Nahla Kayali
Founder & Executive Director
Nahla Kayali founded Access California Services in 1998 to address the needs and concerns of the underserved Arab-American and Muslim-American communities. She is a prominent and powerful cultural figure that has her finger on the pulse of underserved communities, locally and nationally. Her activities span the breadth of the nation and the world.
Ms. Kayali currently serves on several boards, councils, and committees including:
- Appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to serve on the California Complete Count Committee to ensure a complete and accurate count for the 2010 Census.
- Appointed by the Mayor of the city of Anaheim to sit on the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Orange County Transportation Authority.
- Nahla serves on the Advisory Board for the National Network of Arab-American Communities (NNAAC).
- Board member at Palestine Children Relief Fund
- Member of the Executive Advisory Council at the United States Postal Service.
- Member of the Public Health Advisory Board at the Department of Health Science at California State University, Fullerton.
- Member of California State Coalition for Covering Kids and Families.
- Member of the Community Action Planning Group for UCI Clinical and Translational Science Center (CTSC).
- Member of the Steering Committee for County of Orange Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), where she also serves on the Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) sub-committee.
- Member of Health Consumer Action Center of the Legal Aid Society.
Her past experiences and accomplishments include:
- Co-founder of the Palestinian American Women’s Association (PAWA) www.pawasca.org
- Conducted many fundraising programs to aid Palestinian children for over twenty-five years.
- Board member at Community Action Partnership www.communityactionpartnership.com
- Represented California in the national campaign to build the first Arab American National Museum in Detroit, Michigan.
- She worked closely with the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA).
- Driving force behind the first Arab American and Muslim Summit held in Anaheim in the spring of 2004.
- Member of the United Way Health Council.
Ms. Nahla Kayali has received recognition for her work and dedication to providing quality services to her community from:
- Department of Commerce.
- California State Senate.
- California State Assembly.
- Orange County Board of Supervisors.
- Orange County Human Relations Council.
She has received numerous awards including:
- Women Who Make a Difference in Orange County Award (2004).
- Founder Recipient Award - National Philanthropy Day (2004).
- Community Service Award - Blue Cross of California (2005).
- Community Award - Council on American-Islamic Relations (1999).
- One World Human Creativity Award (2006).
- Community Service Award - Islamic Center of Irvine (2007).
Despite the lack of a college education, Nahla has overcome many obstacles to earn her position in the community.
Because she believes her people deserve nothing less. |
