Meet Our 2026 Annual Dinner Speakers!

  • Sr. Magda Elkadi Saleh

    Sr. Magda Elkadi Saleh is entering her 31st year as an Islamic School administrator. She headed both Universal Academy of Florida (UAF) and American Youth Academy (AYA) in Tampa for 11 years each. She led both schools through two successful accreditation visits and gained IB Diploma School authorization for AYA. She is currently Head of School at Bayaan Academy, an innovative school focusing on achieving excellence in both Arabic/Qur’an/Islamic Studies and Academics.

    Heading schools, Sr. Magda Elkadi Saleh spearheads and oversees Strategic Planning, Marketing & Fundraising, the development of new programs within the school, training teachers and other administrators and building relationships with other schools and organizations in the region.

    Sr. Magda has been consulting with Islamic schools and with communities contemplating opening Islamic schools since 1998 and served on accreditation evaluation teams for both FCIS and AdvancEd from 2009 – 2015.

    In 2014, Sr. Magda became President of Radiant Hands, a non-profit, social services organization, whose mission is to help empower women and families in the community, who are facing various struggles in their lives and are in need of education, counseling and/or financial assistance. In October 2015, Radiant Hands took on the additional task of serving refugees coming to Tampa Bay from Muslim or Arabic-speaking countries.

    She has been and continues to be involved in community activities and sees it as her personal goal to empower others to reach their utmost potentials and help raise people’s awareness of and increase their knowledge about Islam and how much Islam truly values humanitarian work and service to all.

  • Mayor Andy Ross

    Andy was elected to the City Council in 2016 and served as Vice Mayor in 2019 and Acting Mayor in 2020. He was elected Mayor in November 2020 and re-elected in 2024. Prior to his elected service, he chaired the Municipal Code Enforcement Board and the River Watch Task Force.

    As an elected official, he formerly served as the Vice-Chair of the Hillsborough River Inter-Local Planning Board and currently serves as Chair of The Hillsborough County Transportation Planning Organization, Chair of the Suncoast Transportation Planning Alliance's TMA Leadership Group, the Tourism Development Council, both the Fire and Police Pension Boards and represents the city on the Tampa-Bay Economic Development Council and Visit Tampa Bay Advisory Board. He is also active with the Florida League of Mayors and the Florida League of Cities and is President of the Suncoast League of Cities. Additionally, he is a Life Member of the USF Alumni Association, a member of the USF Club, and several other professional and civic organizations.

    Before being an elected official, Mayor Ross served in law enforcement, retiring as a Captain from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, followed by service as the Deputy Chief of Police at Tampa International Airport and as president of a security consulting firm. He obtained his B.A. and M.A. from Saint Leo University and completed a graduate program at the University of Louisville's Southern Police Institute. Mayor Ross and his wife Meg have three children. 

  • Rep. Fentrice Driskell

    Leader of the Florida House of Democratic Caucus & Founder of ‘How We All Win.’

    Rep. Fentrice Driskell was elected to the Florida House in November 2018.

    Leader Driskell proudly represents Florida’s 67th House District in the Florida House of Representatives. The district includes parts of Hillsborough County, including the Branchton, Thonotosassa, and Mango areas, up to the New Tampa, Tampa Palms areas, west to Temple Terrace, and the University of South Florida.

    Driskell's role as the Democratic Leader in the Florida House enables her to lead the fight for the House Democratic Caucus in The Florida Capitol.

    Previously, Leader Driskell was a clerk for the Honorable Anne C. Conway of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. She worked as an attorney with the Carlton Fields law firm, and served as president of the George Edgecomb Bar Association. She now is a Partner at Swope, Rodante P.A. Leader Driskell also served as the Policy Chair on the House Democratic Caucus’ Leadership Team for the 2020-2022 Legislative Term. While still the Democratic Leader for the 2024-2026 term, Leader Driskell also serves on the Budget Committee as a Democratic Ranking Member and on the Security & Threat Assessment Committee.

    Leader Driskell holds a B.A. in Government from Harvard University and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

    Leader Driskell lives in North Tampa, and in her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, spending time with family, and traveling.

  • Omar Offendum

    Omar Offendum is a Syrian-American rapper / poet living in Los Angeles. Known for his unique blend of Hip-Hop Arabic poetry, he been featured on prominent world news outlets, lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions, collaborated with major museums cultural organizations on several high-profile projects, and helped raise millions of dollars for various humanitarian relief groups. A graduate of the University of Virginia School of Architecture, he been able to carve a distinct path for himself as a thoughtful entertainer / activist able to speak to a multitude of relevant issues diverse global audiences over the course of his decade-long career.

  • Br. Shahir Reslan

    A philanthropist and motivational leader bridging resources and action for social justice.
    With a legacy of community transformation, Shahir brings strategic giving, moral clarity, and a commitment to building movements grounded in justice and compassion.
    His work connects vision to today's challenges, inspiring action that honors our shared values.