THE TEAM

THE TEAM

 Sama Wareh, M.S
Director 
​Naturalist and Co-Founder

Naturalist, University Lecturer, Artist, Author of "How to Draw 60 Native CA Plants and Animals: A Field Guide"  and Environmental Educator for over 15 years.

Sama has a Masters Degree in Environmental Studies from CSUF. Her Bachelors is in Filmmaking and she has a minor in Art. Wareh has led over a thousand hikes, taught TK to university level, and has done workshops for arboretums, nature centers, and museums all across California.  She has spoken before the UN, given a TED-X talk, given trainings for OCParks and Interpretive Centers and has received multiple awards, including the OC Register's 40 Under 40 award, OC Weekly's people of the year, and Access California's Humanitarian Heart Award. She has received a certification in Tracking from The Tracker School, is a certified Project WILD and Project Wet Facilitator. Sama teaches on and off as an adjunct faculty at Teachers College of San Joaquin. 

Sama has a strong passion for the outdoors and the environment and her vision of sharing it with the community in a way that channels a deep and meaningful connection is what sparked the Art and Wilderness Institute.  Her philosophy on instilling Magic into the experience is at the heart of all classes taught at AWI. Along with Syma and Khadeeja, Sama is a co-founder of the Art and Wilderness Institute.

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Dr. Khadeeja Abdullah
Programming Director
​Co-Founder

Dr. Abdullah is a professor in the Environmental Studies Masters program at California State University, Fullerton. She has worked in various capacities as an Environmental Consultant, Researcher, and Adult Curriculum Developer for the Labor Occupational Safety and Health Department at UCLA, the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety, Heal the Bay, Ralley (a social marketing firm) and the South Coast Air Quality Management District.  She is passionate about equal opportunity access to outdoor environmental education and is working hard to make that a reality.

Dr. Abdullah has a Doctorate in Environmental Science and Engineering from UCLA,  a Masters in Environmental Health and a Minor in Education. Her passion for sustainability and the environment is what led her to further her education and obtain a certification as a Master Recycler through the City of Burbank and certification in Ethnobotany from the School of Self Reliance. Among her hobbies is going on extremely long hikes, camping with family and friends, and spending quality time with her family. This passion for sustainability and desire to connect to nature and community is what got her involved in co-founding the Art and Wilderness Institute. 


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Syma Aslam
Administrative Director
Culinary Instructor
​Co-Founder


Syma obtained her Bachelors in Psychology and Social Behavior from UCI.  Syma is active in the Southern California Community in multiple capacities and is on the board of ISOC.  Syma is a dynamic organizer, multi-tasker, and problem-solver which is why she is internally known as the " backbone" of Art and Wilderness Institute. Her humility runs so deep she wouldn't even write this bio, which is why Sama enjoyed writing this for her.

    Syma's genuine sincerity and thirst for knowledge is what got her interested in the outdoors and sparked her passion to help co-found the Art and Wilderness Institute. She is the co-leader of the Outdoorswomen Club as well as the journalism team. Syma is a passionate baker and can often be spotted showing up to classes with a basket of freshly baked bread and butter cut out into little heart shapes. Her attention to detail and strong sense of ethics is what gives her the ability to have a strong role in every part of our organization.

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Mona Bennani
Sustainability Coordinator & Wholesome Living Instructor

Mona received her Permaculture Design Certification from Zaytuna College Center for Ethical Living, previously worked for the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office on a global youth study and as a water security consultant for EcoPeace Middle East to start a cross border environmental peacebuilding program in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. 

MS in Global Affairs from New York University.

Qanita Mohiuddin
Director of Diversity and Inclusion
Coordinates and develops Refugee, special needs and diverse socio-economic inclusion in programming

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Qanita Mohiuddin is the Director of Diversity and Inclusion at AWI.  She holds a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential as well as a Masters in Teacher Education from UC Irvine.  She is currently pursuing a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership with an emphasis on equity and inclusion in educational systems.  Qanita is a Home School Teacher with Cabrillo Point Academy and also serves as the Director of Education and Enrichment for CORE Academy.  She loves exploring OC trails with her children and has been leading hikes at AWI for students from refugee families.  

INSTRUCTORS

Deborah (Karemah) Alfaddaghi
​Redwood Raven Academy Instructor
Licensed Montessori Teacher

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Karemah is a Licensed Primary Montessori teacher.  She specializes in Emerging readers using the Raz Kids A-Z  online platform.  She worked in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for 25 years adapting many other programs for EFL and ESL students. She enjoy a hands on personalized approach to teaching. In her  spare time she has enjoyed Girl Scouting and serving on the US Chair of girl scouts from 2003 to 2013. She also enjoys working with orphanages in Nepal and Central Asia.

When she is not busy with lesson-planning or spending time with her family, she enjoys sipping Ice tea in her garden.   She joined AWI team in December of 2020 as the Parent and Me instructor and is excited to keep sharing the joy of teaching and the outdoors with AWI students and families. ​

Iman Ascha
Redwood Raven Academy Instructor

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Ms Iman discovered her passion for teaching when she decided to homeschool her four children, whom she homeschooled from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Ms. Iman learned early on how to adjust her teaching style so that every student’s need was met. Ms. Iman has been teaching 1st-4th grade for the past 14 years, first at Straight Way School and more recently at the Institute of Knowledge.  She has taught cumulatively for 30 years. Every year, Ms. Iman is renewed in her creativity to organize a school year centered around each child's needs. Ms. Iman also has a deep desire to help build a healthy community. Her passions include healthy living, serving the homeless, cleaning up the environment, and working on community gardens. 
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Sarah Hafeez
Art Instructor

Sarah Hafeez is a Canadian born graphic designer, illustrator, and humanitarian. She has a passion for Islamic art, history, nature, children’s animations and charity work.
Sarah has worked in the creative industry for over 20 years, designing, creating and illustrating various works. She is currently an art teacher at The Art and Wilderness Institute in California, where she teaches watercolors and traditional art methods.
Sarah was the first to create a Muslim Children's monthly magazine in the U.S. called MiniMuslimeen. MiniMuslimeen circulated for over 2 years and was enjoyed globally by hundreds of children and adults alike. Sarah is also the illustrator behind "How to get Hijab Ready:  A Guide for Muslim Girls ages 8-11". Sarah’s work also includes business branding and merchandise design.
When she isn’t creating, Sarah enjoys spending time with her three wonderful daughters and husband.  In her spare time Sarah works with Open Arms In Kayseri, whose mission is to help refugee Mothers displaced by war.

Nada Hajjar
Gardening and Arabic Instructor

Nada has worked in all capacities in the community and has always been on the front-lines supporting various philanthropic causes. Her green thumb can bring any garden to life and her passion for teaching, creativity, and the outdoors is contagious. Her French Literature degree sparked her love for teaching students new languages. She began as a French tutor and expanded to tutoring English to refugees. She is also a master of Arabic due to her Quran and tajweed studies. Aside from languages, Nada also has an associate degree in interior design. Her latest project combines her skills in languages and design to create a new form of learning Arabic for children through art and nature.

Selena Khan
Math and Science Instructor

Born in Texas and raised in Southern California, Ms. Selena Khan has been teaching for over 10 years. She comes from a diverse teaching background in which she has taught all core subjects 2nd through 10th grade. Most recently, however, Ms. Selena has been primarily teaching math and science at the upper elementary and middle school grade levels. She is most known for her students’ achievements at regional and state science and engineering competitions. When she is not teaching, she volunteers her time within her community as well as judging and advising for a variety of schools and organizations, including the NASA Mars 2020 “Name the Rover” Contest, the LA County Science and Engineering Fair, and the California Science and Engineering Fair. In 2019, Ms. Selena was honored as a finalist for the California Science Teacher of the Year Award. Ms. Selena is passionate about her work as an educator and seeks to foster a love for learning and exploration in her students.

​Amy Hossain
Natura/Zero-Waste Living Instructor

Amy Hossain is on a journey towards a more wholesome regenerative lifestyle through growing food, upcycling, stacking the functions of available resources, learning how to produce and build, and fostering community self-reliance. Amy received her Permaculture Design Certification from Zaytuna College Center for Ethical Living. She also recently completed a course on "The Islamic Gift Economy and Social Permaculture" in the Program for Ethical,  Appropriate & Regenerative Livelihoods taught by Dr. 'Adi Setia and Rhamis Kent. Amy is also a veteran homeschooling parent whose two daughters are now in college. 

Raneem Iftikhar
Wire Wrapping, Sticker Making, and Book binding Instructor

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Raneem Iftekhar is pursuing her passion in  environmental policy or political science. She is passionate about storytelling through writing, art, music and teaching. She has led clubs for social activism at her high  school, and ran a drive and fundraiser to donate to schools she visited in refugee camps for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. She has also worked with CAIR and participated in their Muslim GameChangers Network program. Inspired by that program, Raneem and a friend created The Generation of Change project for education and community building as an awakened drive of activism among youth in 2020. 

Erum Khalili
​Art Instructor

Erum is a surface pattern designer and illustrator based out of Chino, CA. Erum has extensive experience working with children as a school teacher. 
Erum resides in California, where the sun shines bright and the beaches are constantly luring her in. She has three kids and a 10 lb. Rag-doll cat who's hardly 2 years old. Her artwork is primarily inspired by nature and her surroundings. You'll see her limited color pallets in her artwork.
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She went to UCI for undergrad and worked a corporate job for a few years. After having her youngest son she decided to pursue her passion in the field of arts from home. She enjoys it very much and is excited to be part of the AWI team. You can visit her website and Instagram page at https://erumkhalili.com/ and @erumkhalili. 

Maya Mardini
Fitness Instructor

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Maya Mardini is a fitness instructor and has been in the industry for almost a decade. She is also  a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors. 

She had a Bachelors in Finance and a Bachelors in Business Economics from Cal State Fullerton. She also has a Masters in Business Analytics from Boston University. 

Maya holds eight fitness certificates and has been an instructor teaching multiple formats over the years including Kickboxing, Zumba, Bootcamp, and has been a personal trainer. Through her classes, positivity, and enthusiasm Maya has encouraged and empowered dozens of women over the years, helping them reach and surpass their fitness goals while increasing their self-confidence and happiness. 

Through her wide range of expertise in both the financial and fitness industries, Maya is committed to assist women in reaching their financial and fitness goals.​​

Saba Parekh
Pilates Instructor

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Saba is a mom of four from Chino Hills who is a certified instructor of classical Pilates and has worked alongside professionals for over 17 years. 
Her lessons begin with meditation and end with gratitude. She strongly believes wellness comes full circle when the body, mind and soul can work seamlessly to nourish and fuel each other.  In her teaching she loves to gently encourage women to embrace where they are in their physical capabilities and motivate them to grow into the best versions of themselves. 
Saba is passionate about wellness and has curated a lifestyle that merges her Pilates training with an exploration into culinary creativity as she cooks up healthy alternatives to traditional recipes. She is a graduate of Ta’leemul Quran at Al Huda Institute and continues to attend its classes.  

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Maimoona Rashid
Theatre Arts Instructor

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A homeschooling mum of four, Maimoona spends her free time gardening, reading, DIYing, and has just taken up a new hobby of knitting. Her passions involves organizing and decluttering, encouraging a simple life where you enjoy moments rather than things...unless it's a deal on Facebook marketplace!
Maimoona has been tutoring kindergarten-fifth grade for four years now, and is also part time book keeper. 
In her free time, Maimoona enjoys drinking her Yorkshire tea among her succulents and other plant babies, loves  laughing with her kids and husband.
She has studies drama in her younger years and  wants to instill the love of the arts through teaching drama and theatre studies. 
This  happy Sagebrush Stewerd gardener is excited to share her dramatic experiences through Art and Wilderness !!

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Sana Rashid
Nature Workout Instructor

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Sana Rashid is a college student on her journey to obtain her Nursing License.. Sana has a wide range of future careers she hopes to pursue, including her mission to work with Art and Wilderness Institute to accomplish teaching children in a unique and engaging way, and bringing the community closer together to share the magical experiences that nature offers. She has her associates degree in Arabic and has worked with Sama in the past for 2 years, helping lead hikes and co-teach children at camping trips. She has been a henna artist for 8 years and has done henna at volunteering events, QUAD M, and fundraisers. In her free time, Sana enjoys stargazing, drinking coffee, watching sunsets, mountain biking, tie dying, painting, hanging with friends and family, and traveling. Her favorite thing in the entire world is cherishing precious moments on camping nights beneath the dark black sky scattered with shining stars with the firelight crackling and glowing, along with the sound of her friends and family laughing and talking. 

“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory” Dr. Suess.

Nesrin Tarablosi
Adventuring with Kids Instructor

California is what Nesrin calls home but she can pretty much adapt to any environment and find the beauty in it. Nesrin is an outschooling/road and nature schooling mama to my 3 kids Layal who’s 9, Raya 6 and hasan who’s almost 2! She believes that being outside is healing in so many ways for adults and children alike. She enjoys watching children thrive and grow in the outside world. Nature is the best classroom to teach our kids strength, confidence, perseverance and kindness. Nesrin and her family love hiking, camping and road tripping  and looking forward to going on our first backpacking trip this year.

Mariam Wingate
Archery and Handworks Instructor

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Mariam Wingate is a college student currently attending UCLA in pursuit of a B.A in psychology. She graduated with honors from Dehesa Charter School, and hopes to turn her passion for helping others into a career as a therapist or counselor. She enjoys teaching, and has led many projects through youth organizations, including cake decorating, archery, arts and crafts, and has been a youth summer camp counselor for four years. She is also dedicated to community service and has volunteered for numerous projects, including a nonprofit Islamic organization, a pediatric therapy center, and senior centers. When she's not busy with school, Mariam enjoys crocheting, painting, trying new recipes, reading, and cuddling her kitten, Grey. She adores beach sunsets and mountain sunrises, and could spend the rest of her life in a forest cottage. She also loves spending time with family and friends.

INTERNS

Mariam Qasqas
Creative Genius Intern

Mariam is all about family and exploration. From her trip to Alaska with AWI, Mariam was inspired to undertake more projects and has since started helping with creating video materials as well capturing what happens at AWI and translating into a creative medium. 

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For direct inquiries, please contact:
info@artandwildernessinsititute.com
(714) 745-3001