Meet the team behind The Samovar Network

Ali A Olomi

Ali A Olomi is a writer, historian, and assistant professor of history at Loyola Marymount University. He is a research fellow and scholar of Islamic thought and society who researches the formation of the “Muslim world” through the intersection of cosmology, geography, and empire with particular attention to constructions of religious identity and gender and sexuality. His Bachelor’s is from UCLA and Master’s and PhD from UCI. In addition to his academic work, he engages in public-facing scholarship and is the host of the Head on History podcast.

Nura Sediqe

Nura A. Sediqe is a postdoctoral research fellow and faculty member at Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs. She is a political scientist. She received her PhD in Political Science and Master in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Ghizal Adina

Ghizal is the Assistant Director of Planning and Design for a private company in the San Francisco Bay Area.  In her spare time, Ghizal works on development, transportation, and affordable housing projects, examining ways racial disparities are impacted or exacerbated in the built environment. Ghizal also examines sea-level rise hazards along San Francisco’s coastal zones and regional climate change adaptation plans. Ghizal holds a Masters in City Planning from MIT, and undergraduate degrees in Architecture and Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley.  

In her free time she enjoys desert landscapes, tennis, books, and hella cheese. 

Dawoud Waziri

Dawoud Waziri is a community leader, storyteller, and connector who splits his time between business, advocacy, and culture. Professionally, Dawoud serves as Director of Business Development at Paramount RCM, where he leads teams, builds relationships, and drives growth through collaboration and integrity.

Outside of work, Dawoud plays a key role in community organizing as a Code of Conduct Coordinator for the Afghan American Community Organization (AACO), helping ensure safe, inclusive spaces for Afghans across the country.

Whether he’s talking fantasy football, civic engagement, or identity and belonging, Dawoud brings humor, empathy, and purpose to every conversation. His work centers on connection — between people, ideas, and the stories that bring us closer together.

Reza Hessabi

Reza Hessabi is a physician resident in Emergency Medicine at UCLA. He received his medical degree from Dartmouth Medical School. Ranging from his involvement with TSN and the Afghan-American Conference to mentorship of diaspora Afghans looking to enter into medicine, being involved in the diaspora has always been a priority. Within medicine, Reza’s interests include the field of Social Emergency Medicine, hospital flow and quality improvement. Outside of medicine, Reza enjoys all things film/television, writing short stories and chipping away slowly at his novel.