Message about Planned Transition of President Hamada Altalib, DO, MPH, FAES
Dear Members of the Institute for Muslim Mental Health:
Last week, President Hamada Altalib, DO, MPH, FAES announced that he is stepping down as president of the Institute for Muslim Mental Health (IMMH). After serving in this role for eight years, President Altalib has decided to continue with IMMH as part of the advisory board and has generously agreed to serve as interim president until this volunteer leadership position is filled.
On behalf of the board of trustees, I can attest to our admiration of President Altalib’s bold vision for IMMH—from expanding its educational programming and research capacity to spearheading successful fundraising campaigns to supporting the Journal of Muslim Mental Health and Meet the Expert contributors from among our community. Under his leadership, we have navigated through periods of economic uncertainty and, amid rising international geopolitical conflicts, we have championed the importance of educational exchange and organizational collaboration. In the year ahead, we will have the opportunity to celebrate President Altalib’s immense service to IMMH.
Succession planning began in March 2024 with the formation of the presidential search committee and the aim to complete the process by early Q4. I chair the committee with vice chair Ahmad Alrawi, PharmD. The committee includes three additional IMMH board members: Nisa Muhammad, PhD candidate, Hammad Ali, MS, and Eleanor Bautista. We are grateful to former IMMH board member Aminah McCloud Al-Deen, PhD whose expertise and recommendations have guided the search committee’s goals and processes.
We are committed to conducting a national search to find the best candidate to lead IMMH into the future. As President Altalib remains an advisor during this planned transition, his ongoing commitment underscores the continuity and dedication to IMMH’s mission.
We look forward to keeping in touch with you throughout the search process and are excited about the work ahead of us. The IMMH presidential search website will be updated with the latest information regarding the search process. Please continue to share your comments and recommendations through webforms or write to us at admin@muslimmentalhealth.com.
For now, please join me and the board of directors in thanking President Altalib for his leadership and service to the Institute for Muslim Mental Health.
JazaakAllah khair,
Sana F. Ali, MD
Board of Directors
Chair, Presidential Search Committee