Islamic Resource Group succeeds in our mission thanks to the generous time of our volunteer speakers. Therefore, IRG is able to function at a high level of professionalism with a small and committed staff. Below, you can browse staff organizational roles and contact information. Interested parties may direct general inquiries, comments, and questions to irg@irgmn.org.
John Emery
Executive Director
john@irgmn.org
Staff Biography
John is our current executive director. A veteran of the U.S. Army, John Emery served over nine years as an interrogator and translator. His service took him across the United States, North Africa, the Persian Gulf, and other locales. After his honorable discharge in 2003, John graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Global Studies. Since becoming Muslim in 2004, John has pursued opportunities to foster peace, justice, and reconciliation in our local communities. John is a Muslim volunteer at local jails and prisons where he regularly leads Friday prayer as the Imam. A native Minnesotan, John enjoys exploring the Minnesota outdoors year-round, keeps bees on a local organic farm, and volunteering for local organizations.
Tamim Saidi
Resident Scholar
tamim@irgmn.org
Staff Biography
Dr. Tamim Saidi was born in Afghanistan and as a teenager was forced to leave his family behind and take refuge in Pakistan. He came to the USA in 1990, and since then, he has considered Minnesota home. He received his Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Minnesota and holds an MDiv degree from Chicago Theological Seminary and Bayan Islamic Graduate School. In 2018, he was selected as one of 24 Bush Fellows. Additionally, he has completed a Multi-Religious Fellowship program with the Collegeville Institute. In addition to serving as the Resident Scholar for IRG, Tamim serves/has served in numerous community leadership positions with the Islamic Resource Group (IRG), NWICC, MYLA Scholarship, Islamic Center of MN, Muslim Youth of MN (MYM), Muslim Students Association, Council of Trustees of the Islamic Center of MN, CAIR-MN, Al-Amal School Board of Directors, interfaith dialogues, and a newly formed organization called Noursury, which aims to provide no-interest micro-loans to eligible borrowers. He has presented to thousands of Minnesotans about Islam and the cultures of Muslims. His articles have appeared at EngageMN, Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, USA Today, St. Cloud Times, and MN Daily, and he has also appeared on WCCO and TPTV Almanac. Tamim regularly delivers weekly sermons at multiple area mosques, serves as a Muslim chaplain & conducts other religious rituals for the community. He is a father to four children and is a son, husband, and brother.
Hajra Zaid
Administrative Program Manager
irg@irgmn.org
Staff Biography
Hajra Zaid is a Minnesota native, and currently resides in Chicago. She earned a Master of Arts from the University of Chicago Divinity School and is interested in the various intersections and encounters between Islam and the literary West.
Apart from freelance editing, Hajra worked as an English and Islamic Studies teacher at the high school level in Lahore, Pakistan before returning to the United States for her master's degree.
Her experience in her parent's home country enhanced her language skill, cultural sensitivity, and resourcefulness. Pakistan is also for her, another home.
Hajra was raised doing community work and speaking about Islam, even in the capacity of an IRG speaker. She has continued her advocacy through projects like the Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship at the UChicago Divinity School, where she was a leader in organizing and executing a series of Ramadan Events, including curating an Islamic Art exhibit, interviewing an award winning Muslim author, and organizing an interfaith iftar and an Eid Party.
She is a creative writer and is passionate about the power of narrative. She hopes to participate in telling Muslim stories through her writing and in supporting IRG's action-oriented mission.
