Meet the YAC

The Youth Spiritual Summit Advisory Committee (YAC) is composed of former directors, counselors, youth participants, and other contributing community members. The advisory committee oversees the selection of the directorial team known as the Alumni Family, which is an annually rotating team of former youth participants who have recently aged-out of the program. The YAC is responsible for the professional development, spiritual enrichment, and programmatic guidance needed to empower the Alumni Family with the values and excellence that make YSS the incredible program it strives to be. 
Omar Ezzeldine has been involved in youth camps and activities for over 35 years and is the founder of Camp Izza, a summer day camp in Irvine that is accredited by the American Camp Association. He serves as the Director of Operations and Community Engagement at the Rahma Center, and he's an adjunct professor at USC. He and his wife Munira Lekovic Ezzeldine are parents to 3 boys and proud to support youth programs for the community. Omar is the founder of YSS and oversees the YAC as its chair. He supervises the efforts of the advisors and oversees the development of training & professional development for the YAC, Alumni Family, and Counselor Staff.
Hana Ayoub is an Egyptian American from the South Bay of LA. She earned her masters from USC in Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, through which she found herself immersed in some of the most novel scientific advancements. Hana is currently on a pursuit of knowledge, not only in the field of medicine, but also in the Islamic tradition. In her free time she enjoys puzzles of various varieties including word, logic, and jigsaw puzzles. Hana joined the Youth Spiritual Summit for its beautiful mission of providing an environment for youth to connect with each other and their Creator, regardless of  their backgrounds. She most treasures her involvement in cultivating leadership and contributing to the youth’s journey of finding faith, community, and identity. Hana currently serves as a member of the Advisory Committee as well as a counselor during the summit.
Yusuf Ezzeldine has been involved with youth programming since 2015 and joined the Advisory Committee as an inaugural member in 2019. He is passionate about the intellectual and communal empowerment of young leaders and strives to be an inspiring mentor, brother, and friend to all. Yusuf received his Bachelor's Degree in Cognitive Science from UCI where his researched focused on computational decision modeling and explored topics on phenomenology and the ethics of artificial intelligence. A data analyst by profession, on this team, Yusuf is primarily involved with the facilitation of registration, program scheduling, staff development, and feedback analytics.

​Hiba Khan is an Indian American from Orange County. She is currently studying Psychology at UC Irvine, and plans on attending grad school. In her downtime, she likes to watch TV shows or play with her cat, Ash. As a former Alumni Family member, Hiba was drawn to the close-knit Muslim community fostered by YSS, encouraging her to join the YSS Advisory Committee. She hopes to continue her role of leadership to create a fun, educational experience that is applicable for today’s youth.
Yousef Khan has been attending YSS since its inception in 2019, was an Alumni Family member for YSS ‘23, and brings his wealth of experience to the Advisory team. He’s currently working towards his Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science at UC Irvine—he loves programming and spreadsheeting (especially with Yusuf). Some of Yousef's fondest memories from YSS include showcasing his self-taught piano skills to his peers in 2022 and taking the totem hunt way too seriously. He loves having deep conversations about astrophysics and the stars, but above all, hearing people’s stories. In his time with YSS, he’s learned to break out of his shell—learned to lead.

​Maryam Ahmed is a UCI graduate in Psychology and is currently working for research with UCI Health in Orange. She is a New Horizon alum and this is her fourth year with YSS as YAC. Her previous experience as a counselor and former YAC member fosters her enjoyment working with kids and being a part of the community it brings!  In her downtime she enjoys going to the beach, and spending time with friends and family. She is excited to continue her role in working with AF and YSS!

​Saafiyah Patel is currently studying Computer Science at USC and plans to continue her education with a Master’s in Engineering Management. In her free time, she enjoys puzzles, traveling, and trying cafes around LA. Though she never attended YSS as a camper, her experience as a counselor sparked an appreciation for the program's ability to foster meaningful connections among Muslim youth and create a space where faith, leadership, and personal growth can flourish. She also values the opportunity to stay connected to her own faith and community.

Acknowledgements 

Various leaders have contributed to the development of YSS since its original inception. Along with an annual batch of passionate young leaders from our community who compose the revolving directorial Alumni Family, we'd also like to acknowledge the contributions of various emeritus YAC members who have contributed to the establishment and success of YSS over the years. Special thanks to:

Mohammad Rasouli, Ronda Kalaji, Hala Khalifeh, Maryam Shama, Nadia Sawaf, Nadia Nassar, Firas Bdaiwi, Adam Elshiwick, Sunya Ahmed, & Talha Rafique
hosted by Rahma Center 
FEDERAL TAX ID: 85-3255194