BOARD OF DIRECTORS      BY-LAWS

SARC Provisional Board of Directors:




S. Hala Souman, Esq., President Email!

Hala Souman has been an Illinois licensed attorney for over 5 years. She has a general practice firm concentrating in general corporate law, real estate law and estate planning. Hala is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois Bar Association, and Muslim and Arab-American Bar Association. In 1995, she received her bachelor's degree magna cum laude in history and political science from Loyola University of Chicago. Hala earned the honor as Presidential Scholar and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. She completed an internship for the Office of U.S. Senator Paul Simon. Hala received her law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, where she participated in Moot Court and served as Senior Editor and author to the prestigious Consumer Law Review.

Durry Atassi, P.E., Secretary Email!

Durry Atassi a community activist in Orange County, California who has a great passion for not-for-profit and community work. Durry has served on the board of organizations such as Syrian Arab-American Association in Los Angeles, New Horizon Elementary School and the American Society of Civil Engineers. He is also an active member of many other organizations such as: Toastmasters International, Arab American Republican Club, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Arab-American Anti Discrimination Committee and World Affairs Council. He obtained his degree in Civil Engineering in 1985 from Toledo, Ohio. Durry currently resides with his wife and two daughters in Aliso Viejo, California.

Waddah Atassi, M.D., M.B.A., Treasurer Email!

Wadah Atassi has been an active member of the Syrian American community in Chicago for the past 20 years. In 1985, he immigrated to the U.S. after earning his medical degree from Damascus University. Wadah specialized in nephrology and completed a fellowship program at Loyola University in 1993. In 2002, he obtained an M.B.A. degree from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Business. Wadah is a board member of the Syrian American Medical Society- Illinois chapter.

M. Yaser Tabbara, Esq., Email!

Yaser Tabbara is a Chicago attorney. Currently he serves as the Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago). He is also a board member of the Arab-American Bar Association of Illinois. Previously, Yaser was the coordinator of the Iraq project at DePaul University College of Law, where he worked on rebuilding the legal education system in Iraq under the direction of Prof. M. Cherif Bassiouni. Prior to that, he initiated the Post 9/11 Immigrant Legal Rights Project at the Midwest Immigrant and Human Rights Center, where he provided free and low-cost legal representation, as well as outreach and education on immigration law and civil liberties to our community.

Firas Al-Ali, M.D. Email!

Firas Al-Ali is a graduate of Damascus University Medical School, Class of 1985. He is the Director of Neuro-Interventional Surgery at the Borgess Medical Center, Kalamazoo, MI (NIS.borgess.com). Firas is also the Chair of Practice Building Committee at the American Society of Interventional Therapeutic Neuroradiology. Firas is also a Board member of the Arab American Anti Discrimination Committee, Kalamazoo chapter.

Emad Hamwi Email!

Emad Hamwi is a Syrian-American business man residing in the suburbs of Chicago since 1993. Previously, Emad served as an Advisor to the International program at the University of Wyoming, Laramie, where he earned his BA in Political Science and International Relations. Emad presently owns and manages a small company in Chicago. He is a volunteer fundraiser for the Des Plaines Islamic Community Center and a volunteer basketball coach for 5/6 graders at the Park Ridge park district. Emad is married with four children.

Mohamed Zaher Sahloul, M.D. Email!

Zaher Sahloul is a physician, community activist, organizer and leader of several non-profit organizations in the Chicago area. He has extensive non-profit management experience having served as a board member in many civic, educational, health and community-based organizations. He is a founding member and the president of the largest chapter of the Syrian American Medical Society, Midwest chapter. Zaher is also a board member of the National Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and has helped in organizing several of its annual International conferences. He is an active member of the local Syrian, Arab and Muslim communities in Chicago and has led many initiatives, Interfaith dialogues, and alliances with other local civic and grass roots organizations. Zaher has lobbied with other local American Syrian, Arab and Muslim activists, policy-makes and members of Congress, and the media in support of issues concerning the community. Zaher is married with three children.