Saara Patel is a Community Specialist with The Family and Youth Institute. She holds a Master’s of Social Work from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and a Bachelor’s in Finance from Benedictine University in Lisle, IL. She currently serves as a therapist in the Infant Mental Health program at the Arab American & Caldean Council’s Behavioral Health program. Her prior experience includes serving as an advocate for domestic violence and sexual assault victims at First Step, restorative justice programming in urban schools in, integrated health methods in urban environment, as well research on convert Muslim youth.
Saara has been serving the community for more than 15 years in areas of youth empowerment, interfaith dialogue, and community building. She lives in Michigan with her husband and three children and enjoys traveling and playing floor hockey.