The Day of Religious Pluralism is currently an independent project that grew out of previous efforts in the City of Los Angeles. Oversight for the Day of Religious Pluralism is provided by a four-member committee:
Aziza Hasan, Executive Director, NewGround: A Muslim Jewish Partnership for Change
Aziza Hasan has been part of the NewGround team for a decade and currently serves as the executive director. She has extensive experience in program management and coalition building. Aziza's work has been featured on Ozy, Yahoo News, MSN.com, Public Radio’s “Speaking of Faith” with Krista Tippett, the United States Institute for Peace, Arabic Radio and Television, the LA Times, the Jewish Journal and InFocus. Aziza currently serves on Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Interfaith Advisory Council.
Brie Loskota, Executive Director, Center for Religion and Civic Culture, University of Southern California
Brie Loskota is the executive director of the Center for Religion and Civic Culture at the University of Southern California. Her research explores how religions change and make change in the world. She is a leading voice working to enhance religious pluralism and community resilience in the US and around the globe. Brie advises foundations and government agencies on effective strategies for effective partnership and engagement. She is co-founder and senior advisor to the American Muslim Civic Leadership Institute and implementing partner for the United State Institute of Peace’s Generation Change.
Joumana Silyan-Saba, Fellow, George Washington University, Program on Extremism
Joumana Silyan-Saba formerly served as a Director in Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Office of Public Safety. Mrs. Silyan-Saba carries extensive expertise in conflict management, cultural diplomacy, intergroup relations, and public policy. She has also been featured as an expert speaker at national and international conferences, academic publications, and on media outlets. Ms. Silyan-Saba is the recipient of the 2017 Citizen Diplomat of the Year Award from the International Visitors of Los Angeles (IVCLA).
Shaheen Kassim-Lakha, Director of International Programs at the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
Dr. Shaheen Kassim-Lakha is currently the Director of International Programs at the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. She has a broad academic and professional background in health services and public health, ranging from hospital administration to environmental health policy in urban settings, and has worked in several countries in Asia and Africa. Throughout her career, Shaheen has been interested in issues of diversity and equity. In a volunteer capacity, she has been heavily engaged in promoting dialogue and understanding among faith and other communities and is a member of the Aga Khan Council for the United States. She currently serves on the Mayor’s Interfaith Collective for the City of Los Angeles.
Past Oversight Committee Members (2015-2018)
Rabbi Sharon Brous, Founder/Senior Rabbi, IKAR, Los Angeles, CA
Brous is the senior and founding rabbi of IKAR, which was started in 2004 and has become a model for Jewish revitalization in the US and beyond. With the goal of reinvigorating Jewish practice and inspiring people of faith to reclaim a moral and prophetic voice, IKAR quickly became one of the fastest growing and most influential Jewish congregations in the country.. Brous’s 2016 TED talk, “Reclaiming Religion,” has been viewed by more than 1.3 million people and translated into 22 languages. The Forward and the Jerusalem Post as one of the fifty most influential Jews. She was featured on the cover of TIME magazine in 2018 based on Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms.
Ambassador Nina Hachigian, Deputy Mayor, Mayor Eric Garcetti's Office of International Affairs
Nina Hachigian was most recently appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to be the first Deputy Mayor of International Affairs. Her office seeks to use and expand Los Angeles' global ties to help bring jobs, economic opportunity, culture, visitors and a great Olympics to the city. Prior to this, Hachigian served as the United States Representative to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ("ASEAN") with the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
Aziza Hasan, Executive Director, NewGround: A Muslim Jewish Partnership for Change
Aziza Hasan has been part of the NewGround team for a decade and currently serves as the executive director. She has extensive experience in program management and coalition building. Aziza's work has been featured on Ozy, Yahoo News, MSN.com, Public Radio’s “Speaking of Faith” with Krista Tippett, the United States Institute for Peace, Arabic Radio and Television, the LA Times, the Jewish Journal and InFocus. Aziza currently serves on Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Interfaith Advisory Council.
Brie Loskota, Executive Director, Center for Religion and Civic Culture, University of Southern California
Brie Loskota is the executive director of the Center for Religion and Civic Culture at the University of Southern California. Her research explores how religions change and make change in the world. She is a leading voice working to enhance religious pluralism and community resilience in the US and around the globe. Brie advises foundations and government agencies on effective strategies for effective partnership and engagement. She is co-founder and senior advisor to the American Muslim Civic Leadership Institute and implementing partner for the United State Institute of Peace’s Generation Change.
Joumana Silyan-Saba, Fellow, George Washington University, Program on Extremism
Joumana Silyan-Saba formerly served as a Director in Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Office of Public Safety. Mrs. Silyan-Saba carries extensive expertise in conflict management, cultural diplomacy, intergroup relations, and public policy. She has also been featured as an expert speaker at national and international conferences, academic publications, and on media outlets. Ms. Silyan-Saba is the recipient of the 2017 Citizen Diplomat of the Year Award from the International Visitors of Los Angeles (IVCLA).
Shaheen Kassim-Lakha, Director of International Programs at the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
Dr. Shaheen Kassim-Lakha is currently the Director of International Programs at the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. She has a broad academic and professional background in health services and public health, ranging from hospital administration to environmental health policy in urban settings, and has worked in several countries in Asia and Africa. Throughout her career, Shaheen has been interested in issues of diversity and equity. In a volunteer capacity, she has been heavily engaged in promoting dialogue and understanding among faith and other communities and is a member of the Aga Khan Council for the United States. She currently serves on the Mayor’s Interfaith Collective for the City of Los Angeles.
Past Oversight Committee Members (2015-2018)
Rabbi Sharon Brous, Founder/Senior Rabbi, IKAR, Los Angeles, CA
Brous is the senior and founding rabbi of IKAR, which was started in 2004 and has become a model for Jewish revitalization in the US and beyond. With the goal of reinvigorating Jewish practice and inspiring people of faith to reclaim a moral and prophetic voice, IKAR quickly became one of the fastest growing and most influential Jewish congregations in the country.. Brous’s 2016 TED talk, “Reclaiming Religion,” has been viewed by more than 1.3 million people and translated into 22 languages. The Forward and the Jerusalem Post as one of the fifty most influential Jews. She was featured on the cover of TIME magazine in 2018 based on Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms.
Ambassador Nina Hachigian, Deputy Mayor, Mayor Eric Garcetti's Office of International Affairs
Nina Hachigian was most recently appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to be the first Deputy Mayor of International Affairs. Her office seeks to use and expand Los Angeles' global ties to help bring jobs, economic opportunity, culture, visitors and a great Olympics to the city. Prior to this, Hachigian served as the United States Representative to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ("ASEAN") with the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.