Meet the professionals here to help students!
Dr. Joshua Salaam
Joshua Salaam has strong roots in the American Muslim community. He started attending national Muslim youth camps at the age of 12 and continued as a participant, counselor and speaker for over 30 years. Joshua entered the U.S. Air Force in 1995 and served as a Police officer for four years. He was a key contributor in establishing Friday prayer services on base for Muslim military members and went on to serve as an Imam in Goldsboro, NC for several years. After the military, Joshua immersed himself in community activism. He managed the Civil Rights department for the Council on American-Islamic Relations from 2000-2004 and helped oversee a Baltimore Muslim community and neighborhood development project from 2004-2007. Before starting at Duke in July 2018, Joshua worked with youth and families for 11 years at one of the largest Muslim communities in America. His diverse background gives him a unique perspective on many issues and helps him connect with students. He holds a Master’s Degree in Religious Studies and a Doctorate of Ministry from Hartford Seminary.
Imam Abdul Hafeez Waheed
For the last 44 years, Imam Abdul Hafeez Waheed has been an active member of the Muslim American Community in Association with the renowned leader and thinker Imam W. Deen Mohammed. Imam Waheed developed an Office for College and University Engagements in Durham and organized visits to colleges and universities locally and throughout the United States for Imam W. Deen Mohammed. In 1987, Imam Waheed performed the Hajj (pilgrimage to the Sacred House in Mecca). In 1998, Imam Waheed became the first Muslim Chaplain at Duke University and has been serving on the Religious Life staff for over 20 years. In addition, he serves as the Religious Life Staff Member for the Muslim Student Association at UNC Chapel Hill. In 2008, Imam Waheed was among several religious life staff chaplains at Duke University that lead an Interfaith trip to Jerusalem for students of the Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and Hindu faiths. Imam Waheed has been a respected leader in the Durham area for the last 31 years. His greatest asset is building relationships with all the major arteries in the community. He has been an active member of many organizations and held various leadership positions on several committees to include Durham Congregations in Action, Urban Ministries, Triangle Interfaith Alliance, Durham Human Relations Commission, as well as Chief of Police Advisory Committee. In recognition of his commitment to the community, Imam Waheed was the recipient of the 1996 MLK, Jr. Keeper of the Dream Award. On January 6, 2017. Imam Waheed participated in the Inaugural Prayer Service for newly elected Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina.
Office Phone: 919-660-1745
Email: awaheed@duke.edu
Hadeel Hamoud
Hadeel Hamoud is a Duke alumna and graduated from the Trinity School for Arts and Sciences in spring 2022 with a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science and International Comparative Studies with a concentration on the Middle East. At Duke, she served as Vice Chair of Policy and Outreach for the Student Organization Finance Committee where she worked with over 200 student leaders and managed a team responsible for developing policies to distribute Duke’s $1 million student fund. served as co-founder and President of the Duke Arab Student Organization and President of Jasur Magazine, an undergraduate publication on the Middle East and North Africa. In 2021, she served as a Programming and Communications intern at the Duke Center for Muslim Life. Hadeel is committed to creating inclusive spaces for students of all identities and addressing the needs of marginalized communities. Her background in programming and familiarity with the Duke and Durham community gives her a unique perspective on student issues.
