Our Staff

Ustdha Rabab grew up in Cairo, Egypt, and now resides in Mukattam, Cairo. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Arabic Studies and Islamic Science from Dar Al-Ulum, Cairo University, and has completed a Pre-Master’s in Islamic History. Rabab has studied Islamic sciences (mutoon) in Fiqh Shafi’i, Usool al-Fiqh, and Aqidah from Dar El Emad at Al-Azhar Al-Shareef. She also holds multiple Ijazah in Arabic (Nahw and Sarf) and numerous Ijazah in the Quran in different Riwayah from Azhar organizations with a direct chain (sanad) to the Prophet ﷺ. As the Arabic Department Lead at Bayaan Academy, Rabab brings over a decade of experience to her role, guiding students in mastering the Arabic language and Islamic sciences.

Outside of teaching, Rabab enjoys photography, calligraphy, and reading. A fun fact about her is that she secured second place in a Seerah Nabawiyyah competition in her city. She describes herself as an aesthete and a logophile, with a deep love for language and beauty.

Ustadha Mansurah Jilani grew up in England and now resides in Pakistan. She holds a GCSE qualification and has completed a six-year Aalimiyyah Degree from Zaynab Institute. She also completed a one-year specialization course in Takhassus fil Ifta’a at Saalihaat Academy. As the Islamic Studies Lead and Teacher for Elementary and High School at Bayaan Academy, Mansurah brings three years of experience to her role, guiding students in their Islamic education with depth and care.

Outside of teaching, Mansurah enjoys caring for plants, traveling, and learning new languages. A fun fact about her is that she played hockey and netball for her school, learned Wado Ryu Karate, and has kept a variety of pets, including chickens, rabbits, turtles, peacocks, and geese—but she’s severely allergic to cats!

Ustadha Ayah Nageh grew up in Ismailia, Egypt, and now resides in Çorlu, Tekirdağ, Türkiye. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Arabic Language, Arabic Literature, and Islamic Studies from the Faculty of Dar Al Ulum at Cairo University, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching Arabic to Non-Native Speakers from the Faculty of Graduate Studies of Education at Cairo University. She also completed Islamic studies from Dar Al Ulum Cairo University. As an Arabic Teacher at Bayaan Academy, Ayah brings nearly a decade of experience to her role, helping students deepen their understanding of the Arabic language and culture.

Outside of teaching, Ayah enjoys voice-over work, proofreading, cooking, photography, calligraphy, traveling, research, technology, and art. A fun fact about her is that she’s both a tech geek and an art geek!

Ustadha Aalaa Ghonaim grew up in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and now resides in Cairo, Egypt. She holds a Pre-Master’s degree in Arabic and Islamic Studies. Aalaa has been immersed in Islamic studies throughout her life, deepening her understanding and connection to the Arabic language. As an Arabic Teacher at Bayaan Academy, Aalaa brings over a decade of experience to her role, helping students develop confidence and mastery in Arabic.

Outside of teaching, Aalaa enjoys cooking, blogging, and writing. A fun fact about her is that she was the top-ranked student in a short story competition at her university. 😃

Baiyina Jones grew up and currently resides in Maryland, USA. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English. As the Head of the ELA Department at Bayaan Academy, Baiyina brings over a decade of experience to her role, guiding students and teachers in building strong language and communication skills.

Outside of teaching, Baiyina enjoys gardening and sewing. A fun fact about her is that she’s a proud grandma!

Bachaair Basidi grew up in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and now resides in Agadir, Morocco. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature. Bachaair is a Hafiza, having completed most of her hifz at home with her mother and the rest at Al-Shaafi Mosque in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. She serves in multiple roles at Bayaan Academy, including English Teacher, ELA Grade 7 Lead, Assistant Head of ELA, Clubs Coordinator, Quarterly Incentives Organizer, and Bayaan Blog Manager. With over five years of experience, Bachaair plays a key role in enhancing student engagement and academic excellence.

Outside of teaching, Bachaair enjoys swimming, working out, and organizing. A fun fact about her is that she loves traveling—not for sightseeing, but to spend time indoors appreciating different interior designs.

Mensure Okutmustur grew up in Amsterdam and now resides in Ankara. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Culture and a Bachelor’s degree in Cultural Studies. As an English Teacher at Bayaan Academy, Mensure brings over five years of experience to her role, helping students develop strong language skills and cultural understanding.

Outside of teaching, Mensure enjoys cooking, reading, listening to music and nasheeds, and graphic design.

Zehra Haliloglu grew up in Türkiye and now resides in Berlin. She holds a Master’s degree in Civilization Studies and a second Master’s degree in Intercultural Communication. She is currently pursuing a PhD at Humboldt University of Berlin. As the Head of the Social Studies Department and a Social Studies Teacher at Bayaan Academy, Zehra brings over five years of experience to her role, guiding students in understanding global cultures and historical perspectives.

Outside of teaching, Zehra enjoys traveling and learning new languages. A fun fact about her is that she can drink more than 10 cups of tea in a single day!

Ayshia Ali was born and raised in Ozone Park, New York, where she currently resides. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Sociology and plans to complete a Master’s in Education in the future. As a Social Studies Teacher at Bayaan Academy, Ayshia brings three years of experience to her role, guiding students through an engaging exploration of history and society.

Outside of teaching, Ayshia enjoys baking, journaling, learning Arabic, writing poetry, and hiking. A fun fact about her is that she was a National Honor student in high school, speaks multiple languages, has three cats, and is a self-published author. She also loves the outdoors and connecting with nature.

Lorraine Klein grew up in Paris, France, and now resides in Istanbul, Türkiye. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications, a Master’s degree in Journalism, and a PhD in Civilisation Studies. As a Part-Time Cultural Geography and US History Teacher at Bayaan Academy, Lorraine brings five years of experience to her role, helping students understand the complexities of global cultures and historical narratives.

Outside of teaching, Lorraine enjoys photography, painting, traveling, and reading. A fun fact about her is that she has three cats and speaks three languages fluently.

Nazveen Arif grew up in Long Island, New York, and now resides in Farmingdale, New York. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in History from SUNY Stony Brook University. As the Grade 5 Math and Science Teacher at Bayaan Academy, Nazveen brings over a decade of experience to her role, fostering curiosity and critical thinking among her students.

Outside of teaching, Nazveen enjoys reading, gardening, cooking, and learning new things. She is an avid crafter and enjoys artistic pursuits in various mediums, including cardmaking, calligraphy, and painting. A fun fact about her is that she loves pets and has a blue-fronted Amazon parrot named Rosie, whom she and her family adopted after finding her in their backyard. Rosie has now been part of their family for seven years.

Mahnoor grew up and currently resides in Karachi, Pakistan. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering and has experience working with Pakistan Oil and Gas Refinery Limited. She also holds a Teaching Certificate in Developing Reflective Practitioners (DRP) and Mentoring in Action (MIA). As the Head of the Math Department at Bayaan Academy, Mahnoor brings nearly a decade of experience to her role, helping students understand and apply mathematical concepts with confidence.

Outside of teaching, Mahnoor enjoys cooking, reading, and nursing. A fun fact about her is that she has produced engaging educational content on YouTube, exploring complex scientific concepts such as viscosity and phase transitions to promote STEM education and awareness.

Fatima Desai grew up and currently resides in Karachi, Pakistan. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and a Bachelor’s degree in Education. As a Mathematics Teacher at Bayaan Academy, Fatima brings over a decade of experience to her role, helping students build confidence and mastery in math.

Outside of teaching, Fatima enjoys cooking.