Staff Members of CIOGC

Kiran Ansari (Interim Executive Director, Editor Chicago Crescent)

Kiran Ansari is the Interim Executive Director at the Council and Editor of the Chicago Crescent. She was born in Pakistan, grew up in Dubai and now calls Chicago home. Kiran has been a part of the Chicago Crescent editorial team since October 2006. She started as a volunteer freelance writer, and was hired by the Council as Asst. Editor in January 2008 and was then promoted to Editor in January 2009. Kiran has an MBA with a major in marketing. She has bylines in more than 20 publications including the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Parent, Chicago Public Radio, Azizah magazine, Islamic Horizons among others. Contact her at crescent@ciogc.org

Amal Ali (Youth Organizer)

Conducted her graduate studies at the University of Chicago on the acculturative coping strategies employed by Muslim American youth as they attempt to reconcile conceptual differences in their hyphenated identity. A long-time youth activist herself, she served as Head Counselor at the Muslim Youth Center in Bridgeview for four years and organized youth programs for Inner-city Muslim Action Network (IMAN). Her experience in youth development ranges from years of MYNA camps, MCC camps, MSA, and more. Amal may be reached at amalali@ciogc.org

Ahmed Ansari (Art Director/Webmaster)

Born and raised in Bombay, India. He studied in Commercial Art in India's first and the oldest arts school, Sir. J.J. Institute of Applied Art, which provides more than half of the Indian advertising industry's top art talent. Ansari worked for nine years in the Middle East as art director and senior graphic designer in advertising agencies in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. He came to United States to work for an international ad agency in Boulder, Colorado. He worked for Al-Basheer Publications as a vice president and art director. He started his own graphic design business with his wife (Ansari Media Design) and later an international publication called America's Muslim Family Magazine in Washington, D.C. Ansari specializes in Illustrations, Calligraphy and Digital Media and web design and has more than 26 years of experience. He currently works for the Council as Art Director/Webmaster. Ansari can be reached at ansari@ciogc.org.

Rita Sutton (Office Manager)

Born and raised in Chicago.  She attended Kennedy-King and TrumanCityColleges.  She comes to the council with over 10 years bookkeeping / accounting experience, six of which were spent at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare where she was lead in cash services.  Ms. Sutton also works with the Southside Eid Committee.