Dr. Souad Ali
Founding Chair, ASU Council for Arabic and Islamic Studies
Head of Middle Eastern and Classics Studies
Associate Professor of Middle Eastern and Arabic Studies
School of International Letters and Cultures
Arizona State University

Professor Souad T. Ali is head of Classics and Middle Eastern studies, founding chair of the ASU Council for Arabic and Islamic Studies; coordinator of Arabic Studies; associate professor of Arabic literature and Middle Eastern/Islamic studies in the School of International Letters and Cultures (SILC). She is simultaneously an affiliate graduate faculty member in English, women and gender studies, religious studies, and justice and social inquiry; as well as an affiliate faculty member in the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict, African and African-American studies, Center for the Study of Race and Democracy, Institute for Humanities Research, and Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies. A Fulbright scholar with international recognition, Professor Ali is the author of several books and numerous articles. She is the recipient of the ASU Faculty Women’s Association Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award and other Awards.

Dr. Sarah Risha
Lecturer
School of International Letters and Cultures
Arizona State University

Sarah Risha is the KSA Assistant Director of Non-English Teaching Cohort and has been in the education field and enjoying it for over twenty years and counting. She is the President elect for College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Senate. She is also a member of ASU senate. This provides her with unique perspective on the journey of pursuing knowledge and professional achievement; skills that she always utilizes fully to help students overcome challenges and succeed in their own personal journeys.

Risha holds a Certificate in Effective Teaching Practices recognized by American Council on Education; Certificate in K-12 teaching, Arizona Department of Education (2003 and 2011), a Certificate in Educational Technology, Northern Arizona University (2004), a Certificate of Boot Camp for Teaching Online, Arizona State University (2015) and a Certificate of completion of 12 Professional Development Hours “Borders, Migrations and Refugees,” University of Arizona (2017).