. Malek holds degrees in Political Science and Forensic Psychology from the University of California Riverside. He has also traveled overseas to Mecca, Saudi Arabia for Islamic Studies and is a committed student to the Islamic Sciences. Malek regularly lectures and gives Khutbahs weekly throughout California and the country. In college, Malek Co-founded Sahaba Initiative, an organization that provides social and mental health services to underserved communities. Currently, he serves as the organization’s Vice-President and focuses on strategic and community partnerships and advancement.

Founding Secretary

Mohammed is an experienced Data Scientist in both the academic and professional aspects of machine and deep learning. Today, by profession Mohammed Kuko is a Data Scientist in the Business Intelligence group at ViacomCBS where he helps build models that guide business decisions. Before that he practiced Data Science in the academic realm and published 2 conferences and a journal paper on using Machine learning to identify and predict cervical cancer in its infancy while completing his Master’s.

Faezeh began her career in communications and development by helping launch and establish Sharing Sacred Spaces, an interfaith community building organization, and led collaborative programming with the Parliament of the World’s Religions. Faezeh has extensive experience working with Muslim, Arab, and South Asian communities as a qualitative researcher on topics related to social welfare, civil liberties protection, and migration. Previously, Faezeh conducted research for the Pluralism Project at Harvard University investigating issues of religious diversity and interfaith relations. Faezeh has a B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of California, Riverside, and is currently working towards her M.A. in Social Work with a concentration in Global Social Development at the University of Chicago. Faezeh’s current work is in digital communications with the Johns Hopkins’s School of Advanced International Studies Rethinking Iran Initiative

Marriage & Family Therapist/Advisor ​

Nacera Bendelhoum is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who holds a Master of Science in clinical psychology. She worked in community mental health beginning 2008 where she provided therapy to adults, children, couples, families, and groups. She is the founder of Sound Hearts Individual and Family Therapy (SHIFT) in southern California where she provides tele-therapy. Nacera also provides therapy through the Sahaba Initiative non-profit. Nacera’s areas of interest include maternal mental health, trauma and healing its intergenerational effects, and self-compassion as a powerful tool for healing and growth. 

Chief Financial Officer

Adnan is a finance and accounting professional whose career has spanned various industries including real estate, restaurants, non-profits, public agencies, and higher education.  Adnan is currently a Municipal Accountant with the City of Cathedral City and an Associate Professor of Accountancy with Riverside City College. Adnan has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of California, Riverside, and a Master’s Degree in Accountancy from California State University, Sacramento.

Adnan resides in the greater Palm Springs area with his wife, Madeeha, daughter, Nadia, and son, Kareem. He enjoys spending time with his family, traveling abroad, and exploring new and different types of cuisines.

Marriage & Family Therapist/Advisor ​

Samira Hazama is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a degree in Masters of science, Clinical Counseling Psychology. Samira started her career providing mental health services to children and teens in various school districts. Later, she found an interest in working with adults at an inpatient facility for substance abuse recovery where she worked for many years. At this time she become the lead therapist treating dual diagnosis. In recent years, Samira worked for a group private practice and later transitioned into her own private practice full time. Samira enjoys working with multicultural clients with areas of interests that include trauma, grief, mood disorders, anxiety and substance abuse. Samira finds much inspiration working with clients on their healing journey and interpersonal growth.

 Dr. Siddiqui worked primarily as a hospital physician within the Los Angeles County system and High Desert community before settling down with Dignity Health Medical Group, where he now serves patients in San Bernardino County as a board-certified primary care physician. After completing his undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences at the University of California, Riverside, he completed his medical degree at the American University of the Caribbean.  He also served as president of the Muslim Students Association during his academic tenure at both institutions.

Project Manager

Community Health Worker