TISA’s Dean of Academic Affairs

Yasir Qadhi

Yasir Qadhi is the Resident Scholar of the East Plano Islamic Center. He is also the Dean of The Islamic Seminary of America. He is one of the few people who has combined a traditional Eastern Islamic seminary education with a Western academic training of the study of Islam. Yasir graduated with a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Houston, after which he was accepted as a student at the Islamic University of Madinah. After completing a diploma in Arabic, he graduated with a B.A. from the College of Hadith and Islamic Sciences, and then completed a M.A. in Islamic Theology from the College of Dawah. He then returned to America, and completed a PhD in Religious Studies from Yale University. He has authored several books, published academic articles, and appeared on numerous satellite and TV stations around the globe. His online videos are of the most popular and highly-watched Islamic videos in English.

Executive Vice President

James Jones

Dr. Jones is Executive Vice President of the Islamic Seminary of America. He is a Professor Emeritus of World Religions and former Chair of both the Dept of World Religions and the African Studies Program at Manhattanville College (Purchase, NY). Dr. Jones’s research focuses on the soco cultural impact of prejudice and the intersectionality between sexism and racism. He has a DMin from Hartford Seminary (Christian- Muslim relations) and a MA in Religion from Yale Divinity School. He is President of the Malik Human Services Institute, a marriage counselor for more than two decades, and a member of the Association of Professional Chaplains.

Development Consultant

Tariq Yoonas

Student Services Facilitator

Shazia Aslam

Shazia has a Masters of Public Health degree from the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey. Shazia has a specialization in Health Policy and Administration and has worked with non-profit organizations in both the public and private sectors. She has managed outreach and case management programs for pregnant and new moms and their newborns in under-served areas. Shazia has also worked at a Municipal Health Department where she managed a program addressing childhood lead exposure and prevention.

Development & Communications Coordinator

Ke’lona A. Hamilton

Ke’lona earned her Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Southern California (USC) and has a specialization in creative writing, campaign development, donor communications and stewardship. She is a Certified Fundraising Manager through Indiana University and is currently pursuing her Masters in Philanthropy. Ke’lona has worked in the Muslim nonprofit sector for many years, as well as the Islamic educational industry and is a dedicated nonprofit professional, passionate about improving the American Muslim community and empowering American Muslim families to thrive.

Office Assistant

Noorul Haque Siddiqui

Noor is a Junior at the University of Texas at Dallas pursuing his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, with plans to become a professional engineer, insha’Allah. However, his true passion lies with knowledge of the religion, so he hopes to one day return to school to be formally educated in the sacred sciences. Noor has served as our invaluable Office Assistant at our TISA campus in Richardson, Texas since 2019 and his incredible commitment to service and striving for excellence continues to be an inspiration to us all.

Student Services Facilitator

Talhah Mohammed

Brother Talhah is our Student Services Facilitator. He is an entrepreneur and student of software engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington. He has founded a creative agency that provides media and marketing services to businesses in North Texas, and has a keen interest in history, linguistics, and theology.

Director of Operations

Dr. Bashir Ansari

Dr. Bashir Ansari is the Director of Operations for The Islamic Seminary of America (TISA). He has taught at Southern Methodist University and worked as Director of the Dialogue and Outreach Department at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). He earned his Bachelor in Sharia and Law, his first Master in Teaching Arabic as a Second Language, his second Master in Political Science, and his Ph.D. in the field of Islamic Political Thought. Dr. Ansari’s area of research is Islam and its relationship to culture, identity, and politics.

He brings with him a wealth of domestic and international experience running organizations, conferences, and workshops. He has authored 10 books and over 100 articles and academic research papers in English, Arabic, and Persian.