Jamilah Shami
Chief of Staff at Farouk Systems
Jamilah Jamil Shami is Chief of Staff at Farouk Systems, Inc. Her experience weaves together people-first relationship management and communication, outcome-focused program management, and systems-based processes for effective and efficient operations. Prior to joining Farouk Systems in 2009, she managed programs at International Business Machines (IBM) and the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA). She also worked as a consultant through the United Nation’s Development Program (UNDP) and served as a deputy campaign manager on the Farouk for Governor Campaign.
Shami served as a National Board Member of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination (ADC) and as Chapter President of the Washington D.C. Area Chapter where she worked closely with the local Board of Directors to address the needs of the community through coordination and support of social, cultural and political initiatives.
She also served as Vice President of the Palestinian American Cultural Center. She mentored college and university students as they explored activism on and off campus. She is strongly rooted in the grassroots base and enjoys working directly with the community to increase communication and coordination with other marginalized communities.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from George Mason University and a Master of Arts in Human Resource Management from Marymount University and has received an award for International Empowerment from the Texas Women’s Empowerment Foundation and was named one of the Top 30 Influential Women of Houston by D-Mars.