Meet the Team
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Jimmy Small President of the Muslim League of Voters of New Jersey 37 years of involvement in politics Served as City Councilman in East Orange for 2 terms Participant in numerous Muslim organizations. Educator and Track coach for over 28 years |
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Dr. Asghar (Alex) Kharazi has a Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering from University of California In Berkeley and has over 30 years of Industry experience as director of technology in a major chemical company.
He has been an adjunct professor at Rutgers University. He serves as a director and vice president of Muslim Foundation Inc. (Masjid-e-Ali, President of Franklin Township Interfaith Council, President of Razi Health Foundation of NY, Board of Trustee member and secretary of Franklin Township Dr. Martin Luther King Community Foundation, member of Human Relations Commission, and a member of the Franklin Township Planning Board. He is one of the founders of New Jersey Interfaith Council. Dr. Kharazi is an active member of the community promoting strong relation and understanding among various faith. He is also actively engaged in voter registration effort which is spear headed NJ Voter Project. |
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Dr. Chaudry graduated from the London School of Economics in 1967 and earned a Ph. D. in Economics from Tufts University (1972).
He worked at AT&T from 1968 to 1998, serving as CFO of its Public Relations Division. He was elected to the Bernards Township Board of Education (1990 to 1995) in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. He was elected to the Bernards Twp Committee in November 2001 for a three-year term (2002-2004). He served as Deputy Mayor in 2003 and as Mayor in 2004, becoming the first Pakistani born Mayor in America. e was re-elected for a second three-year term on the Bernards Township Committee (2005-2007). Dr. Chaudry co-founded the Islamic Society of Basking Ridge (ISBR) and currently serves as its President. ISBR has been working with Muslims Against Hunger and ISBR volunteers to organize volunteers to support a feeding and assistance program for homeless veterans at the Lyons VA facility in Basking Ridge. Dr. Chaudry is a co-founder of the statewide New Jersey Interfaith Coalition of more than 120 Muslim and non-Muslim organizations working on building bridges of understanding among all communities and to stand up for each other. |
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Hajjah Ummi-Khair *Sameerah Diaab* is a Foster & Adoptive Family Services Advocate, Muslim League of Voters of New Jersey, Corresponding Secretary, Hajj Alumni Executive Board Member, and assists in the coordination of the New Jersey Muslim Voters Project meetings amongst the coalitions.
Sameerah has over 40 years of experience as a Special Events Coordinator, 7 years of professional experience in advocating for foster, adoptive and kinship parents. However, the majority of her life she has favored in helping others in the community be it adults or youth that are faced with challenges. Sameerah recently joined the New Jersey Interfaith Coalition and has participated in collaborative efforts that bring about a togetherness of all faiths. We support and embrace all differences in obstacles as they arise by praying together as ONE! Volunteering for NJMVP is educational, yet it provides the ability to share the knowledge that is obtained with our community. NJMVP demonstrates the need to educate, bring about an awareness of the importance of voting, as well as, empowers us individually when we exercise our rights to vote. As Team Lead for Communications & Marketing of the NJMVP this allows Sameerah to share and express the benefits of Politics 101. |
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Serving on East Brunswick Planning Board for a 2-year term.
Serving as Shura member of Islamic Center of East Brunswick (ICEB) Former Shura Chair and Treasurer for ICEB. Serving as Treasurer/member BOD of American Muslims For Democracy – AMD Active Member of Muslim grassroots coalition; NJ Muslim Voters Project – NJMVP Serving as Liaison Secretary for NEDATS Executive Committee member of NJ Interfaith Coalition Serving as Treasurer of American Muslims For Democracy Empowerment through Community Education – AMD-ECE |
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Ms. Azra Baig was elected to the South Brunswick School District Board of Education in 2013, making her the first Pakistani American to hold this position.
She recently was re-elected to the board and serves on the Policy and Academic/Curriculum Committee. She is an active member of the South Brunswick community, serving on several of the township's commissions including the Human Relations Commission serving as the Chairperson, the Women's Commission, the Municipal Alliance Commission, and the Volunteer Nurse Corp. She also serves as the Vice President of the South Brunswick High School Viking Athletic Club and is a former member of the Islamic Society of Central Jersey Board of Overseers. She has served as a panelist for the Center for American Woman and Politics on multiple occasions, encouraging the participation of women in politics, government and leadership roles. In addition, she is a member of several civic and political organizations which include the South Asian Community Outreach, American Muslims for Democracy, New Jersey Muslim Voter Project, and the South Asian American Caucus, where she serves as a Middlesex County Director. She was awarded a Community Service Award 2016 by the American Muslim Council for her dedication and commitment to the community. She has worked with Interfaith Clergy to help encourage Interfaith dialogue helping to build bridges of peace and understanding. She also volunteers with the organization, Muslims Against Hunger, serving the homeless and the less fortunate. She received her Bachelors of Science in Nursing degree at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. She has worked as a Registered Nurse in Emergency Medicine and currently works as School Nurse in the Princeton and North Brunswick Public School Systems. She is also a freelance reporter for a local news outlet and enjoys physical fitness and is a Marathoner. |