Shaykh Atiyah Emarah
Founder & Resident Scholar
Sheikh Atiyah Emarah is the Imam of ICLT and Director of Islamic Studies at Austin Peace Academy. He holds a bachelor’s from Al-Azhar University, a PhD in Qur’anic Studies from IIUM, a Master’s in Islamic Studies from UT Austin, and a Master of Education from Texas State. As the founder of Wahy, he is deeply committed to strengthening the Austin community by fostering spaces rooted in knowledge, compassion, and spiritual growth. Through his leadership, Wahy serves as a platform for meaningful dialogue, mentorship, and connection across generations.
Shaykh Dawood Yasin
Resident Scholar
Prior to him joining ICGA, Imam Dawood Yasin served as Director of Student Life and Center for Ethical Living and Learning at Zaytuna College. Imam Dawood served as Muslim Life and Service-Learning Coordinator at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH. He previously served as Director of Outreach Affairs at Zayed Center for Islamic Culture in the United Arab Emirates and as an Arabic language teaching assistant at Yale University. He studied Islamic at Abu Nour Institute in Damascus, Syria.
Dana Farra
Director of Operations & Strategy
Dana Farra is a pediatric speech therapist by training and a community builder at heart. She has worked extensively with children, deepening her commitment to nurturing a generation that is spiritually grounded, emotionally supported, and connected to its higher purpose. Dana has held key leadership roles in various community initiatives across Texas and California, where she is known for her ability to inspire teams, mobilize resources, and bring vision and structure to the spaces she serves. She is passionate about cultivating a spiritually conscious community rooted in ʿilm and united by sincerity and shared purpose.
Sara Abdelali
Youth Programming Coordinator
Sara Abdelali is a student of traditional Islamic sciences, currently completing a two-year program. She is also a project manager at a tech company, balancing her professional career with her passion for community service. Since joining the Austin community in 2022, she has been actively involved in organizing sports events to foster connection, volunteering in various roles, and working closely with children in community settings. She is passionate about creating meaningful opportunities for young people to grow, connect, and thrive.
Imaad Thakur
Adult Programming Coordinator
Imaad Thakur graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from UT Austin and is currently an equipment engineer at Samsung. He has served as both the UT Austin chapter and National Fundraising coordinator for Alpha Lambda Mu and currently teaches Sunday school at ICLT. During high school, he studied under Sheikh Atiyah at APA. Imaad is dedicated to supporting Wahy's mission of providing fundamental, accessible, and quality Islamic education to the Austin community and the suhba that comes with pursuing sacred knowledge.
Dr.Riyad Alhomsi
Quranic Arabic Instructor
Riyad Alhomsi is an Assistant Professor of Instruction at UT Austin with a PhD in the Second Language Acquisition and Teaching (SLAT) program. He previously taught Arabic at Manhattan College and Lehman College in New York City. He holds an MA in English Language Teaching from the University of Warwick in the UK. Riyad's research focuses on pedagogy, with particular interests in teacher training and development, as well as the integration of technology in second language learning and teaching.
Lama Aboubakr
Youth Instructor
Lama Aboubakr is a certified mindset and spirituality coach, she uses cognitive-psychology based techniques and Islamic principles to help change people's mindset in order to achieve their practical and spiritual goals. Her mission is to liberate Muslim minds from the un-Islamic socialization and expectations set forth by society, to enable Muslims to live their lives with intention, and to become the best version of themselves.
Ahmed Eid
Youth Instructor
Ahmed completed his Hifz at IQA in 6th grade and has been studying under Wahy Founder Shaykh Atiyah since then. He graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science from UTD and currently works as a software engineer at VISA. Ahmed teaches Quran and Islamic studies at the ICLT Sunday School and is involved in content creation for Wahy. He is deeply passionate about Wahy’s mission of making Islamic knowledge accessible, engaging, and relevant to the community.
Maggie Potgieter
Events Coordinator
Maggie Potgieter is deeply passionate about creating an inviting atmosphere that fosters a sense of belonging within the community. With every event, her goal is to make everyone feel at home and to cultivate a space where every heart is valued. She is dedicated to uniting the diverse community through thoughtfully designed events that resonate with all. She strives to make every event a welcoming space for connection with Allah, with tradition, and with one another.