Farah Ahmed – Head teacher, Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation
Farah Ahmed has a M. Ed in ducational Research from the University of Cambridge, B.A Hons in Philosophy from the University of Bristol and a PGCE in Secondary English from the Institute of Education. She is currently studying for a PhD in Education at the University of Cambridge.

She has 16 years of experience in education having taught English and other subjects to A-Level and 8 years experience in devising and delivering courses in 'Islamic teacher education'. She is a founder and Head teacher of Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation which seeks to develop holistic Islamic education for the 21st Century. She is the author of the 'Halaqah Curriculum', an innovative approach to teaching Islam in the modern context.

Akram Khan-Cheema (OBE) – CEO, IBERR
Born in Kenya, Akram Khan-Cheema moved to the UK in the 1960’s. He worked as a teacher at
primary and secondary level, and has over forty years’ experience in the British Education
system. He has been instrumental in pushing back barriers facing Muslim teachers. Akram
Khan-Cheema rose to become Chief Inspector of Schools in Bradford, and as education
management consultant he has been instrumental in developing schemes to enable
teachers to bring Islam to the classroom in order to raise standards.
In 2002 he was the recipient of The Muslim News Awards for excellence in Education and
he was also awarded an OBE for services to education.

Akram Khan-Cheema is now working in Saudi Arabia and is currently only involved in the ITEC part-time.

Ibrahim Lawson

Ibrahim Lawson has a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of East Anglia and a PGCE in Religious Studies from The University of Cambridge. He also has a Postgraduate Diploma in Action Research from Nottingham Trent University and an M.A. in Theology from Nottingham University. He is currently studying for a PhD in the Philosophy of Islamic Education at the Institute of Education, University of London.

Ibrahim Lawson has extensive experience in leading Islamic schools as head teacher of Nottingham Islamia School and Al Risaala School, London. He has been on the Shura Council of the 'Association of Muslim Schools' for a number of years and has experience as an OFSTED inspector of independent faith schools. He conducted research for the NCSL on 'Leading Islamic Schools in the U.K'  in 2005. This research combined his interest in the fields of leadership and 'Action Research' methodology. He currently teaches at Ebrahim College, London.