2024 ICGT Council
Saleh Jabarin, Ph.D., President
Dr. Saleh Jabarin holds a Ph.D. in Polymer Science and Engineering from University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Dr. Jabarin started his career in Research and Development at Owens-Illinois in Toledo for 13 years before joining the University of Toledo in 1987 as the founding director of the Polymer Institute and professor of Chemical Engineering. He taught courses at the graduate and undergraduate level. He retired from UT as Distinguished University Professor and Emeritus Professor.
His service and engagement at the ICGT started in 1975 as a teacher of Arabic. He previously served as President, Chairman of the Board of Elders/Trustees, and was a vital force in the 1970s and 1980s in the Center’s expansion.
Mahjabeen Islam, M.D., Vice President
Mahjabeen Islam has served on the ICGT Council and was its president in 2013. She specializes in addiction and family medicine and has a private practice in Maumee.
While medicine is her first love, writing is a close second. She has been a columnist for several newspapers and is in the process of getting her first book published.
Following an earnest desire to be able to understand the Quran when it is recited, she created the ICGT Sunday Quran Study class. And to appreciate the works of her native Pakistan’s great poet-philosopher, Allama Iqbal, the Sunday Iqbal class as well.
Mohammad Alam, Treasurer
Mohammad Alam moved to Toledo from New York in March 2017 and since then has been associated with this community. He is a general member of ICGT and has been a volunteer of Islamic Food Bank of Toledo. Mohammad has been a Council Member of ICGT Since January, 2023.
He did his post graduation in Business from the University of Dhaka in 1994, and an MBA from Melbourne University in 2005, and currently working as a Global Sourcing and Supply Chain Professional at Libbey Glass.
Mohammad lives in Perrysburg and is blessed with two beautiful daughters.
Mariam Abdoney, Secretary
Mariam is the third daughter of Hassan and Aziza Abdoney. She was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio. Mariam grew up at both the original Islamic Center on Bancroft St., as well as at the current Islamic Center of Greater Toledo. Mariam has been actively involved in the Center her whole life. She has volunteered in the Sunday School as a teacher and has volunteered in running the Sunday kitchen for many years.
Mariam is a critical care nurse at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center. She also works as a home health nurse for the elderly. She is the mother of two twin sons, Mohammed and Adam, who are actively involved in the youth group.
Michelle M. Ariss, M.D., Council Member
The daughter of Dr. Steven and May Ariss, Michelle is a native Toledoan who, with her family, have always been avid supporters of the Muslim community and ICGT.
After completing her studies and specialty training in Baltimore and Cleveland, along with years of practice in Kansas City, Michelle returned to Toledo and is a pediatric ophthalmologist with the Promedica Health System.
She has served on the Social Services Committee and currently chairs the Religion and Education Committee of ICGT.
Her children attend ICGT Weekend School and can often be seen playing tag in the social hall when on break from the classroom.
In her free time, Michelle enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband, Samer, and their two children, Nayla and Noah.
Adnan Fellah, Council Member
Adnan Fellah has worked as an IT and software developer for over 30 years. Adnan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from Bowling Green State University. He served as a council member for 6 years (two terms). He chaired Ways and Means and IT committees and volunteered as teacher and director of the Weekend School for several years. Besides chairing committees, he served as a member in other committees (Religion & Education, Membership, and Budget & Finance)
For the last 40 plus years, Adnan resides in Bowling Green, Ohio with his wife Sylvia and has three daughters and two grandchildren.
Nada Kaake, Council Member
Nada is the middle child of Habib and Soubhieh Kaake. She was born and raised in Toledo, and has been heavily involved in the community from a young age, beginning by attending Sunday School at the Islamic Center then eventually becoming a Sunday school teacher for a few years. Nada is very passionate about everything she has her hand in, and that includes giving back to the very community that has raised her.
She has been an ICU nurse for five years, three of them at UTMC, the past two years at U of M’s cardiovascular ICU, and is currently pursuing her master’s in nursing.
Jamelah Abdouni, Council Member
As a longtime ICGT member of 40+ years, Jamelah Abdouni has contributed her time and efforts to the development and preservation of the community and various projects, most notably the International Festival. She spends a lot of footwork helping refugees settle by obtaining everyday essentials, tutoring and helping them acclimate. She is always willing to lend a helping hand to a person in need. She has three grown children and five grandchildren. She, her children, and her grandchildren are deeply rooted in this community.
Aziz Sezginis, Council Member
Mr. Sezginis graduated from the Air Force Academy in Türkiye and is a retired officer from the Turkish Air Force. Later, after immigrating to the U.S., he attended the University of Texas at San Antonio, earned B.A. in Business Administration, and later specialized in tax accounting. He and his family have been a member of the ICGT since 1990. Their three children attended the ICGT Sunday school from a very young age till they graduated from high school. Aziz served on various committees and volunteered at International Festivals. He initiated the permanent international display project and designed the Türkiye display.
Dr. Bassam Abaza, Council Member
Dr. Bassam Abaza is a retired pediatrician who has served on the Council of the ICGT
for many years beginning in 1973. He led the Council as its president in 2011, vice president
from 2013-2015, chaired several committees, and currently chairs the Building Maintenance
committee. He and his wife, Dr. Fadia Abaza, have been longtime members of the Islamic
Center.
Dr. Abaza graduated from Alexandria Medical School, served in the Jordanian Army,
and worked as a UN Relief Agency Medical Officer before earning his specialty in pediatrics.
Dr. Abaza retired from his private practice in 2016.
Dr. Mohammad Shalabe, Council Member
Dr. Mohammad Shalabe has served as ICGT’s Weekend School principal since 2012. He is also actively serving on the Religion and Education Committee.
He and his wife Erin have been active members of the Islamic Center for many years. His three children attended the ICGT full time school, weekend school and now are all active in the Center’s Youth Group Program.
Dr. Shalabe graduated from the Ukrainian Medical and Stomatological Academy and received his master’s degree in biomedical sciences at the University of Toledo Medical College. He currently practices endocrinology at The Toledo Clinic.
Hoda Taweel, Council Member
Hoda Taweel has been a proud member of the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo for 46 years. Mrs. Taweel has been involved in many of the Islamic Center’s fundraisers, family picnics, Sunday schools, and international festivals. Malak, Lila, and Sameer are the three children of Mrs. Taweel and Mr. Mohamad Taweel. Like Mrs. Taweel, her three children attended Sunday school every week where they made lifelong friends, learned to read and write Arabic, and memorized surahs from the Qur’an. Today, Mrs. Taweel and her three grandkids, Adam, Leah, and Sophia, enjoy being active members of the Islamic Center. She encourages their involvement in social and religious activities so that they could learn, make memories and develop a sense of belonging.
Mrs. Taweel is a teacher of 20 years at Bedford Schools. She is currently teaching first grade at Douglas Road Elementary. She graduated from Spring Arbor University with a master’s degree in elementary education and the University of Toledo with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education.
Ahmed Kadri, Council Member
I was born in Toledo to Lebanese parents. I have three boys, Tarik, Amir and Ziad and three grandchildren, Rami, Sami and Gianna. I am an Owens College (74) and University of Toledo (76) graduate with a BS in Computer Science. I served 4 years in the US Air Force in San Antonio, Texas, as a data processor. I have worked at Toledo Edison and Detroit Edison (DTE Energy) in their Data Processing departments and retired in 2018.
I have been a member of the Islamic Center since the E Bancroft days and my favorite time was as a member of the Youth Club when we would visit other Youth Clubs spending weekends in cities like Dearborn, Windsor, London, Toronto and Cedar Rapids. Those were the days.
