Current CAIR-PA Staff

Philadelphia Office

Moein Khawaja

Executive Director

Moein was born and raised in Springfield, IL and has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Illinois. His extensive activism experience began during his undergraduate years at the University of Illinois.

Along with substantial involvement with the Muslim Students Association at the University of Illinois, Moein developed the first CAIR chapter for a University. Three members from that original chapter have gone on to become full-time staffers at CAIR-Chicago. Today, the CAIR chapter at the University of Illinois serves as a blueprint for future University chapters and as a recruitment pipeline for young, motivated Muslim activists.

At the University of Illinois, Moein developed an extensive leadership training program. He also facilitated the logistics of the MSA-national Central Zone Conference and was an intern at the Environmental Protection Agency. For his work, he earned the Illinois Leadership Certificate.

In addition to owning and managing a small contracting business, Moein devoted a considerable amount of time in late 2008 to the Barack Obama Presidential campaign.

Moein’s experiences have given him the opportunity to be interviewed by prominent media outlets, and his opinion pieces have been printed in the Chicago Tribune and New York Times.

In September 2009, he was hired as CAIR-PA’s new Civil Rights Director, and began in his capacity as Executive Director in May 2010. Moein is committed to protecting the rights of all Muslim Americans and to promote the understanding and acceptance of Islam in America.

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Rugiatu Conteh

Outreach Director

Rugiatu was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A graduate from Temple University, she began her career working as Assistant Producer at a cable access station in Radnor, Pennsylvania. Subsequently, Rugiatu went on to receive her Masters degree in Film and Television Production from Royal Holloway-University of London.

Her educational and work experience has focus on using media to convey messages that highlight developmental issues. While in London, Rugiatu was a Researcher and Production Assistant at BEN Television. She provided her production expertise to the host and producer of the sixty-minute live program, Woman’s Hour, which aimed to discuss socio-economic issues affecting women of African descent.

In January 2009, Rugiatu joined the CAIR-PA team as a Communications Volunteer. She helped to coordinate several programs and events, and has become a major contributor to the quarterly newsletter. Rugiatu is very interested in Muslim affairs and with her knowledge of the Media, she plans to disseminate correct information on Islam and Muslims.

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Former CAIR-PA Staff

Philadelphia Office

Adeeba Al-Zaman

Director of Communications

Adeeba Al-Zaman was born in Houston, TX. She graduated in December 2004 from Rosemont College with a degree in political science. From April 2005 until September 2006, Adeeba was CAIR-PA’s first full-time employee, Director of Communications. She was hired to develop the organization from the ground-up. Among other things, Adeeba presented CAIR-PA’s 10-part course, “Understanding Islam and Muslims through History and Jurisprudence” at the Paoli Presbyterian Church.

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Marwa El-Turky

Civil Rights Director

Marwa El-Turky was born in Chicago, IL, raised in Allentown, PA and spent her childhood traveling frequently to Egypt. She has been and continues to be an active member of the Muslims Association of the Lehigh Valley in Whitehall, PA. She received a Bachelor’s of Arts in Political Science from Temple University in May 2006 and Masters of Science in Global Politics from the London School of Economics in December 2007. Marwa has also worked in various civil rights and human rights organizations, such as the American Civil Liberties Union and Human Rights First.

In July 2008 she was hired as CAIR-PA’s Director of Civil Rights to address issues of religious discrimination and defend the constitutional rights of the Pennsylvania Muslim community.

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Q. Amin Nathari

Executive Director

Amin is a critically acclaimed author, lecturer and community servant, and one of the leading voices of his generation on Islam and the Muslims in America. He is also a renowned and respected activist in the Muslim American community and the society-at-large. He was one of the founders of an influential New Jersey Mosque and Community Center, where he served as an Imam and Director from 1995-2000, as well as in other community service and leadership roles in the Muslim American community prior to joining CAIR in July 2009.

He is the author of several books, including his most recent work entitled Message to the Grassroots for 21st Century America – What Would Malcolm Do?, (2nd edition printing February 2009) as well as Muslim Unity By Any Means Necessary (2004), Da’wah – The Invitation to Islam in 21st Century America (2001) and other works.

A Communications and Media Consultant by profession, Nathari formerly served as Deputy Director of Communications for the City of Newark, NJ and Mayor Cory A. Booker. He is also the Founder of The Sabree Group, which is comprised of several information and media entities, including Sabree Press.

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Justin L. Peyton

Executive Director

Justin Peyton was born in Manhattan, NY and raised in Philadelphia, PA. He received a Bachelors of Science in Biology from Shippensburg University in May 2001 and Masters of Public Administration from Shippensburg University in December 2002. He then went on to serve on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps from December 2002 until August 2007.

From September 2007 until June 2008, he served as CAIR-PA’s first Director of Civil Rights. He was hired to address the civil rights needs of the Pennsylvania Muslim community. From July 2008 until August 2009, Justin served as CAIR-PA’s first Executive Director. He was promoted to further develop the chapter. In August 2009, Justin stepped down as Executive Director to pursue full-time studies in the Islamic Chaplaincy Program at Hartford Seminary.

Pittsburgh Office

Helen Gerhardt

Communications Coordinator

After completing degrees in Fine Arts and English, Helen Gerhardt served with an Army National Guard trucking company in Iraq for over a year. She came back to the States determined to work for civil rights, the Geneva Conventions, and the Constitution she has sworn to uphold. Struck by the lack of attention to the exemplary service contributed by Muslim soldiers and concerned at the ways that the “War on Terror” had distorted perceptions of Muslims here in our own country, she committed herself to providing these fellow citizens and soldiers the opportunity to tell their own stories. She has worked with a broad array of interfaith organizations and volunteers to speak out for civil liberties and to provide media training for Muslim youth and adults.

Her writing has been featured on National Public Radio; in the National Endowment of the Arts anthology Operation Homecoming; and in the film “In Service: Authentic Narrative from Iraq to Pittsburgh.” She is pursuing an MFA in the Creative Nonfiction Writing Program at the University of Pittsburgh, writing a book about her experience in Iraq and her work with Muslim and interfaith groups to uphold the rule of law which protects and unites us all.