Program – NAAMA 2026 Convention | Scientific Sessions & Schedule

Featured Speakers

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Sadeer Al-Kindi

Sadeer Al-Kindi, MD

Associate Professor and Jerold B. Katz Endowed Investigator at Houston Methodist's DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center. Fellowship-trained preventive and imaging cardiologist with over 200 peer-reviewed publications. His research on cardiometabolic disease and cardiovascular risk in diverse populations is central to understanding heart disease disparities in Arab American communities.

Marwa Ghazali

PhD

Marwa Ghazali, PhD

Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Central Washington University specializing in medical anthropology, structural violence, and displacement in MENA communities. Her multi-sited ethnographic research examines health inequalities and the politics of mortality among marginalized Arab and diasporic populations in the U.S. and abroad.

Layla Abushamat

Layla Abushamat, MD

Endocrinologist and NIH K23 award recipient at Baylor College of Medicine specializing in the prevention and management of cardiometabolic disease including diabetes, obesity, and dyslipidemia. Her research on cardiometabolic risk in multi-ethnic populations informs our understanding of metabolic health disparities relevant to Arab Americans.

Rouba Ali Fehmi

Rouba Ali Fehmi, MD

Professor of Pathology and Director of Breast Pathology at the University of Michigan with over 140 publications on cancer progression. Immediate past president of NAAMA and founder of NAAMA NextGen. Her landmark research on Arab American health — including obesity, HPV, and COVID-19 vaccine attitudes — was presented at the White House.

Samina Salim

PhD

Samina Salim, PhD

Associate Professor at the University of Houston College of Pharmacy and 2025–2026 Fulbright U.S. Scholar. Her research bridges behavioral neuroscience and community health, with published studies on post-resettlement health among refugees and mental health outcomes in Arab and Arab American communities.

Karam Radwan

Karam Radwan, MD

Associate Professor and Section Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Chicago Medicine. A graduate of the University of Damascus, his research focuses on global mental health, refugee care, and the neurobiology of emotion in children — making him a leading voice on Arab American youth psychological wellbeing.

Angubeen Khan

PhD

Angubeen Khan, PhD

Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Michigan's Population Studies Center. Her intersectional research examines how social norms, religion, and migration context shape the reproductive and sexual health of MENA women. She has published foundational work on intimate partner violence and reproductive coercion among Arab American women in Southeast Michigan.

Ahmed Elkhanany

Ahmed Elkhanany, MD

Assistant Professor at the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center at Baylor College of Medicine specializing in breast oncology and high-risk prevention. Trained at Mayo Clinic, his research on race, ethnicity, and cancer genomics directly informs understanding of cancer disparities in Arab American and other minority populations.

Fatin Atrooz

PhD

Fatin Atrooz, PhD

Pharmacology researcher and Fulbright Scholar from Jordan specializing in behavioral neuroscience and stress biology with over 40 publications. She has conducted published research on anxiety and depression prevalence among Houston-based MENA residents and on mental health among Syrian refugees — bringing essential data to Arab American mental health discourse.

Nadia Abuelezam

ScD

Nadia Abuelezam, ScD

Assistant Professor at Boston College and one of the nation's foremost researchers dedicated to Arab American health disparities. Holding a ScD from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, her advocacy for disaggregated MENA health data and publications in leading journals have been instrumental in advancing Arab American health equity nationally.

Solaf Alawadhi

MD, MPH

Solaf Alawadhi, MD, MPH

Physician-scientist and Research Scientist in the Department of Surgery at Houston Methodist Hospital with graduate training in Comparative Effectiveness Research from NYU. Her 37 publications focus on kidney disease, transplant access, and risk prediction models to improve outcomes in underserved populations, including Arab Americans.

Rana Afifi

Rana Afifi, MD

Associate Professor of Vascular Surgery at McGovern Medical School, UTHealth Houston, specializing in acute aortic dissection and cardiovascular outcomes in women. Founder of the Women's Vascular and Cardiac Health Initiative (WVACHI), her population-level research on sex-based cardiovascular disparities addresses the health needs of Arab American women.

Mohanned “Mike” Mallah

Mohanned “Mike” Mallah, MD

Double-board certified trauma surgeon and Director of the Global Surgery Program at MUSC. A UNC graduate and former McKinsey healthcare consultant, he has operated in over 55 countries across five continents. His expertise in global surgery and cross-cultural medical care brings an essential international perspective to Arab American health access.

Please note: This agenda is preliminary and subject to change. Speaker assignments and session details may be updated as the program is finalized. Check back for the latest version.

Day 1 — Friday, September 4, 2026

6:00 – 9:00 PM · The Westin Oaks Houston at the Galleria

6:00 – 9:00 PM

Texas-Style Welcome Reception

The Westin Oaks Houston at the Galleria

Kick off the convention with an evening of Texas hospitality, featuring a fun Western theme complete with cowboy hats, boots, and bandanas to help you dress the part of a true Texan.

Enjoy a selection of hors d’oeuvres and beverages while networking and celebrating with fellow attendees in a relaxed and festive atmosphere.

Day 2 — Saturday, September 5, 2026

8:00 – 9:00 Breakfast & Registration

9:00 – 9:05

Introduction & Welcome

Sadeer Al-Kindi

9:05 – 9:35

Keynote Address

“Living at the Margins: Displacement, Structural Violence, and Health in Arab and Diasporic Communities”

Marwa Ghazali, PhD — 25 min + 5 min Q&A

Examining cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic disease burden, risk factors, and disparities in Arab American communities.

9:40 – 10:00

Cardio-Kidney-Metabolic Disease in Arab Americans: Epidemiology, Gaps, and Opportunities

Sadeer Al-Kindi, MD

10:00 – 10:20

Diabetes Risk, Control, and Disparities in Arab American Communities

Samar A. Nasser, PhD

10:20 – 10:40

Obesity, Metabolic Health, and Cultural Context in Arab American Populations

Layla Abushamat, MD

10:40 – 11:15

Panel Discussion and Q&A

11:15 – 11:30

NAAMA NextGen Presentation

Rouba Ali Fehmi, MD

11:30 – 12:40 Lunch & Poster Session

Exploring stress, trauma, substance use, and psychological wellbeing among Arab and MENA American populations.

12:40 – 1:00

Stress, Trauma, and Mental Health in Arab and MENA Communities

Samina Salim, PhD

1:00 – 1:20

Honor, Family, and Substance Use Risk Among Arab and MENA American Youth

Speaker: TBD

1:20 – 1:40

Measuring What Matters: Stigma, Well-Being, Identity, and Mental Health

Karam Radwan, MD

1:40 – 2:10

Panel Discussion and Q&A

Addressing reproductive health, family violence, cancer genetics, and screening disparities in Arab American women.

2:10 – 2:30

Reproductive Autonomy, Family Violence, and Structural Barriers to Health

Angubeen Khan, PhD

2:30 – 2:50

Cancer Genetics in Arab American Populations

Ahmed Elkhanany, MD

2:50 – 3:10

Cancer Prevention and Screening Disparities

Speaker: TBD

3:10 – 3:30

Panel Discussion and Q&A

3:30 – 4:30 Community and Professional Organization Perspectives

Day 3 — Sunday, September 6, 2026

8:00 – 9:00 Breakfast

Concurrent Tracks: Sessions on Sunday run simultaneously across three tracks — the Main Scientific Program, NAAMA NextGen, and the Dental Track. Attendees are welcome to move between tracks throughout the day.

Concurrent Tracks — Morning (9:00 – 12:00)

Investigating physical activity, nutrition, tobacco use, and community-driven approaches to MENA health equity.

9:00 – 9:20

Moving Matters: Physical Activity and Health in Arab Communities

Speaker: TBD

9:20 – 9:40

Food, Culture, and Health: Rethinking Nutrition in Arab Communities

Speaker: TBD

9:40 – 10:00

Tobacco, Waterpipe Use, and Emerging Risks in Arab Immigrant Communities

Fatin Atrooz, PhD

10:00 – 10:20

Community-Driven Epidemiology & Engagement to Advance MENA Health Equity

Nadia Abuelezam, ScD

10:20 – 10:35

Panel Discussion and Q&A

A collaborative dialogue on research priorities, data infrastructure, policy translation, and community trust for Arab American health equity.

10:35 – 12:00

Lessons Learned from Ethnic-Based Research

Panelists: TBD

Priority research gaps
Data infrastructure
Policy translation
Community trust and engagement

8:00 – 8:45 Networking Breakfast

Pre-Med, Medical Students, Nursing, Pharmacy, IMGs — panel discussion on pathways into medicine and residency. 8:45 – 10:15 AM

Chair

Yacoub Khatab, MD

Panelists

Suzan Skef, MD, MS

Reem Al-Dallal, MD

Abdalla Sherif Radwan, PhD

Marwan Yared, MD

Zaid Almubaid, MS4

What makes a competitive residency applicant
Leadership opportunities during medical school
Sub-Internship (Sub-I) rotations: timing and selection
Pre-Med pathways overview
Mentorship during medical school
Research opportunities for medical students
Is a gap year necessary? Pros and cons
International medical graduates (IMG): pathways to training in the U.S.

Residents, Fellows & Early-Career Professionals — panel discussion on career navigation and growth. 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Intro

Ahmed Thabet, MD

Moderator

Shaimaa El-Zamly, MD

Panelists

Sadeer Al-Kindi, MD

Mahmood Dweik, MD

Khaled Al Sayes, MD

Omid Jalali, MD

Jean Michel Saad, MD

Fellowship choices and application strategies
The role of mentorship during residency and fellowship
Pathways into academic medicine and research
Building a research niche and mentorship networks
Funding strategies for early-career investigators
Career pathways and long-term growth

Program details to be announced. The Dental Track brings oral health into the Arab American health conversation, organized by Dr. Bader Abdeen, DDS.

12:00 – 1:30 Lunch & Poster Awards

Concurrent Tracks — Afternoon (1:30 – 3:05)

Examining equity and access in transplantation, surgical care, and global surgery for Arab and MENA communities.

1:30 – 1:50

Transplantation, Equity, and Access in Arab and MENA Populations

Solaf Alawadhi, MD, MPH

1:50 – 2:10

Beyond the Numbers: Advancing Equity in Surgical Care of MENA Communities

Rana Afifi, MD

2:10 – 2:30

Global Surgery in 2026: Challenges and Opportunities

Mohanned “Mike” M. Mallah, MD

2:30 – 2:50

Uniting for Surgical Equity: NAAS and NAAMA as Collaborative Partners

Speaker: TBD

2:50 – 3:05

Panel Discussion and Q&A

Program details to be announced.

3:05 – 3:15 Closing Remarks and Conference Wrap-Up

3:15 – 4:15 PM · By invitation only

3:15 – 4:15 PM

NAAMA Delegate Meeting

By invitation only — Official NAAMA delegate business session.

6:00 – 9:00 PM · Details to follow

6:00 – 9:00 PM

Tarab Night

An evening of Arabic music and celebration. Full details to be announced — check back soon.