Imam Seyed Ali Ghazvini
Spritual Leader of ICCF
imam@icfresno.org


Education:

BA - Political Science, Tehran University , Iran (1990)
Certificate (equivalent to Master) of Islamic Theology, Islamic Seminary in Qum , Iran (1994)
MBA, University of La Verne , California (2003)


Accomplishments:

Founder and director, The Assadiq Foundation (a Muslim community center) in Southern California (1996-2004). Founder, Development and Relief Foundation, an organization devoted to bring quality education to the children of Iraq.

Member, Board to Trustees, The Ahlul Bait University, Karbala , Iraq - a private university established 2003. Participated in more than 25 national and international conferences about Islam, and the Middle East .

Imam Ghazvini is serving as an imam* at the Islamic Cultural Center of Fresno since May 2004. He leads Friday Prayer at the center and directs community youth gathering every Saturday. He is a strong advocate of interfaith dialogue and co-operation for the protection of the family, the environment and for peace awareness.


Areas of Researches:

Islam and international relationship
Islam and contemporary politics and ethics
Political history of Islam - early stage
Imam Ghazvini speaks three languages: English, Farsi and Arabic. He is married and has four children.

Kamal Abu-Shamsieh
Director of ICCF
director@icfresno.org


Education:

BA Linguistics & Translation, Birzeit University, Palestine 1990

Diploma, Video & Radio Broadcast, Specs Howard School of Broadcast Art, Southfield, MI 1996

MA Islamic Studies and Muslim-Christian Relations & Graduate Certificate of Islamic Chaplaincy, Hartford Seminary (Expected 2011)

Clinical Pastoral Education / CPE: Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA 2009

Fellowship at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics / 2010 Fellow
A program of the Museum of Jewish Heritage, New York in collaboration with US seminary schools and universities.


Media Advocacy:

Prior to moving to the US in 1993, Kamal assisted in producing several documentaries on the Palestinian Israeli conflict. Projects include "Journey to The Occupied Land," a 1992 WGBH, PBS Frontline production, "People and The Land", a 1994 documentary produced for ITVS, documented the first Palestinian uprising, 1988-1993. "Disabled for Palestine", a 1994 documentary produced for the Middle East Council of Churches, Cyprus, "Make Peace Works: Israelis and Palestinians", 1995 University of Texas at Austin and "Jerusalem: An Occupation Set In Stones", a 1996 project produced for the Palestine Housing Authority.


International Advocacy:

Liberation Theology and Moderation: Kamal is associated with Sabeel and promotes moderate theology that promotes peaceful solution to the Middle East conflicts. Also, Kamal is affiliated with the Muslim-Christian Commission to Support Jerusalem and Holy Sites and supports  religious freedom and free access to all religious sites in Jerusalem.

National Leadership:

Muslim Public Affairs Council, National Director of Community Relations 2001/ 2003. Major accomplishments included empowerment of the Muslim community following 9/11 attacks, launching major national interfaith dialogue to bridge the gap in relations between Muslims and faith and ethnic communities with the emphasis on the evangelical Christian community. In December 2001, the FBI foiled a plot to bomb the offices of the Muslim Public Affairs Council and arrested the chairman of the notorious Jewish Defense League and an associate as they received material to assemble a bomb and plant explosives in the offices of Muslim Public Affairs Council, King Fahd Mosque in Culver City and the field offices of Congressman Darrel Issa of Huntington Beach.

The Interfaith Alliance, National Congregation Partnership Organizer (2003-2005). Major accomplishments were during the 2004 presidential elections. Kamal reached out to various faith communities to address the proper role of religion in politics and assisted faith leaders maintain the integrity of the Houses of Worship through the rejection of using congregations as launching pads for divisive political campaigns or endorsing political candidates.


Boards and Commissions:

For the year 2008 - 2009, Kamal serves on the following boards and commissions:

Muslim Chaplain's Association, MCA: Treasurer. The MCA was launched in 2009. An affiliate of the of ISNA, Islamic Society of North America's Leadership Development Center . MCA works closely with Hartford Seminary and the The Association for Clinical Pastoral Education. MCA was launched to support Muslim chaplains and recruit Muslims to join chaplaincy in hospitals, universities, community chaplaincy (Police and Sherriff Department and hospice care), and the various braches of the military; Air Force, Army, National Guard and the Navy and the Bureau of Prisons. 

2. The Interfaith Alliance of Central California, board member: Located in California's San Joaquin Valley, "The IACC is a faith-based organization that works to protect separation between government and religion, protect minority right, civility in political debate and celebrate diversity.

3. The Interfaith Youth Alliance, Senior Advisor: IFYA aims to enriching the lives of the youth in Central California through providing community based volunteer opportunities aimed at promoting interfaith collaborations and youth involvement in civic and charitable causes. By doing so, it organizes interfaith youth clubs in high schools and empowers youth to become leaders. It promotes interfaith shared values, social justice awareness and engages youth in community service projects.

4. The CA Domestic Violence Advocates and Faith Community Leaders, Advisory Member: The CA Domestic Violence Advocates and Faith Community Leaders (DVAFCL) and Faith Leaders and Domestic Violence (FLDV) Projects, funded by the California Department of Health Services encourages and trains faith leaders to become partners in efforts to combat domestic violence and empowers faith leaders with resources that are relevant to each faith. The group held its first conference in May 2005, "Faith in Violence-Free Families: Building Partnerships for Change", a summit for domestic violence prevention advocates and faith community leaders". Faith community leaders, domestic violence professionals, and others whose work includes responding to and preventing domestic violence attended for two memorable days of activities, speakers, and
networking opportunities with colleagues from throughout the state.

5. The Marjaree Mason Center, board member: The MMC aims to eradicate domestic violence and operates the largest domestic violence network of shelters in the state of California. It aids victims of domestic abuse and homelessness, provides services, educational programs and volunteer opportunities.

Community Involvement:

Mayor Ashley Swearengin Community Advisory Board, Member. Fresno's first woman mayor's goal is to promote partnerships with Fresno's diverse ethnic and religious communities to promote harmony, create jobs and enhance saftey.

Chief Dyer Advisory Board, Member:  To foster better understanding between the Muslim community and the Fresno Police Department, Kamal has been serving on the Chief Advisory Board since April 2006. Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer meets with the board on a monthly basis.

Sherriff Mims Citizen's Advisory Board, Member: The Board aims to assist and advice Sherriff Mims in a wide range of issues such as agricultural thefts, gang violence and meth production, distribution and usage.

US Attorney General's Hate Crime Task Force, Member: The taskforce works under the leadership of Mr. Mark Cullers of the US Attorney's Office and includes representatives of various communities such as Latino, African American, Muslim, Sikhs and other law enforcement branches.

Diversity Training: Mr. Abu-Shamsieh is a frequent presenter of diversity training workshops, titled "Working with the American Muslim Community". The workshops offer officers and staff a glimpse of the diverse Muslim and Arab communities in the United States including the local Fresno community. It offers officers with recommendations for interaction, during non-emergency situations, in areas related to home visits, etiquette for visiting Islamic centers, Muslim belief, traditions and holidays and local contact information.

In addition to the Fresno Police Department, the Diversity and Cultural workshop has been
scheduled to benefit the United States Federal Court employees in Fresno, probation officers,
FBI, US Attorney's Office in Fresno and Sacramento and Family Courts.