Chaplain Patty is the founder of Alanur in addition to serving as Chaplain and Director for Muslim Life at the University of Pennsylvania. She has come into chaplaincy with a background of working with Muslim, interfaith, academic and peace-building institutions, including: the International Interfaith Peace Corps, Islamic Society of North America, Islamic Relief, Pillars of Peace, and American University, among others. Patricia received her BA in International Relations from the Ohio State University, MA in Islamic Studies from the Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences, A Graduate Fellowship in Non-Profit Management and Governance from Indiana University, additional graduate studies at George Mason University’s Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, Hartford Seminary’s Islamic Chaplaincy program and is a certified mediator. She currently serves on the board of the Muslim Endorsement Council.

Umar Abdul Rahman is the Muslim student advisor/chaplain and the co-director (interim) of the Interfaith Center at Swarthmore College. Umar grew up in Philadelphia and the neighboring North Penn Valley. He completed an M.A. in Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations from Hartford Seminary (now Hartford International University for Religion and Peace) and is currently completing the Graduate Certificate in Islamic Chaplaincy (GCIC). Prior to beginning work in religious and spiritual life, Umar practiced immigration law, specifically deportation defense, for a number of years in the Philadelphia area. He received his J.D. from Temple Law School. Umar holds a B.A. in International Relations and Economics from Lehigh University. During his undergraduate study, he spent a semester at the American University in Cairo (AUC) and subsequently spent a year in Sana'a, Yemen under a Fulbright grant researching the impact of Yemen’s history with Marxism on religious thought.

Sevim is a founding board member of Alanur and Executive Director of Green Muslims. Growing up in Alabama surrounded by woods and creeks, Sevim discovered at an early age that her most direct connection with God came through nature. To this day, she still finds peace in natural surroundings and holds a deep concern regarding humankind’s responsibility as vicegerent of the earth. She is involved with multiple local climate action groups and dedicated to helping educate youth about the importance of environmental awareness for spiritual, mental, and physical well-being. She holds a B.S. from Georgetown and a master’s degree from the University of Chicago and has many years of nonprofit experience in Washington, DC, and the San Francisco Bay Area. She is also a naturalist interpreter and a yoga instructor.