CHAIRMAN of the Board

Dr. Tamim Saidi was born in Afghanistan and as a teenager was forced to leave his family behind and take refuge in Pakistan. He came to the USA in 1990 and since then he has considered Minnesota home.

He received his Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Minnesota and holds a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree from Chicago Theological Seminary and Bayan Islamic Graduate School.

In 2018 he was selected as one of 24 Bush Fellows. Additionally, he has completed a Multi-Religious Fellowship program with the Collegeville Institute.

In addition to serving as the Resident Scholar for IRG, Br. Tamim serves/has served in numerous community leadership positions with the Islamic Resource Group (IRG), NWICC, MYLA Scholarship, Islamic Center of MN Muslim Youth of MN (MYM), Council of Trustees of the Islamic Center of MN, Al-Amal School Board of Directors, & interfaith dialogues.

He has presented to thousands of Minnesotans about Islam and Muslims. His articles have appeared at EngageMN, Star Tribune, Pioneer Press USA Today St. Cloud Times and MN Daily and he has also appeared on WCCO and TPTV Almanac. Br. Tamim regularly delivers weekly sermons at multiple area mosques, serves as a Muslim chaplain & conducts other religious rituals for the community. He is a father to four children and is a son, a husband and a brother.

Br. Tamim has been involved in Al-Amal School for over 17 years, his three older children have graduated from Al-Amal, and his youngest daughter is in 6th grade. Through his work with youth and other organizations, Br. Tamim understood the importance of Islamic school even before his children were born. He registered his children at the school when they were only a few months old.

Secretary

Finance

Aleem Mahammad is an IT Leader at MNIT, with over 25 years of experience in information technology, cybersecurity, and organizational leadership. His career includes leadership roles in the biomedical, banking, and electronics industries, where he directed technology strategy, implemented enterprise-wide IT solutions, and guided teams through complex technical and operational transformations.

Aleem holds an MBA from Bethel University and a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics, along with multiple leadership, professional, and technical certifications. He has led high-performing IT teams, driven large-scale initiatives, and built secure, reliable systems in highly regulated environments. Aleem is recognized for his ability to unify teams, elevate performance, and lead organizations through change with clarity and purpose.

Aleem has also held leadership roles in support of organizational culture and strategy, including serving as Executive Board Chair for an employee resource group, where he partnered with executives to advance mission-driven initiatives and strengthen employee engagement.

His signature strengths are Includer, Activator, Achiever, Communication, and Positivity. He is known for building consensus, resolving challenges with tact, and fostering environments where teams and boards can make thoughtful, effective decisions.

In the education sector, Aleem has contributed over a decade of executive leadership through serving as the board chair of a charter school, as well as the board chair of charter school authorizers, supporting over 30 schools in governance, oversight, compliance, and mission alignment.

Aleem has a longstanding connection to Al-Amal School. Two of his children are alumni, and his younger two are current students. He brings a strong understanding of the school’s mission, values, and community, along with a strategic, student-focused, and leadership-driven perspective.

Sr. Amran Farah is a partner at Greene Espel, one of the leading boutique litigation firms in the country. She represents Fortune 50 companies, public institutions, and individuals in a wide range of business matters, with particular expertise in complex commercial litigation, construction law, and employment disputes. Amran has extensive experience representing school districts, including conducting sensitive internal investigations for school boards addressing governance issues, discrimination claims, and workplace misconduct.

Her construction law practice focuses on high-stakes multi-million dollar construction disputes, where she represents owners and contractors in litigation involving construction defects, change order disputes, project delays, and mechanic’s lien claims. She has successfully resolved construction disputes through both litigation and arbitration, protecting clients’ interests while navigating the complex web of construction contracts and statutory requirements. Amran's talents are widely recognized.

She was selected by Minnesota Lawyer as a 2021 “Attorney of the Year” and was a 2020 Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal 40 Under 40 Honoree. Amran is the past-President of the Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers, Past-Chair of the Council of Minnesotans of African Heritage, as well as a founder and past-President of the Somali American Bar Association.

Public Relations

Legal