Raised in a nomadic upbringing, Ahmed Ismail Yusuf is the author of three books: Gorgorkii Yimi, a collection of short stories in Somali, The Lion’s Binding Oath, a collection of short stories in English, and Somalis in Minnesota.

His short stories appeared in Bildhaan: An International Journal of Somali studies, Mizna: An Arab-American literary magazine. His play “A Crack in the Sky” was produced at the History Theatre in Saint Paul and others were performed at Pangea as well as Mixed Blood theatre.

His mental health publications appeared in Journal of Muslim Mental Health; Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology; International Society for Traumatic-stress Studies, Psychiatry Times. He has a BS in creative writing and psychology from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut; and an MPA (Master of Public Affairs) from the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs of the University of Minnesota.

Anab A. Gulaid is a Public Health/Community Development Leader and Entrepreneur with over 25 years of professional experience. She is the President & Principal Consultant of AG Consulting & Media, public health communications, media, and research entity. Anab leverages her extensive and diverse background within the public, higher education, and nonprofit sectors to help institutions build culturally responsive systems that support transformational impacts on individuals and communities.

Anab was born and raised in Somalia and is the youngest of 11 children. Currently, she is based in Minnesota, where she and her husband are raising four children who inspire her daily.

Prior to AG Consulting & Media, Anab Founded and performed as the Executive Director of the nonprofit organization, Eftin, worked as a Health Educator at Saint Paul-Ramsey County Public Health, worked as a Researcher, Communications, and Community Engagement Director at the University of Minnesota, and later as an Assistant Commissioner at Minnesota Department of Human Services.

Anab earned a Public Health and Occupational Health degree from Ryerson University in 1998, a Master's degree in Public Affairs from the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs in 2010, received her Certificate of Disability Policy and Services from the University of Minnesota, was awarded a prestigious Bush Leadership Fellowship, and is pursuing her Ph.D. from University of Minnesota. In addition, she serves on the board of the Park-Nicollet Foundation, one of the state's largest health organizations.

Imam Sharif Abdirahman Mohamed, also known as Sheik Abdirahman to many in Minnesota, is the co-founder of the first Mosque to be opened by the Somali community in Minnesota in 1998. A key focus for Sharif's work has been to address culturally specific health disparities common in Minnesota. He has used his faith and civic leadership to bridge mainstream systems in healthcare, government agencies, hospitals, academics, healthcare professionals, and the East African American community.

Partnering with faculty from the University of Minnesota, a model of faith and medicine messaging was tested to determine if this model could increase rates of participation in breast and cervical cancer screening among Somali women. In 2016, Sharif worked with the Minnesota Dept. of Health (MDH) at the outset of the measles outbreak in our state to form a new kind of partnership. Sharif is certified as a trainer in Mental Health First Aid and an experienced nationally certified trainer and faculty with the Center for Mind-Body Medicine. In 2017, he received a 2-year fellowship through the University of Chicago School of Medicine which helped connect Sharif to national leaders in healthcare in the exploration of Muslim life’s relationship to health outcomes in the United States.