Meet Our

Board Of Directors

Uzma Qureshi

Founder/President

Uzma Qureshi is the President of AF USA. She has 15+ years of accounting and financial experience and more recently worked as a Financial Controller with Catholic Charities, a non-profit organization serving the greater community in Houston. Uzma has taken an active role to support the educational needs of underprivileged children by joining AF USA and plans to develop the financial strategy to operate with minimal administrative cost and deliver maximum value of donor contribution. Uzma holds MBA in accounting from the University of Houston and a BSc in Mathematics and statistics from Kinnaird College, Lahore Pakistan

Rafey Kazi

Director

As a Partner at COBAIT, successfully delivered innovative solutions to businesses including developing software products in multiple verticals as well as IT solutions helping organizations and leaders with business IT planning, management, cyber security and business continuity. Top performing executive with a 23-year track record of innovation and success in managing, expanding and growing global organizations, including C-Level experience with fortune 500 company. Rafey worked as a CIO and Senior Vice President of Technology for SunGard Energy and Commodities and built an impressive record of achievement through a series of increasingly responsible leadership positions for the global organization. Rafey played a pivotal role in defining strategy and solutions, creating tactical and strategic partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, business integration and providing overall vision and direction to the company which led to the growth and success of the business.

NIDA GHANCHI

Director

With an MBA in Marketing and over 8 years of experience in healthcare and IT, I excel at transforming client challenges into innovative, technology-driven solutions. My expertise involves directly engaging with clients to uncover their needs and translating these insights into user-centric product designs. I am dedicated to optimizing processes for greater efficiency by integrating advanced technologies and streamlining operations. My track record includes developing solutions that significantly enhance functionality and user experience. Outside of work, I am passionate about exploring diverse cuisines, traveling, and enjoying quality time with family and friends. I am also committed to supporting community initiatives and finding meaningful ways to give back. In my free time, I immerse myself in reading and home projects, continually seeking opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Abyar Aejaz

Director

Director with AF USA. Abyar is currently working as Process Technologist for TritenlAG and has 16+ years of process engineering experience. Abyar has prior experience serving on the Executive Board for American Institute of Chemical Engineers

Syed M. Taha Hussain

Secretary

Syed M. Taha Hussain is a Secretary of AF USA. Taha serves as Venture Partner of DK Innovation, Delek US, a corporate venture capital fund, and holds a Board position at Utility Global and Aperio. Previously Venture Executive at Chevron, Taha has 25+ years of experience in the oil and gas industry with several corporate Board positions including Strohm (Airborne) and Clarke Valves. Taha received his M.S. in business with technology management from Columbia University in New York. He also has B.S. in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M and B.Sc. in analytical chemistry from the University of Karachi. Taha has prior experience serving the non‐profits including positions with NACE Foundation and Columbia Alumni Association Board for Texas chapter and as a teacher with Sunday school

Tahir Mehmood

Director

Tahir Mehmood is a Director at AF USA. Tahir is currently working as an operational Manager at Bulerez Consulting. Experienced Information Technology Leader with a demonstrated history. Strong information technology professional skilled in Business Processes, IT Service Management, Resource Management, Integration, and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). Tahir is committed to social work and collaborated with many NGO’s including Junior Achievement and Rebuilding Together etc. to contribute to uplifting the deserving segment of society. Tahir holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma, Norman

Young

Directors

Taha Asmat

Director of Humanitarian Programs & Outreach

Taha Asmat, a senior pre-med student at the University of Houston, is dedicated to service and uplifting underserved communities. As an officer for UMR, he leads humanitarian outreach efforts. At Aspiring Futures USA, Taha supports youth mentorship and education access for children in Pakistan. His compassion-driven leadership focuses on long-term change through equity and opportunity

Siraj Qureshi

Director

Siraj graduated from UPenn with a major in Economics, minors in physics and math. He has worked in finance at the Kraft-Heinz company, and most recently as a Finance Manager for a Fermented Food Holdings, a portfolio of food companies. There, he plays a pivotal role in financial planning, forecasting, business strategy, and acquisitions. Siraj has experience working in mentorship, fundraising, and strategic planning in the non-profit space, and contributes to Aspiring Futures in donor relations, event planning, and strategy. In his free time, Siraj enjoys weightlifting, hiking, and trying new foods.

Ali Syed

Director of Strategic Communications & Mentorship

Ali Syed is a finance student at the University of Houston's Bauer College of Business, passionate about mentorship, public service, and youth development. As Project Downtown Coordinator for UMR, he leads weekly meal drives in Houston. At Aspiring Futures USA, Ali serves as a lead spokesperson, creating content and offering career guidance to students in Pakistan. With interests in ESG, financial literacy, and education access, he uses business as a tool for impact and equity

Ali Qureshi

Director - Agenda Planning

Ali Qureshi, a Kinesiology student born in Karachi, is passionate about health equity and youth engagement. He works on NIH-funded research, serves as a medical scribe, and leads wellness and cultural projects in Houston. Through Aspiring Futures, he helps shape meaningful agendas that reflect youth voices and global impact

Mohammad Sabir

Marketing and Outreach

Mohammad Sabir is a finance major at the University of Houston’s Bauer College of Business and an original member of Aspiring Futures. A key mentor, he helped shape the mentorship model and continues to guide students in career and personal growth. With interests in finance and marketing, he supports the organization’s expansion and is passionate about using business to drive equity and youth empowerment

Young Directors

Director

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Uzma Qureshi is the President of AF USA. She has 15+ years of accounting and financial experience and more recently worked as a Financial Controller with Catholic Charities, a non-profit organization serving the greater community in Houston. Uzma has taken an active role to support the educational needs of underprivileged children by joining AF USA and plans to develop the financial strategy to operate with minimal administrative cost and deliver maximum value of donor contribution. Uzma holds MBA in accounting from the University of Houston and a BSc in Mathematics and statistics from Kinnaird College, Lahore Pakistan

Uzma Qureshi

Founder/President

As a Partner at COBAIT, successfully delivered innovative solutions to businesses including developing software products in multiple verticals as well as IT solutions helping organizations and leaders with business IT planning, management, cyber security and business continuity. Top performing executive with a 23-year track record of innovation and success in managing, expanding and growing global organizations, including C-Level experience with fortune 500 company. Rafey worked as a CIO and Senior Vice President of Technology for SunGard Energy and Commodities and built an impressive record of achievement through a series of increasingly responsible leadership positions for the global organization. Rafey played a pivotal role in defining strategy and solutions, creating tactical and strategic partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, business integration and providing overall vision and direction to the company which led to the growth and success of the business.

Rafey Kazi

Director

With an MBA in Marketing and over 8 years of experience in healthcare and IT, I excel at transforming client challenges into innovative, technology-driven solutions. My expertise involves directly engaging with clients to uncover their needs and translating these insights into user-centric product designs. I am dedicated to optimizing processes for greater efficiency by integrating advanced technologies and streamlining operations. My track record includes developing solutions that significantly enhance functionality and user experience. Outside of work, I am passionate about exploring diverse cuisines, traveling, and enjoying quality time with family and friends. I am also committed to supporting community initiatives and finding meaningful ways to give back. In my free time, I immerse myself in reading and home projects, continually seeking opportunities for personal and professional growth.

NIDA GHANCHI

DIRECTOR

Siraj graduated from UPenn with a major in Economics, minors in physics and math. He has worked in finance at the Kraft-Heinz company, and most recently as a Finance Manager for a Fermented Food Holdings, a portfolio of food companies. There, he plays a pivotal role in financial planning, forecasting, business strategy, and acquisitions. Siraj has experience working in mentorship, fundraising, and strategic planning in the non-profit space, and contributes to Aspiring Futures in donor relations, event planning, and strategy. In his free time, Siraj enjoys weightlifting, hiking, and trying new foods.

Siraj Qureshi

Director

Director with AF USA. Abyar is currently working as Process Technologist for TritenlAG and has 16+ years of process engineering experience. Abyar has prior experience serving on the Executive Board for American Institute of Chemical Engineers

Abyar Aejaz

Director

Syed M. Taha Hussain is a Secretary of AF USA. Taha serves as Venture Partner of DK Innovation, Delek US, a corporate venture capital fund, and holds a Board position at Utility Global and Aperio. Previously Venture Executive at Chevron, Taha has 25+ years of experience in the oil and gas industry with several corporate Board positions including Strohm (Airborne) and Clarke Valves. Taha received his M.S. in business with technology management from Columbia University in New York. He also has B.S. in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M and B.Sc. in analytical chemistry from the University of Karachi. Taha has prior experience serving the non‐profits including positions with NACE Foundation and Columbia Alumni Association Board for Texas chapter and as a teacher with Sunday school

Syed M. Taha Hussain

Secretary

Tahir Mehmood is a Director at AF USA. Tahir is currently working as an operational Manager at Bulerez Consulting. Experienced Information Technology Leader with a demonstrated history. Strong information technology professional skilled in Business Processes, IT Service Management, Resource Management, Integration, and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). Tahir is committed to social work and collaborated with many NGO’s including Junior Achievement and Rebuilding Together etc. to contribute to uplifting the deserving segment of society. Tahir holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma, Norman

Tahir Mehmood

Director

ADVISORY

BOARD

Rubina Faryal

President, Alfurqan Pakistan

Yameen Rahman

Advisory Board

Najwa Aejaz

HR Manager, Wood Group

Sameer Zulfiqar

Mentorship Administrator

Irfan Bharde

VP Global Execution Excellence, Dematic

Omer Husain

Cyber Incident Response Engineer, Zions Bancorporation

Zehra Sarangwala

Mentorship program coordinator

Shahmir Kashif

Mentorship program coordinator

Omer Husain

Cyber Incident Response Engineer, Zions Bancorporation