Meet the 2023-2024 MINN Fellows

The MINN Fellowship program seeks to foster diverse viewpoints at the MINN Summit and within the Minnesota International NGO Network (MINN), provide professional enrichment, pursue networking opportunities, build long-lasting relationships between traditionally underrepresented communities and MINN, and elevate voices within MINN and the international development community in Minnesota.

The MINN Fellowship opportunity is generously supported by the McKnight Foundation. 

Mubina Qureshi

Mubina Qureshi (She/They) is a Queer, Muslim, Survivor, and a Trained professional leading Gender based Violence Prevention and Intervention Programing, Support Groups facilitation, LGBTQ+ advocacy initiatives, community connections, Mental Health Care and Covid-19 related Community Campaigns as an Executive Co-Director at SEWA-AIFW (Asian Indian Family Wellness), a Nonprofit dedicated to serve South Asian Communities in Minnesota. She is a Humphery Policy Fellow for 2022-23 with a decade of teaching/research experience in Languages, Literature, Humanities and Gender Studies. Her work is informed by intersectional feminist ideology, trauma-informed and survivor centered advocacy. Her PhD research is focused on Islamic Feminism and South Asian Women’s writing. She has extensive experience as a research scholar and interpreter/translator in international research in the areas of ‘Dalit’ women in the informal labor sector in Gujarat, India. 

Sally Elfishaway

From the sunny land of Egypt, Sally received her B.A. in Political Science from the American University in Cairo, and her LLB degree from Cairo University - simultaneously in 2018. She held various roles with the Egyptian government, including an international cooperation officer at the Ministry of Local Development, and a researcher at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She has also worked with the private sector as a public policy analyst at Moharram & Partners, and later as a proposals and grants officer at ElSewedy University of Technology.

Niya Basha

Niya Basha, an emerging public health and nonprofit professional, is deeply committed to advocating for health equity and increased access to quality healthcare services. With experience at nonprofit organizations, she serves marginalized communities, fostering collaborative community impact. In her recent role as Program Coordinator at Wellshare International, Niya partnered with Community Health Workers, diverse community leaders, and local organizations to address mental health disparities at their roots. Niya is an active member of the International Oromo Health Professionals Association, where she collaborates with peers to assess healthcare needs and improve the health outcomes of Oromos in Oromia and the diaspora through community outreach. She aspires to further her studies in nonprofit leadership and public affairs. Beyond her professional pursuits, she enjoys spending time with family and volunteering.

Halima Hamud

Halima Hamud is a community organizer, advocate, and a storyteller. She is a second-year Master of Development Practices student at the Humphrey School. She is the founder of Circle of Excellence, a grassroots organization dedicated to raising awareness about the underutilization of skills in refugee and immigrant communities. Halima's passion for this cause is deeply personal, driven by the challenges her family members have encountered in the U.S. workforce. She is a recent recipient of the Women's Foundation of Minnesota Innovators Grant, a Clinton Global Initiative fellow, a Harry S. Truman scholar, and serves as the Minnesota lead delegate for Refugee Congress, a national nonpartisan organization advocating for the well-being and dignity of vulnerable migrants. Halima has consistently championed the rights of refugees and immigrants.

Maimuna Zahra

Maimuna Zahra Fariha recently completed her second master’s degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato with an M.S. degree in Gender and Women Studies. She completed her first master’s degree in public health from North South University, Bangladesh. She is from Bangladesh and currently doing her internship at the Georgia State Capital, Atlanta, Georgia. She is the Public Relations Coordinator of a local NGO in Bangladesh called “REACH”, an open project that aims to bring together small businesses willing to sell sustainable products and services with a percentage of sales that proceeds as donations to needed charities and organizations. She has co-authored many research and articles related to marginalized communities in Bangladesh and in USA. She is also a painter. She loves watching movies. Her biggest strengths in life are her parents and her two nephews.

Lolla Nur

Lolla Nur is a journalist/writer, artist and organizer with passion for cultural engagement, diaspora, public policy and interfaith diplomacy. Her career has spanned journalism, advocacy, cultural equity, entrepreneurship and creative placemaking with African and diverse Muslim communities in Minnesota. Her platform, the East African Diaspora Artists Initiative, launched immediately after the 2017 selective ban on immigrants and refugees from African and Middle Eastern heritage, creates spaces for intercultural and interfaith understanding and healing by centering arts, culture, and diaspora storytelling. She was also the lead arts organizer in Saint Paul's emerging "Little Africa" immigrant business and arts district. As a journalist, she reports on peace, development and belonging -- with focus on culture, faith, and migration. Her bylines or coverage include Voice of America, Colorlines, the Nation, OkayAfrica, MPR and the Uptake.

Niyati Panchal

 I am a seasoned legal professional with a Master's in Public Policy, equipped with the expertise to conduct comprehensive policy research and offer strategic policy advice. My career spans diverse fields, including five years as a corporate counsel in the banking and financial services sector, three years dedicated to quantitative and qualitative research in urban planning and transportation policy, and early childhood education policy.  Currently, I serve as a Contract and Compliance Administrator at the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, where my role involves managing complex compliance issues and contract administration, demonstrating my knack for meticulous attention to detail.

I am committed to making a meaningful impact on a global scale and look forward to engaging with like-minded professionals to drive positive change through innovative, data-driven solutions