Connection is fundamental to us a spiritual beings.  When we are connected, we operate at our full capacity, and love and generosity permeates in everything we do.

OUR TEAM

Staff

  • Marci Hadley-Mairel

    PROGRAM DIRECTOR

  • Mayssa Masri

    MARKETING DIRECTOR

  • Aseel Atalla

    YOUTH DIRECTOR

  • Maryam ​Abdul-Wahid

    IT SUPPORT

  • Huda Elsaad

    CURRICULUM FACILITATOR

  • Sahar Mawari

    ARABIC GRAMMAR INSTRUCTOR

  • Zayd Ahmed

    ARABIC READING INSTRUCTOR​

  • Diego Salcedo

    RETREAT FACILITATOR

  • Bushra Warde

    Bushra Warde

    ARABIC READING INSTRUCTOR

Meet Our Staff

Creators are special. They move through life infusing beauty and new life into everything they touch. For as long as she can remember, Marci has been a creator, the kind who channels it into a business model. She loved baking so at age 12, she created a cake decorating business— along with other business projects throughout her younger years. Marci’s creative energy is a part of everything she does and she has brought that spirit into the Good Tree community as program director. As the daughter of converts to the Muslim faith, Marci was used to feeling like an outsider. When she found Good Tree, that all changed. She began to feel accepted, valued and most importantly, connected with herself, others and her Creator. Starting as a volunteer, Marci quickly immersed herself in classrooms and found opportunities to fill. After becoming Good Tree's program director, once again, Marci’s creativity blossomed, allowing her to take on her biggest creativity initiative yet: “I want to create a space where people belong."

Marci Hadley-Mairel, Program Director

​Mayssa Masri is a Detroit-based Syrian-American freelance digital marketing and social media strategist. She graduated from Wayne State University with a double major in journalism and communication studies and is currently completing a master’s degree at the University of Florida in digital strategy. Mayssa is passionate about social activism and serving the Muslim community. "I'm honored to contribute to Good Tree's growth and help others discover the Quran and strengthen their spirituality."

Mayssa Masri, Marketing Strategist

Aseel Atalla is currently a master’s student at Zaytuna College, has served on the Muslim Youth of North America regional executive committee, and as the Executive Director for the Hira Intensive. During her last year of undergrad at Zaytuna College, Aseel worked as the Northern California Director on the MSA West Board, working primarily with college students on spiritual holistic development. Having grown up with Good Tree from its onset, Aseel values the beauty of learning her faith through love and compassion. Aseel's passion for youth and community work blossomed throughout her high school and undergraduate years, and Good Tree’s focus on spiritual development through the Quran motivated her to continue working with Good Tree's youth community. "I look forward to creating safe and transformational spaces for youth on a local and national level in the coming years, inshaAllah."

Aseel Atalla, Youth Director

Maryam is native to Phoenix and grew up attending the Phoenix Metro Islamic School in Tempe. She studied electrical engineering at the University of Arizona and has worked as a software engineer.  Now, she focuses on user experience design and app development. Maryam enjoys hiking, cycling, horseback riding, and is an avid fan of the U.S. women’s soccer team and loves to support women’s sports. Maryam attended her first Good Tree event, Quran & Me, in the beginning of 2019. “I was in awe seeing everyone connect to each other and to the words of Allah throughout the discussions, and I felt blessed with feeling the connection.”  Since then, Maryam has participated in many more Good Tree programs and is a coordinator of the Sadeeq Mentorship program. For Maryam, Good Tree is a safe space for her to connect with Allah, herself and others. She wants to help expand Good Tree's reach and help others find the same safe space she has found.

Maryam Abdul-Wahid, IT Support

Huda is a respiratory therapist who graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor’s in Health Sciences. When she first joined Good Tree in 2014, she was teaching middle school students Arabic and Quran. Now, she is involved in the curriculum development and volunteers at Good Tree camps. Before Good Tree’s inception, she was taking Quran classes with Dr. Nadia. Years later, Dr. Nadia invited her to join Good Tree, and she has been a part of it ever since. “I have found a place where I can be myself and feel safe to voice my opinions and thoughts. Learning at Good Tree has opened my heart to understanding the Quran and creating a stronger connection to Allah.” She looks forward to helping create material that will help everyone understand the words of Allah and become closer to Him as well. 

Huda Elsaad, Curriculum Facilitator

​Sahar has been a part of Good Tree Institute for nearly 10 years and teaches beginner and intermediate levels of Arabic Reading and Arabic Grammar. She’s passionate about what she teaches, because she loves seeing her students relate to the Quran in their daily lives. “I love Good Tree’s unique Arabic curriculum that focuses on learning, reflecting, and connecting to Allah’s words in the Quran.” Sahar, a mother of four, is also a pediatrician and is currently completing a master’s degree in counseling

Sahar Marawi, Arabic Teacher

Zayd Ahmed is from Phoenix, Arizona and received his bachelor's degree in Neuroscience from Duke University in 2014.  He is passionate about technology infrastructure and is taking classes in information technology at ASU. Joining Good Tree in 2019, Zayd has loved being a part of the community and enjoys giving back to the community through teaching. In his free time, he enjoys weightlifting and spending time with his family.  Zayd teaches online Arabic Reading II and III with Good Tree.

Zayd Ahmed, Arabic Reading Teacher

​Diego, a co-facilitator at Good Tree’s Seeds of Wisdom Quranic retreats, is originally from Venezuela and has been a member of the Good Tree family since its early days. Through his professional career, he has gained extensive experience coaching people to high performance & facilitating large group discussions, which have been essential skills for Seeds of Wisdom. A father of 3, Diego enjoys spending time with family and staying active by hiking, traveling, or exercising.

Diego Salcedo, Seeds of Wisdom Facilitator

​Bushra graduated with an MA in French Literature from the University of Tennessee, where she taught for 3 years. Originally Lebanese, her journey in teaching Arabic, her native language, began with teaching her kids. She then worked at a Sunday school where she helped in assessing students, choosing the curriculum, and encouraging parents to make sure Arabic is part of their kids' lives. In Arizona, she taught French at the Glendale Community College for two years and taught Arabic at the weekend school for 5 years. Bushra also tutored young kids in Arabic and taught high schoolers French at New Horizon Irvine. Based in Arizona, Bushra now teaches Arabic reading at Good Tree. Bushra is married and blessed with 4 kids. She loves to read, communicate with people from different backgrounds, learn about new cultures, and dedicate her time to spreading goodness and success in the world.

Bushra Warde, Arabic Reading Teacher