President – Dr. Uzma Syed
She manages her private practice, South Shore Infectious Disease and Travel Medicine Consultants, while serving as Chair of the COVID-19 Task Force and the Director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence for Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center. Dr Syed is well-published in pneumonia-related research and was heavily involved in several COVID-19 clinical trials. A member of the Inclusion, Diversity, Access & Equity Task Force for the Infectious Disease Society of America, she is often featured as an expert speaking about infectious diseases within national print, online and broadcast media
In recent years, Dr. Syed co-founded the Eid Holiday Coalition of Long Island and founded the National Eid Coalition, a movement empowering over two dozen school districts access to obtain Eid holiday rights. Dr. Syed serves on the Nassau County Police Commissioner’s Community Council, and in the past, was recognized by the Legislature as a female trailblazer.
Passionate about education, she is the Founder & CEO of Align Us Inc., a non-profit organization providing career mentorship or high school students, and serves on three local school committees: safety, business advisory & diversity. In addition, Dr. Syed is a member of the Interfaith Council of Syosset-Woodbury-Jericho, focusing on teen-driven initiatives.
Her humanitarian work has spanned from refugee resettlement to annual school supply and holiday toy drives to serving at soup kitchens. Dr. Syed has also volunteered with UNICEF for children’s rights, the Global Youth Assembly and the United Nations to help promote mobile health to underserved countries.
Vice President – Farhana H. Islam
Farhana is a devoted mother of 3 children ages 10, 8 and 5 and works full time as a pharmacist at a community pharmacy, and also works part time at Parker Jewish Institute. She is passionate about community service and improving the lives of residents here in Long Island.
She serves as the Digital Strategist and Creative Director of Muslims for Progress, through this grassroots organization she has been able to increase civic involvement in her area.
Farhana Chairs the Long Island Progressive Coalition, an organization that fights for social, racial and economic justice and volunteers with NY Renews, a statewide coalition that aims to achieve climate justice through legislative reform.
In her spare time- she mentors aspiring chefs and home cooks through private cooking classes and lessons through her cooking series “BinysKitchen” Through these home cooking classes she has aimed to empower home chefs, imparting essential skills that build confidence in beginner cooks and encourage a healthy lifestyle.
Advisory Council
Hasan Sheikh
Hasan Sheikh is currently an Associate Director in the Corporate Consolidations and Analytics team at American International Group. He has been with AIG for 9 years working in different groups within the finance teams (Asset Management, Tax, Financial Planning and Analysis).
He started his career in public accounting at PricewaterhouseCoopers. After working there for two years he joined UBS to work in Financial control group supporting the Investment banking team. He then went to work at Merrill Lynch and was there for 5 years supporting the Equity Swaps desk before joining AIG. He graduated from Baruch College in New York with a Bachelors in Accounting.
Dr. Sara Siddiqui
Sara Siddiqui has been a member of the Eid Holiday Coalition since it’s inception in 2016. Through the coalition and help from community members, Elwood School District became one of the first districts in Suffolk County to approve of the holidays (Eid and Diwali) on the school calendar.
Dr. Siddiqui is also a pediatrician in Huntington for over twenty years, and a member of the Elwood School Board of Education.