Zakat Foundation of America is proud to welcome Safaa Zarzour, former Secretary General of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), to its staff.
In his three years as Secretary General of ISNA, Mr. Zarzour worked with local Muslim communities around the country to strengthen vital community institutions including families, mosques, schools and organizations involved in civic and social service.
Mr. Zarzour is currently an adjunct professor at Loyola Law School teaching courses in Education and Islamic Law. For over a decade, he served as a teacher and then principal at Universal School, one of the largest PreK-12 Islamic schools in the United States and continues to serve as the vice chairman of the Board of Directors at Universal School.
In addition, Mr. Zarzour is a Board Member of the Council of Islamic Schools of North America (CISNA), and serves as the Program Chair of the ISNA Education Forum.Working with the Chicago community in the area of education, Mr. Zarzour is also a member of the Board of Advisors of St. Xavier University School of Education and member of the Board of Directors of the Governor State University Foundation.
Along with his role in the education realm, Mr. Zarzour is active in interfaith circles. He is a member of the Board of Advisors of the Bernadine Center at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago where he serves along with distinguished faith leaders from the Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities.
Mr. Zarzour's civic and educational work has been featured in the media including 60 Minutes, PBS Front Line, Chicago Tribune and Time Magazine. Mr. Zarzour has received several honors and awards for his public service including the Chicago Commission on Human Relations' Outstanding Service Award.
Mr. Zarzour holds a Master's in Education from the University of Illinois in Chicago and a Juris Doctor degree from DePaul University School of Law.
As an attorney, Mr. Zarzour focuses his law practice in the areas of local government, education and nonprofit law. Mr. Zarzour is a principal of the law firm of Zarzour, Khalil & Tabbara, LLC. Mr. Zarzour will represent Zakat Foundation of America as General Counsel and Chief Operations Officer.
Mr. Zarzour lives with his wife Rhonda and their children in Bridgeview, Illinois.