Honoree
Imam Dr. Quaiser D. Abdullah

Imam Dr. Quaiser D. Abdullah, P.h.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication and Social Influence in Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University, and Director of Muslim Engagement for the city of Philadelphia. He also serves as the Program Director for the Master of Science in Communication Management at Klein. His teaching portfolio covers undergraduate and graduate courses in conflict resolution, mediation, conflict within educational systems, interpersonal communication, leadership, and organizational development.

Quaiser earned his undergraduate degree in Political Science and Religion, with a minor in Asian Studies. He then went on to earn a graduate degree in Adult Learning and Organizational Development and a doctorate in Educational Psychology. Quaiser currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for Interfaith Philadelphia (2021-2024), co-president for the Association for Conflict Resolution (2023-2024), Co-Chair for the Mayor’s Commission on Faith-Based and Interfaith Affairs (2022-2024) and Faculty/Staff Advisor for the MSA at Temple University. In 2013, SAGE published his chapter entitled “Muslim Leader Formation and Education” under the Religious Leadership project in The SAGE Reference Series on Leadership. His chapter, “Daanaa Abdullah: Exemplar of Community Leadership” was published in Democratic Ethical Educational Leadership: Reclaiming School Reform, in 2015 by Routledge.

As Chair of Interfaith Philadelphia’s Board of Directors, Quaiser oversaw the organization’s response to George Floyd’s murder and the current Middle East crisis, rising to lead through unprecedented challenges. Quaiser is frequently called upon to mediate and provide perspective on interfaith issues across the region.

Quaiser is one of the Imams at Masjid Quba. He has also served as Chairman and COO of Quba Institute, which is a 60-year-old organization that has established social institutions that support the Muslim community in the Philadelphia area. He also served as the Conference Chair for the Muslim Alliance of North America’s (MANA’s) annual conference in Philadelphia in 2007 and 2008. He also served as a Chaplain with the 18th District in Philadelphia’s Police Department.

Quaiser is the President of Statera Coaching and Leadership Consulting, LLC. Statera Coaching is a private company that focuses on conflict resolution, leadership development, workforce training and development, professional & conflict coaching and organizational development. He is a certified Conflict Resolution in Education trainer, certified coach, Positive Discipline Educator and a trained mediator in the area of Transformative Mediation, with a focus on family, divorce and custody mediation.

About the Dare to Understand Award

Interfaith Philadelphia’s Dare to Understand® Award honors individuals, communities, and businesses of distinction, that have championed the work of interfaith engagement and understanding across lines of difference. Awardees lead their communities by example, demonstrating humility, curiosity, and respect, qualities imperative in interfaith work.

View full list of previous honorees