Our Board of Directors
Meet our current Board Members
Mariam Veiszadeh (NSW)
FOUNDER & CHAIR
Mariam Veiszadeh, having personally experienced amplified levels of Islamophobia herself as a hijab wearing Muslim woman, founded the Islamophobia Register Australia in 2014.
She is an award-winning anti-racism advocate, former lawyer, diversity & inclusion practitioner, contributing author and social commentator.
In 2021, Mariam was appointed CEO of Media Diversity Australia.
She has held multiple board positions including formerly as Co-Chair of Australian Muslim Women’s Centre for Human Rights and Our Watch. She is also an Executive member Afghan Australian Advocacy Network #ActionForAfghanistan, a member of the Multicultural Advisory Group at the Australian Human Rights Commission and an Advisory Board member at Welcoming Australia.
Mariam has also delivered a TEDxSydney speech and featured as an Anti-Racism Champion by the Australian Human Rights Commission.
As a fearless advocate, Mariam is accustomed to being both an advocate against and a victim of islamophobia. In 2015, she made global headlines as she endured months of cyber-bullying for simply speaking out against bigotry. Australians responded by rallying behind Mariam using the hashtag #IstandwithMariam.
Mariam has many accolades to her name including Asian – Australian of the Year 2023 Awards, Professional Excellence Award Winner, Western Syd Uni Alumni Awards 2022 and Woman of the Year as well as Role Model of the Year, Australian Muslim Achievement Awards in 2015.
Dr Susan Carland (VIC)
DEPUTY CHAIR
Dr Susan Carland is an academic, author, and social commentator. She has a PhD from Monash University’s School of Social Sciences, and is a Discovery Early Career Research Award (DECRA) Fellow and a Churchill fellow, researching the intersection between gender and Islamophobia. She has been named on the ’20 Most Influential Australian Female Voices’ list by The Age, been listed on the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World list, and named as a “Muslim Leader of Tomorrow” by the UN Alliance of Civilizations. In 2022, she was a national finalist in the Australian Financial Review’s “Emerging Leader” in Higher Education award, and she has spoken about her research on Muslim women at the UN in Geneva.
- Susan recently authored ‘A War on Words: preliminary media analysis of the 2023 Israel-Gaza war’, a report commissioned by the Register highlighting the impact media reporting has on Islamophobia within Australia.
Hilal Yassine (NSW)
Hilal Yassine is an experienced Entrepreneur & Business executive with an extensive background in business, management and law.
Hilal is the Group Managing Director of First Quay Capital and serves as a non-executive director of (ASX listed) DomaCom, Crescent Group, and several private family companies.
Hilal holds Bachelor’s degrees in both Business and Law (UNSW, Sydney), a Master of Laws (UNSW, Sydney) and a Master of Business Administration,
Silma Ihram (SA)
Silma Ihram has been an educator since establishing Al Noori Muslim Primary School in 1983, working continuously in education for almost 40 years. She was the founder of two Muslim Schools and a Vocational College. She has held the position of Principal in 4 schools during that time.
A Muslim convert since 1976, she has been an active member of Muslim Women’s Associations since
the 70s and has been a community activist and frequent media spokesperson. She was also a founding member of the Australian Council for Islamic Education in Schools. Silma has conducted research on Muslim youth in Sydney, Muslim women converts and the barriers that exist for Muslim women’s employment and most recently Islamic pedagogy. She was awarded the Centenary Medal
for her work in the community. Silma is currently studying permaculture and working as an education consultant.
Professor Troy Meston (QLD)
Professor Troy Meston is an accomplished Aboriginal researcher and teacher leader from the Gamilaroi people of Southwestern Queensland (QLD).
He is the First Nations Research Lead in the Gulbali Institute and the One Basin Cooperative Research Centre. He is a multidisciplinary researcher whose work employs critical Indigenous studies and decolonial praxis to advance Indigenous social justice and self-determination.
Prof. Meston specialises in Indigenous research methodologies, innovative research design, culturally responsive curriculum and assessment construction, and implementation of pedagogies which privilege Indigenous ways of being, knowing and doing and elevate suppressed Indigenous histories and voices. He is a former Research Fellow with the Australian Council for Educational Research, where he produced outputs for the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australian Securities and Investments Commission, the ARC Science of Learning Research Centre, and holds an appointment as an associate investigator in the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child.
Mobinah Ahmad (NSW)
Mobinah Ahmad is a digital strategist, an academic, writer, mentor, public speaker, media personality and educator in social media. She is known for her development of a socio-cultural Friendship Theory in 2015. Mobinah has served the multicultural interfaith community for fifteen years with her engagement in community work. She has been featured in world-class media outlets representing her ideas, community work, faith and identity.
Mobinah is a successful business operations and management professional with over 15 years of progressive leadership experience in diverse settings, including media, corporate, community, and social justice and implementing strategies.
Hoosein Ismail (WA)
BOARD TREASURER
Hoosein was born and raised in South Africa. From the struggles of apartheid in South Africa to his work with communities and WA state government agencies, Hoosein has spent his life in the service of others and is committed to bringing people together in the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
During the 1980’s he resisted apartheid in South Africa and on moving to New Zealand in 1999, he worked with migrant communities to help them integrate in their new found home. In Western Australia he continues to do the same whilst also serving on numerous boards, committees and not for profit management teams.
Hoosein serves on the WA Police Advisory board for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities as well as the Community Grants Program Assessment Panel appointed by the Minister of Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs. Additionally, he serves as Treasurer for the Al Hidayah Centre and the Bennett Springs Residents Association. In 2019 Hoosein’s contribution for his advocacy for Human Rights was featured at an exhibition in Fremantle by the United Nations.
Captain Mona Shindy (NSW)
Captain Mona Shindy, CSC is a retired Naval officer with over 30 years of military and business experience. Drawing upon strong academic credentials and the lessons and skills gained throughout a truly inspiring career, Captain Shindy now imparts knowledge to others as an international keynote speaker and strategic leadership and management consultant.
With degree qualifications in Engineering, Commerce (Advanced Major in Organisation and Management Studies) and Arts (Masters in Politics and Policy), Mona has been a trailblazer in male dominated environments, consistently delivering outstanding organisational outcomes.
In 2015 she was recognised as the National Telstra Business Woman of the Year and was awarded a Conspicuous Service Cross in the Australia Day honours list for outstanding service as a strategic intercultural advisor.
CAPT Shindy is now a highly sought after author, speaker and strategic business leadership and management advisor. Her Foundation focuses on supporting and advocating for traditionally marginalised groups through philanthropic and charitable endeavours.
Sabreen Hussain (NSW)
BOARD SECRETARY
Sabreen Hussain is a lawyer in the Disputes and Litigation team at Allens, a leading international commercial law firm. She is an Executive Member of the Muslim Legal Network (NSW), and a Portfolio Manager of Diverse Women in Law. She holds an Arts/Laws degree with a major in Politics and International Relations and a minor in Global Business from UNSW. Sabreen is passionate advocate for the rights and opportunities of marginalised and disadvantaged communities, and was a 2023 finalist for Australia’s Stellar South Asian Women Awards (Community and Advocacy).
