Najiba Akbar, Muslim Chaplain

B.A. in Peace and Justice Studies,Wellesley College

M.S.W. in Social Work, Boston College

Najiba is a chaplain and life coach who has been serving the Greater Boston Muslim community in various capacities for the past 20 years. She received her B.A. in Peace and Justice Studies from Wellesley College and her Masters in Social Work from Boston College. She received her coaching certification at the Associate level with Integral Coaching Canada. She has also studied under teachers from Boston Islamic Seminary and Fawakih Arabic Institute. She formerly served as Youth Director at the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center (ISBCC) and as the Muslim Chaplain at Wellesley College. She currently serves as a Spiritual Advisor at Northeastern University's Center for Spirituality, Dialogue and Service.

Najiba co-facilitated the Pathways Interfaith Dialogue program at Tufts from 2007-2009, and has participated and led many congregation-based interfaith dialogues over the years. Her passion is to facilitate pathways for people to discover and develop their whole selves - spiritually, psychologically, emotionally, intuitively and more. She believes that we each have our own unique path to forge when it comes to our journey to know ourselves and ultimately to know God. She also believes that the path was never meant to be walked alone but rather with a strong, vibrant and loving community. Her work with communities has always centered around narrative storytelling and dialogue as powerful ways to create connection and foster a deeper and more nuanced understanding of ourselves and others.

Najiba currently resides in Wayland, MA with her husband Bilal and their children Zahed, Zahra, and Maryam. Since becoming a New Englander she has developed an intense love for apple cider donuts and ice hockey, and also enjoys podcasting as a hobby and way to connect with others. Her current podcast, Muslim Enneagram, explores the connection between Islam and the ancient Enneagram symbol, which is said to be a roadmap for the journey of the soul towards the Divine essence.