Our Team
Our Team
OUR STORY: Our program is the brainchild of three friends.
It came out of conversations about how our children were being taught almost nothing at school in Massachusetts about the achievements and contributions of Islamic civilization. Dr. Khan and Dr. Saeed-Kothe, both parents, approached their mutual friend Ms. Ahmed for advice given her wide knowledge of Islamic civilization, art, and architecture.
Our general overview class was born from those discussions. It was our good fortune that Ms. Ahmed agreed to develop the curriculum and teach the general overview course to children and teens in the Boston, Massachusetts community. Our work has been well received. The parents of our students have shared that they too wish to learn this material. From this, the three of us understood there is a wider need for what we offer. So here we are.
Sameeta Ahmed, M.Arch. - Founder, Director of Curriculum Design & Instruction
- Architect, artist, & educator
- B.A. (Brandeis University) & M. Arch. (Univ. of Texas Austin)
- Practicing architect with specialty in cultural heritage conservation
- International recognition: 2025 nominee for Aga Khan Award for Architecture
- Early career: Montessori preschool teacher; Head of Art at private high school
- Later career: University professor of architecture – designed and taught courses such as “History of Civilizations” & “Muslim Art & Architecture”
- University-level Teaching Award recipient.
Aida Khan, PhD - Founder & Executive Director
- Harvard Medical School-trained child & family psychologist
- Lecturer, Brain & Cognitive Sciences Department, MIT
- Past faculty appointments: Harvard Medical School, Tufts University School of Medicine
- Consultant to schools on educational design, programming, and individualized supports for students
- Parent of two school age children
Amna Saeed-Kothe, PhD - Founder
- PhD from Northeastern University, Boston, MA
- Biochemist in pharmaceutical industry
- Researcher, author of scientific articles, holds several patents
- Mother of two school age children
