Meet the team
This volunteer run organization is held together by 5 executive members, and an Advisory Board. Executive members are responsible for day-to-day operations and logistics while committee members provide expertise for programming and events. The Advisory Board consists of some of the GTA’s most active community leaders in the sports and diversity realm.
Photo credits: @girlfriendsproject_
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AMREEN KADWA, 22 | Founder, Hijabi Ballers
Amreen's involvement in rugby includes everything from playing, coaching, mentoring and ... getting injured. In Grade 10, she started playing rugby with her high school Victoria park CI's pilot team. She never imagined that 7 years later, rugby would still be a part of her life. After highschool, Amreen continued to play with Yeomen Lions RFC in Toronto. She also worked as a Youth Rugby Development Intern with the Toronto Inner-city Rugby Foundation for two years doing outreach in her local community and helping grow the game. Amreen had won numerous awards commending her dedication and passion to the sport. She believes that wearing hijab while playing sports has helped her develop adversity, confidence and strength. Amreen is a recent graduate of the Economics and International Development programs at the University of Guelph and hopes to assimilate her love for sports, arts and culture with her passion for economic advancement and growth in the community through this project and career. Amreen is also a henna artist and an avid supporter of the Toronto Maple Leafs. |
Advisory Board
SHIREEN AHMED, 40 | Sportswriter
Shireen is a writer, public speaker and Sports Activist focusing on Muslim women in Sports. Not only is Shireen an athlete herself, she is an advocate and community organizer through her work with Youth of Colour on empowerment projects. Shireen is an avid sports coach and mentor. She is a regular contributor to Muslimah Media Watch, a Global Sports Correspondent for Safe World For Women and works on the Muslim Women in Sports website and has bylines at TeenVogue, The Guardian, Vice Sports and The Establishment. . Shireen’s blog “Tales from a Hijabi Footballer”, where her passion for sport, politics and women’s issues collide, has been recognized by Sports Media for its candid discussions. She is currently working on her first book and drinks a lot of coffee. Shireen lives in Toronto, Canada with her family.
@_shireenahmed_ | www.shireenahmed.com
Shireen is a writer, public speaker and Sports Activist focusing on Muslim women in Sports. Not only is Shireen an athlete herself, she is an advocate and community organizer through her work with Youth of Colour on empowerment projects. Shireen is an avid sports coach and mentor. She is a regular contributor to Muslimah Media Watch, a Global Sports Correspondent for Safe World For Women and works on the Muslim Women in Sports website and has bylines at TeenVogue, The Guardian, Vice Sports and The Establishment. . Shireen’s blog “Tales from a Hijabi Footballer”, where her passion for sport, politics and women’s issues collide, has been recognized by Sports Media for its candid discussions. She is currently working on her first book and drinks a lot of coffee. Shireen lives in Toronto, Canada with her family.
@_shireenahmed_ | www.shireenahmed.com
ZEHRA ALLIBHAI, 36 | Kinesiologist & Fitness Instructor
Zehra has been in the health and fitness industry for over 15 years. From a Kinesiology and Health Sciences background and with many certifications under her belt (Nutrition, Sports Strength & Conditioning, Pre & Post-Natal, BOSU, TWIST Conditioning), Zehra has worked at some of the top Fitness Clubs in Canada and was recognized as one of the top trainers and Fitness Managers at GoodLife Fitness. She now runs various fitness classes in her community and trains clients 1-on-1, in person and online. Her true passion lies in helping women feel strong and confident in their own skin and empowering women to challenge themselves. Zehra runs a blog to help women lead healthier lives through exercise and nutrition. She is a mother of two and has created TheFitNest to share tools and motivation to make health and fitness a part of her audience's daily routine. Zehra also loves playing volleyball and badminton and has a great social media influence with over 50K Instagram followers!
@zallibhai
Zehra has been in the health and fitness industry for over 15 years. From a Kinesiology and Health Sciences background and with many certifications under her belt (Nutrition, Sports Strength & Conditioning, Pre & Post-Natal, BOSU, TWIST Conditioning), Zehra has worked at some of the top Fitness Clubs in Canada and was recognized as one of the top trainers and Fitness Managers at GoodLife Fitness. She now runs various fitness classes in her community and trains clients 1-on-1, in person and online. Her true passion lies in helping women feel strong and confident in their own skin and empowering women to challenge themselves. Zehra runs a blog to help women lead healthier lives through exercise and nutrition. She is a mother of two and has created TheFitNest to share tools and motivation to make health and fitness a part of her audience's daily routine. Zehra also loves playing volleyball and badminton and has a great social media influence with over 50K Instagram followers!
@zallibhai
ALEXANDER ARTHUR | Director of Programming, TAC Sports
Alex is the owner and Director of Programming at Toronto Athletic Camps. His passion has always been sports, health and physical activity. He actively seeks to develop children and athletes into confident players and leaders through the camps he runs and in his day-to-day life. Alexander is a NCCP certified coach, teaching soccer and tennis for over 10 years. He continues to play high-level soccer all around Ontario and has been organizing soccer teams and leagues for over 6 years. Alex is an expert in all things organized sport and is passionate about making high-level sports accessible to priority communities and minority groups.
@tacsports1
Alex is the owner and Director of Programming at Toronto Athletic Camps. His passion has always been sports, health and physical activity. He actively seeks to develop children and athletes into confident players and leaders through the camps he runs and in his day-to-day life. Alexander is a NCCP certified coach, teaching soccer and tennis for over 10 years. He continues to play high-level soccer all around Ontario and has been organizing soccer teams and leagues for over 6 years. Alex is an expert in all things organized sport and is passionate about making high-level sports accessible to priority communities and minority groups.
@tacsports1
IGE EGAL, 30 | Executive Director, Toronto Inner-city Rugby Foundation
Ige is a sport-for-development practitioner in Toronto who has development programs to ensure that sport and particularly rugby is accessible financially, geographically, and culturally. His work over the last six years with TIRF has resulted in the strengthening and diversification of the rugby community in Toronto. As Executive Director, Ige builds partnerships with governing bodies, rugby clubs and the education, private, and public sectors to build stronger communities. Ige was named one of Toronto’s Vital People in 2016, through the Vital Toronto Fund at the Toronto Foundation. He is a provincial soccer referee with more than a decade’s worth of referee experience and is a Liverpool FC fan.
@tirfrugby
Ige is a sport-for-development practitioner in Toronto who has development programs to ensure that sport and particularly rugby is accessible financially, geographically, and culturally. His work over the last six years with TIRF has resulted in the strengthening and diversification of the rugby community in Toronto. As Executive Director, Ige builds partnerships with governing bodies, rugby clubs and the education, private, and public sectors to build stronger communities. Ige was named one of Toronto’s Vital People in 2016, through the Vital Toronto Fund at the Toronto Foundation. He is a provincial soccer referee with more than a decade’s worth of referee experience and is a Liverpool FC fan.
@tirfrugby
ASMA KHALIL, 23 | Master's Student, University of Toronto
Asma Khalil is a Master’s student at the University of Toronto who is researching the sport experiences of young Muslim women in sport. After completing her undergrad in Kinesiology, Asma’s love for sport and physical activity was reignited. She is a fierce social justice advocate and works to ensure that sport spaces are inclusive for all. If she’s not travelling or baking, you will likely find her curled up with a cup of tea and a good book.
Asma Khalil is a Master’s student at the University of Toronto who is researching the sport experiences of young Muslim women in sport. After completing her undergrad in Kinesiology, Asma’s love for sport and physical activity was reignited. She is a fierce social justice advocate and works to ensure that sport spaces are inclusive for all. If she’s not travelling or baking, you will likely find her curled up with a cup of tea and a good book.
SAMAN MUNIR, 37 | Public Figure
Saman is a social media personality, wearing multiple hats. She juggles the role of mother, a make-up and hijab artist, beauty blogger, and fitness enthusiast on a daily basis. Saman trains at the UFC Gym in Missisauga and takes part in boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai. She is 37 years young and is an inspiration to Muslim women around the globe. Saman shares her workout videos and hijab tutorials which serves as inspiration and motivation to many of her followers. She has an impressive following of 259K on Instagram.
@sfm_fitness | @makeuphijabs
Saman is a social media personality, wearing multiple hats. She juggles the role of mother, a make-up and hijab artist, beauty blogger, and fitness enthusiast on a daily basis. Saman trains at the UFC Gym in Missisauga and takes part in boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai. She is 37 years young and is an inspiration to Muslim women around the globe. Saman shares her workout videos and hijab tutorials which serves as inspiration and motivation to many of her followers. She has an impressive following of 259K on Instagram.
@sfm_fitness | @makeuphijabs
LAUREN WOLMAN, 40 | PhD Candidate, York University
As a PhD candidate at York University, Lauren is currently researching sport participation in Muslim communities. Her PhD research in Cultural Sport Psychology examines sport participation of youth and young adults living in Neighbourhood Improvement Areas in Toronto. She has been a rugby player since her teenage years, having played virtually every position on the field and has even played in Europe. Currently a Girls Rugby Director at a local Toronto Rugby Club, Lauren is passionate about making sport spaces inclusive, which includes taking into consideration and respecting players’ culture and religion.
As a PhD candidate at York University, Lauren is currently researching sport participation in Muslim communities. Her PhD research in Cultural Sport Psychology examines sport participation of youth and young adults living in Neighbourhood Improvement Areas in Toronto. She has been a rugby player since her teenage years, having played virtually every position on the field and has even played in Europe. Currently a Girls Rugby Director at a local Toronto Rugby Club, Lauren is passionate about making sport spaces inclusive, which includes taking into consideration and respecting players’ culture and religion.
