A physician by profession, Isma Chaudhry completed her Internal medicine training at the Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center. She is an Associate at the Metropolitan Center for Sleep Medicine. Isma serves as the Executive in Residence, Graduate Public Health Programs at Hofstra University. Her study interests in Public Health are Healthcare Infrastructure in Developing Countries, Ethnic Barriers to Primary Care, Minority & Immigrant Health, and Healthcare Disparities in the US. She also works as a diversity & sensitivity coach and inclusion & cultural humility consultant at various government and private organizations.
Isma’s activism extends well beyond healthcare issues. As a longstanding advocate of interfaith initiatives and a fierce proponent of equity and social justice, Isma has been involved with the Islamic Center of Long Island (ICLI) for over 25 years. In 2015, the Center elected Isma as its first female president, and in 2018 she became the first female Chairperson of the Center’s Board of Trustees. Islamic Center of Long Island, during Isma’s tenure as a president, was voted as One of the eight most Spiritual sites in America. https://www.nextavenue.org/8-top-spiritual-sites-in-america/
As part of her ongoing work to support Interfaith initiatives and dispel myths about Islam and Islamophobia, Isma has made numerous public appearances, including speaking engagements at the United Nations, the Grassroots Models for Interfaith conference, the United States Institute of Peace, the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention, and the Responsibility to Protect, the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers, and Building Community Coalitions @ Engagement Institute. One of the most sought-after speakers on Islam, Isma has also delivered lectures to public, private, parochial, civic, and government gatherings and institutions on topics such as interfaith harmony, ethnic and cultural awareness, Muslim women’s rights and civil liberties, and the Islamic perspective on art, architecture, sharia. She is frequently asked to coach government and private institutions on issues of diversity, sensitivity, inclusion & cultural humility.
During her more than three decades of volunteering, community, and Interfaith initiatives, Isma has focused on including youth development programs, efforts to build bridges between communities, and celebrating ethnic diversity. Working with several Long Island school districts, Isma has put together curricula and has taught courses on the cultures of Southeast Asia and the diverse practices of Islamic traditions. Supporting distressed communities, locally and globally, is of particular interest to Isma. A champion for women’s rights, she has promoted mentoring, career planning, and leadership programs that will empower women and enhance their academic and vocational opportunities. In 2021 Isma Launched her non-for-profit Waris Foundation www.warisfoundation.org to address the needs of distressed communities in South East Asia and to address the refugee crisis she launched an Interfaith Coalition “Upholding Humanity,” and have helped about 30 Afghan, South American and Ukrainian Refugees in the United States.
In addition to her leadership role at the Islamic Center of Long Island, Isma has worked with several other organizations to support her local community. She has served as a co-chair of the Board of Trustees for Long Island WINS (an immigration advocacy organization), Chair of the Nassau County Asian American Council, and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Interfaith Alliance of Long Island; she also serves on the board of the Nassau County Minority Affairs Council, Nassau County DA’s Councils, the Board of Ethics for the Town of North Hempstead, the New York State Governor’s Interfaith Council, Health and Welfare Council of Long Island, and is co-chair of Northwell Health’s Health Equity Taskforce.
The Long Island Press has included Isma on its “Power 50” list of the 50 most influential Long Islanders in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. 2016 Community Champion Award. In 2021 Isma was inducted into the LI Press Hall of Fame. The town of North Hempstead included Isma on its 23rd Annual Women’s Roll of Honor list in 2016 and honored her with a “Make a Difference Award” in 2017. She has been recognized by the National Center for Suburban Studies, Hofstra University, and CARECEN, Women Fund of Long Island, for her work in immigration advocacy and by City & State 2021 Long Island Power 100 for her dedication to building bridges of understanding and respect in an ethnically diverse world. In 2022 The Hispanic Counseling Center honored her for her service to Diversity; Long Island Business Press Inducted her into the Hall of Fame, and Boys Scouts of America awarded her the Good Scout Award 2022 for her leadership on their Diversity Committee.
A mother of two college-age children, Isma lives in Manhasset, NY, with her husband. She continues to aspire to build bridges of mutual respect and move beyond “just tolerance” by celebrating the diversity of ideology, culture, and religion.