The people behind the work
mupla is run by a small staff and a large bench of committed volunteers. Meet the people who keep the foundation moving, the ones who will greet you at your first event, and the committees that hold the work accountable.
How we lead
Three principles guide every decision at mupla, and every person who joins us.
Faith-rooted
Our work flows from Islamic ethics of mercy, knowledge, and community. Service is a daily practice of faith, not an occasional event.
Community-led
Every program is shaped by the people it serves. We listen first, design with neighbors second, and stay accountable to them every step of the way.
Trustworthy
We publish what we do, how we spend, and what we learned. Transparency isn't a value we claim, it's a practice we maintain through annual reporting and open books.
Our story
mupla began in a living room. A group of families wanted their children to grow up knowing their neighbors, and they wanted to be the kind of community that shows up when someone is in need. Over the years, we've grown into a year-round foundation serving more than 1,200 neighbors each year, supported by 48 weekly volunteers and a small, committed staff.
We are still that same group of families, just with more chairs at the table. Most of our team is volunteer-led, and we keep our staff small so that the bulk of every dollar reaches the people it serves.
Leadership & staff
A small team of staff and a board of community volunteers keep mupla grounded and accountable.
Yusuf Abdel-Rahman
Executive DirectorYusuf has been with mupla since the early days, when a weekly Qur'an circle and a shared iftar outgrew the living room where they began. He oversees strategy, finances, and community partnerships, and writes the annual report every spring.
Khadija Hassan
Programs DirectorKhadija coordinates the day-to-day of all six core programs and supports the volunteer leads who run them. She came in as a Saturday pantry volunteer and never quite left.
Bilal Saeed
Zakat Committee ChairBilal leads the confidential review of every Zakat request. He joined after years of community social-work experience and a long personal practice of distributing his own Zakat locally.
Maryam Idris
Youth Programs LeadMaryam is a long-time teacher who built the mentorship program from scratch. She knows every youth and every mentor by name, and runs the summer capstone with the help of two dozen volunteers.
Aisha Patel
Community Events LeadAisha is the person who makes every Ramadan iftar feel like home. She lives and breathes hospitality, and her kitchen crew text thread is the busiest chat in the foundation.
Hamza Kowalski
Refugee & Newcomer SupportHamza is a former case manager who now leads our refugee support program. He walks alongside newly arrived families for their first twelve months, the heart of mupla for many of the families we serve.
Sara Mahmoud
Operations & FinanceSara keeps the books, the bills, and the calendar in order. She is the reason your donations go where they should, and the reason the annual report is on time every spring.
Tariq El-Sayed
CommunicationsTariq writes the newsletter, runs social media, and makes sure the community knows what is happening and when. He is also the staff photographer for our iftar and gala albums.
Want to join the team?
We're always looking for committed volunteers to take on bigger roles. If mupla is part of your life, talk to us about joining a committee, leading a program, or serving on the board.
How the foundation is governed
mupla is a registered nonprofit with a small board of community volunteers who provide governance, fiduciary oversight, and strategic direction. Board members serve two-year terms and are nominated by current members at our annual meeting. The board meets quarterly and publishes minutes to our members on request.
Our day-to-day operations are run by a small staff team (above) supported by 48 weekly volunteers across our six core programs. The Zakat committee operates independently of staff and reports directly to the board.
Conflict of interest
mupla maintains a written conflict-of-interest policy. All staff and board members disclose annually any relationships with vendors, partners, or recipients that could present a financial conflict. Zakat committee members recuse themselves from any request involving someone with whom they have a personal or business relationship.
Connect with the people who run our programs
A few of the staff members and committee leads whose inboxes are open to the community. For general inquiries, write to **hello@mupla.org**.
General inquiries
hello@mupla.org, read by the executive director and triaged daily to the right team.
Zakat requests
zakat@mupla.org, every request reviewed confidentially by our Zakat committee. Turns around within 5 business days.
Press & media
press@mupla.org, for interviews, statements, and media inquiries. We aim to respond within 24 hours.