AKF USA is governed by a National Committee that is appointed by the Board of Directors, in consultation with the General Manager and CEO leadership. The National Committee is responsible for providing directional oversight and works closely with the CEO, staff, and volunteer leadership.

Nageeb Sumar

Chair

Nageeb Sumar is an expert on philanthropy and global development diplomacy, with over 20 years of experience. He currently serves as President of Liberty Mutual Foundation overseeing the company’s philanthropic engagement. He previously served as Head of Social Impact at Fidelity Investments leading a college success initiative and held a leadership position at Fidelity Charitable, working with generous donors to drive social change in the U.S. and abroad.

Nageeb began his philanthropic career at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s D.C. office, overseeing international engagement to improve the charitable sector. He also led the Gates Foundation’s strategic partnerships with G20 governments providing international aid. Nageeb has worked in 17 countries and has grantmaking experience in 9 countries.

Shaiza Damji Nurani

Vice-Chair

Shaiza Damji is a Principal and Managing Director of 360 Degree Hotel Group, headquartered outside of Seattle, Washington. She previously worked as an Associate Attorney at Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton in New York. Shaiza is a member of Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), former chairperson of the Washington State Lodging Association, and President of one of Marriott’s Franchisee Advisory Councils. In November 2023, the Washington Hospitality Association awarded her the Burtenshaw Lifetime Achievement Award. She holds degrees from Yale University and Harvard Law School.

Shaiza has served as a Member of Communications and Publications for the Ismaili Council for the United States and as a Member for Scholarships for the Aga Khan Education Board for the USA. After college, she was an International Development Management Fellow of Aga Khan Foundation Canada, placed with an NGO in Gujarat, India. 

Rozina Mussani

Member

Rozina Mussani is a seasoned program management professional with over 20 years of experience leading complex international initiatives across government, nonprofit, and private sectors. She is currently the Director for the Ismaili Center in Houston, a landmark cultural, educational, and spiritual hub that fosters dialogue, community, and pluralism. Previously, Rozina served as a Senior Program Officer at the U.S. Department of State, where she managed multi-million-dollar portfolios focused on democracy, human rights, and educational exchanges across South Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

Hassan Natha

Member

Hassan Natha is a senior financial executive with a public accounting background, and extensive finance, accounting, and operations management experience honed through leadership roles at top consumer packaged goods and media organizations. He is consistently recognized for his strategic, globally focused business savvy and success in driving key improvements in organizational performance and profitability.

Sarah Hassan

Member

Sarah Hassan is senior Project Manager at Hewlett Packard, working across various teams within the company since 2013. She started her journey with AKF in 2009 working in various capacities. Before joining the National Committee in 2024, she served as the Vice Chair of the Southwest Region for over four years. 

Purnur Ilolova

Member

Purnur Ilolova is an international development leader with deep expertise in civil society resilience, democratic governance, and youth empowerment across Central Asia, the Caucasus, Turkey, and the United States. She currently serves as a Senior Program Officer with Jubilee Monuments Corporation (JMC), where she leads national youth programming for the Jamat across the United States. Purnur previously worked at Freedom House, U.S. State Department–funded youth leadership exchanges, and the Mandela Washington Fellowship at Indiana University. She holds a Master’s Degree in Economics from the Technological University of Tajikistan and a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs from Indiana University.

Akbar Poonawala

Member

Copilot said:

Akbar Poonawala is an accomplished financial services and investment professional with more than 30 years of experience spanning commercial and transaction banking, venture capital, and growth equity investing. He spent 26 years in senior leadership roles at Bankers Trust and Deutsche Bank across the United States, Europe, and Asia before co-founding Pivot Investment Partners in 2014, a growth equity firm backing B2B financial technology and insurance technology companies. Akbar serves on the boards of several private portfolio companies as well as Jubilee Holdings Limited and Industrial Promotion Services in East Africa.

A dedicated volunteer, he has held numerous leadership roles with the Aga Khan Economic Planning Board, American Ismaili Chamber of Commerce, and AKF USA. He is a CFA charterholder and Kauffman Fellow.

Farrukh Valliani

Member 

Al-Karim Alidina

Ex-Officio Member

Al-Karim is a Partner in Aon’s Mid Atlantic Market Retirement Solutions Practice. He has management responsibilities for actuaries in the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC markets, which entails allocating resources, developing talent, growing revenue and driving operational excellence. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree with distinction in 1989 from University of Toronto. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, and an Enrolled Actuary.

Al-Karim has been volunteering for 20+ years, including his current role as the President of His Highness Prince Aga Khan Shia Imami Ismaili Council for the USA and National Committee Member for the Aga Khan Foundation USA.