Meet Our New Staff Members
CAIR-Chicago proudly welcomes two new communications coordinators to our team, Aymen Abdel Halim and Leena Saleh. We also give a heartfelt thanks to Lyndsey Stemm for her dynamic service at CAIR-Chicago and wish her the best in her new career.
Aymen Abdel Halim received honorary BA and MA degrees from the Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts program at San Francisco State University. Aymen is interested in media research, theory, and criticism – and more specifically, in the effects of media portrayals of Arabs and Muslims on Arab and Muslim communities in the U.S. He is the co-author of a book chapter on the impact of TV news on the self-conception of Arab and Muslim youth and is continuing independent research on topics related to the effects of Arab and Muslim media representation. Aymen is also an accomplished radio producer and has produced documentaries on Arab and Muslim issues while working closely interviewing national and international figures and members of American Arab and Muslim communities. As a film producer, Aymen has worked on short films regarding Palestinian issues, and is currently producing a documentary film about Palestinian life under occupation in the West Bank and Gaza. Aymen can be reached at ahalim@cair.com.
Leena Saleh earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from DePaul University. She has reported on topics ranging from culture and religion to international politics and entertainment. As the Editor in Chief of UMMA Ink, a student-run magazine, Leena has enjoyed developing graphic design, layout and cultivating readership among her peers. Leena is a former communications intern with CAIR-Chicago. With a passion for critical communication, tackling Islamophobia, design, and storytelling, she hopes to advocate for civil liberties and alleviate biases in the media. Leena can be reached at lsaleh@cair.com.
Lyndsey Stemm worked as a communications coordinator at CAIR-Chicago from 2010-2011. Her passion for social justice and incredible work ethic shone through every project she undertook. While she will be sorely missed, the CAIR-Chicago team is excited about her new position as a news reporter for TV station WJFW in Wisconsin where she is pursuing her dream as a journalist.
Lyndsey graduated summa cum laude from Columbia College in broadcast journalism. She has also studied Arabic, history and anthropology. After finding herself continuously drawn to the Middle East and Muslims, as well as studying at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Lyndsey decided to tie all her interests together by focusing her studies on foreign correspondence. She chose to work at CAIR-Chicago because as a journalist, advocating for civil rights is extremely important to her. She also knows that culturally and religiously sensitive reporting will be the most invaluable skill she will need in order to properly share the world with others.