FBI Atlanta Presents Director’s Community Leadership Award

ATLANTA—Today, Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Mark F. Giuliano, FBI Atlanta, presented the Director’s Award for Community Leadership for 2012 to Soumaya Khalifa, founder and executive director of the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta (ISB). In this role, Ms. Khalifa has facilitated numerous interactive presentations and workshops within the community to provide for a better understanding of American Muslims and how they live their lives. On April 5, 2013, FBI Director Robert S. Mueller will host all of the FBI’s 56 selectees from around the country at a national ceremony to be held at FBI Headquarters with Ms. Khalifa present as Atlanta FBI’s honoree.

Ms. Khalifa, born in Alexandria, Egypt, raised in Texas, and earning degrees at the University of Houston and Georgia State University, saw the need to educate and inform others unfamiliar with the Islamic faith based communities. As an extension of her duties at the ISB, Ms. Khalifa is president of her consulting firm, Khalifa Consulting, which specializes in various diversity based training.

Ms. Khalifa is a recent graduate of the FBI’s Citizens Academy and has added valuable insight into various issues surrounding her community and serves as a conduit to other communities within the Atlanta area. Under her leadership, the ISB is committed to upholding the right to freedom of expression and unconditionally condemns any use of violence as a means to protest offensive or hateful speech.

In addition, Ms. Khalifa works with students, business executives, and even military members in providing an informative lunch time program used to address common stereotypes regarding the Muslim community.