Meet Our Team
AMAANA Disability Resource Center was founded by Muslim mothers, educators, and relentless advocates for families living with disabilities. This woman-led staff and board, along with over a dozen dedicated volunteers, are passionate about bettering the lives of individuals with disabilities and their caregivers.
Founders & Staff
Rana Ottallah, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director for Advocacy and Development
Rana Ottallah is a lifelong community leader and advocate for disability rights and equity in education. As a devoted single mother to four children, including one with special needs, Rana is personally committed to AMAANA’s core mission of providing equitable access to education for individuals of all abilities.
Rana leads AMAANA’s advocacy efforts with invaluable knowledge gleaned from extensive experience as a disability rights advocate in the school system. Her dedicated service on state and local Special Education Advisory boards has deepened her understanding of federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and policies pertaining to special education services and supports.
Throughout her career, Rana has made a profound impact on Muslim communities worldwide through her passion for fundraising and community organization. She has raised nearly one million dollars for causes she believes in including UNRWA USA, ANERA Jerusalem Festival, and Helping Hand for Relief and Development. Rana's dedication, experience, and collaborative approach with students, volunteers, families, school districts, and policymakers make her an invaluable asset to AMAANA and the communities it serves.
Email: advocate@laamaana.com
Rawida Abukhalil, Co-Founder, Co-Executive Director of Day Program and Volunteer Lead
Rawida Abukhalil is a lifelong activist, community advocate, and an unwavering champion for individuals with special needs. As a mother to five, including children with special needs, Rawida intimately understands the unique joys and struggles faced by the families AMAANA serves. Her experiences over the last 25 years have led her to become a beacon of support and a compassionate ear for families navigating the complex journey of caring for children with disabilities.
Rawida taught Islamic Studies at JMA’s Main Ave. Campus for over 10 years and is currently a student of Quran Revolution with Imam Wisam Sharieff. Rawida has completed numerous classes at Al-Maghrib Institute, including Yasser Birjas’ “Project this House” and “The Art of Manners” with Ustadh Masjed Mahmoud.
Driven by the teachings of Islam and a sense of duty to all in need, Rawida is a pioneer for disability advocacy in the New Orleans Muslim community. Faith, relentless advocacy, and the urgent need to provide a safe, religiously and culturally appropriate day program in the Muslim community led Rawida to co-found AMAANA, Louisiana’s first community resource center dedicated to caring for and uplifting Muslims living with disabilities.
Email: rawida@laamaana.com
Rabiya Amreen Farooqui, Weekend School Lead
Rabiya is a dedicated and board-certified behavior analyst who serves as the lead teacher for our engaging Weekend School program at AMAANA. With a passion for education and a deep understanding of behavioral analysis, Rabiya leads our diverse group of learners of all ages and abilities.
Under her guidance, the Weekend School offers comprehensive lesson plans that encompass Arabic language development, Islamic studies, sign language, and sensory skill enhancement. Rabiya ensures that each student receives tailored instructions to support their unique style of learning.
Through her compassionate and inclusive teaching approach, Rabiya creates a supportive and empowering environment where students of varying abilities thrive. Her commitment to creating meaningful educational experiences makes her a valuable asset to the AMAANA team.
Email: weekendschool@laamaana.com
Amel Ramzi, Day Program Co-Teacher
Amel Ramzi's passion for teaching initially led her to volunteer at AMAANA, and her invaluable skills, experience, and dedication quickly earned her a position on our staff, where she now serves our exceptional students as the Co-Lead Day School Teacher.
Amel holds a bachelor's degree from Xavier University and is currently pursuing a Master's in Education. Amel served as a team leader in Xavier’s Math Star program, focusing on middle school students. Amel also spent six years teaching various subjects at a private school, with a special focus on reading.
During summers, Amel actively participates in a personalized reading program tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual learner. Passionate about making a difference, she volunteers with diverse organizations, supporting individuals facing homelessness, illness, refugee status, and academic challenges. For Amel, finding joy lies in caring for others and nurturing their growth.
Mehwish Issa, Lead Social Support Counselor
Mehwish is a highly dedicated and experienced therapist specializing in trauma, relationship restoration, and mental health support. She holds a Master's degree in Social Work with a specialization in Gerontology from Loyola University of Chicago. Mehwish's passion for working with the elderly and individuals facing mental health challenges led her to pursue a career in clinical therapy.
Driven by her passion for serving those with severe mental illnesses, Mehwish joined Family Preservation Services (FPS) as a therapist. Recognized for her exceptional work, she was promoted to Supervisor and later became the Clinical Director. However, realizing her desire to reconnect with individual therapy, she established a private practice focused on trauma, relationship restoration, and mental health. With her personal understanding and expertise, Mehwish provides a safe and supportive environment for our AMAANA parents, helping clients develop coping skills and find peace in their lives.
Email: info@issacounseling.com
Please send us a note about your interest and qualifications for part-time and full-time positions at AMAANA.
OUR GOVERNING BOARD
Houssem Aouididi, Board President
Rania Saleh, Board Treasurer
Jade Fedele, Board Secretary
Rana Ottallah, Co-Executive Director
Rawida Abukhalil, Co-Executive Director
Meet Our Board Members
Houssem Aouididi, Board President
Houssem is a father to two beautiful boys, one of whom is proud to be an AMAANA student. Houssem is the Chief Financial Officer of a national live entertainment firm and the CEO of his own finance firm. Houssem’s impressive work resume, certifications, and education are outshined only by his values, emotional intelligence, and passion for education and bettering himself and the organizations he believes in. When not volunteering as Board President of AMAANA, or working as a CFO, or on his own businesses, he’s chasing around his sons, dreaming of the sparkling blue coasts of his native Tunisia, and trying new food pop-ups with his family.
Email: president@laamaana.com
Rania Saleh, Board Treasurer
Rania Salah is a mother of two children, including one on the spectrum. She is a strong advocate for her child’s education rights in the school system. She has 14 years of experience in the shipping field and now runs a very successful catering business, loves cooking different foods from Middle Eastern to Italian, in addition to baking cakes and sweets. Rania serves AMAANA as board treasurer and represents parents living in the East Bank of Jefferson Parish.
Email: treasurer@laamaana.com
Jade Fedele, Secretary of the Board
Jade Fedele is the Secretary on the Board of Directors for AMAANA. She is the Keeper of Records and provides administrative or editorial support as needed. A native of Louisiana, Jade has lived in the Greater New Orleans area for more than 7 years. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of New Orleans in 2016 and has been busy volunteering with various charity and Muslim organizations in the area ever since.
Jade was inspired to join AMAANA through her personal journey as a mother of two children with special needs. After losing her first child to a congenital heart defect in 2017, her second child was later diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. It was through her firsthand experience in struggling to finding parental support, researching her children’s disabilities, and learning to be an advocate that she gained a deep appreciation for the need of a non-profit organization like AMAANA, seeking to improve the quality of life for Muslim families with disabilities in our community; one program at a time.
Email: secretary@laamaana.com
VOLUNTEER WITH AMAANA!
AMAANA is always on the lookout for bright volunteers who accept our special needs community with big smiles and open arms. We make team-based decisions and treat volunteers as co-leaders. We believe the future of AMAANA lies in the next generation of community organizers and advocates. We value our volunteers’ time, patience, and support for those in AMAANA’s care, so along with the unmatched feeling of fulfilling our duties to those with disabilities – often called “The People of Jannah” – we reward our volunteers with a myriad of benefits and real-world experience.
Our volunteers enjoy:
EARNING VOLUNTEER HOURS
CRISIS RESPONSE TRAINING
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
FREE T-SHIRT
CPR TRAINING
IFTAR DINNERS
+ a warm, welcoming community!
HEAR FROM OUR VOLUNTEERS
“I started volunteering at AMAANA with the intention of providing support for kids and adults with mental and physical disabilities, hoping to help in anyway that I could. At first, I only planned to only show up when I could be of help. However, when our Saturday school started, it came to my realization that the students were more than capable of learning what people without disabilities learn and even better. At that point, I knew that I had to stay committed to this great cause and made sure to show up as frequently as I could to the Saturday school. I even started scheduling my weeks around the Saturday school in order to ensure I’ll be there. Building a connection with these kids is one of the greatest and most meaningful things I’ve done in my life because it feels so great to have an impact on people who are, unfortunately, disregarded in our society. Making the kids and adults feel welcomed in a safe environment where they can learn at their own pace made me a better person and gave me an insight into the lives of families with people with disabilities. I hope to build on to the current work we do at AMAANA and continuing to make a positive impact on our people of Jannah.”
— Mohammad
“Volunteering with AMAANA gives me a great sense of hope for my community. Learning from Ms. Rana and Ms. Rawida has allowed me to gain confidence in my ability to teach and accept others as they are. They've encouraged me to be a better advocate with those with special needs inside my community.
— Yousuf Atteia