Dina Rehab

Founding Director and Trustee

dina@seldoninstitute.org

With twenty-five years of experience in nonprofit organizations serving Muslim, intercultural, and interfaith communities in Chicago, Dina brings a wealth of expertise to her role. She holds three advanced degrees from the University of Chicago, reflecting her deep commitment to education and interdisciplinary scholarship. She currently serves as a member of the Divinity School Advisory Council and an advisor to the Spiritual Life Office at the University of Chicago.

Throughout her career, Dina has focused on institutional development, fostering intra-religious, intercultural, and interfaith dialogue, and facilitating opportunities for interdisciplinary studies and knowledge exchange. Her efforts aim to create meaningful platforms that spark critical thinking, authentic dialogue, and collaboration to enhance the understanding of Islam, the Islamic Arts, and lived experiences. Her work empowers institutions and individuals that support and sustain these efforts, ultimately working towards a more harmonious and inclusive society.

  • Dina served as the Educational and Cultural Outreach Coordinator at the Arts Council | Arab American Action Network, where she collaborated with the Field Museum’s Cultural Connections program. This initiative, in partnership with the Chicago Cultural Alliance—a consortium of over 40 cultural heritage museums, centers, and historical societies—provided her with a unique platform to engage in her work on cultural dialogue, highlighting the nuances between Arab and Islamic culture.

    As Outreach and Development Director at CAIR-Chicago, she gained deep insights into the Muslim and interfaith communities in the Greater Chicagoland area, working closely with local mosques, churches, synagogues, and temples.

    During her time as Development Director at American Islamic College, she played an integral role in the institution’s critical reorganization and renovation phase, ultimately securing its operating authority and successfully relaunching its programs — an experience which further honed her expertise in development strategies.

    She also served as Trustee at the National Museum of American Religion (NMAR).

  • Dina completed three advanced degrees from the University of Chicago. Her interdisciplinary education is critical to her work. Her theses explored the impact of narrative and language on understanding Islam and shaping Muslim identity.

    2019-2021 — Master of Divinity | Divinity School, University of Chicago

    2018-2020 — Master of Arts | Center for Middle Eastern Studies, University of Chicago

    2007-2010 — Master of Arts | School of Social Service Administration (now the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice), University of Chicago

    Additionally, Dina studied the Islamic art of illumination at the Süheyl Ünver Nakışhanesi in Istanbul. She continues her artistic education through the atelier.

  • Seldon Institute, founded by Dina in 2021, stemmed from her realization of the essential need for an innovative, human-centered approach to the study of Islam, aiming to explore the diverse definitions of Islam in various contexts, the underlying reasons, and their implications on understanding and lived experiences. During a two-year incubation period, Dina engaged a broad network of thought leaders—including academic and religious scholars, practitioners, artists, museum curators, and local community members—to ensure the Institute’s work is nuanced and relevant. Reflecting her commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and autonomy, Dina designed the Institute to be independent in its administrative structure and funding. This independence ensures the Institute’s integrity, with critical thinking, authentic dialogue, and collaboration at its core.

    Dina takes immense pride in the organic development of the Institute, which aims to create meaningful platforms that bridge educational, religious, and cultural institutions—traditionally working in silos on Islamic thought and the arts—with each other and the public. Her vision is to create a space that sparks critical thinking to foster a more nuanced and relevant understanding of Islam through innovative designs and collaborative efforts.