Rabiah Burks

Board Secretary

Rabiah Alicia Burks is the Vice President of Communications and Team Building at the National Legal Aid & Defender Association. She is a strategic communications executive who has dedicated her career to educating the public about criminal justice reform issues through traditional and non-traditional methods. She has led communications at FAMM Foundation, Black Public Defenders Association and the ABA Criminal Justice Section, and is a member of a several organizations including the National Association of Black Journalists, Washington Association of Black Journalist and the National Press Club. Rabiah earned her Bachelor of Arts in History & African American Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Journalism from the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Haydn Griffith

Board Treasurer

Haydn Griffith has served as an EOC Board member since 2016 – first, as an advisory board member, and now, serving as Board Treasurer. He has a professional background in finance, having earned a B.Sc. in Finance & International Business and an M.B.A. in Corporate Finance, both from Penn State University, as well as a professional certification in Financial Planning & Analysis (FPAC). Haydn has worked in corporate finance and accounting roles across a range of industries since 2009 and currently serves as Director of Finance for Mindful Life Project. He previously served as Board Chair and Finance Committee Chair for Brothers On The Rise, overseeing the organization’s successful 501(c)(3) incorporation and building up the organization's internal financial reporting & analysis infrastructure. Haydn is an avid soccer player and coach (at the youth level) and he also currently serves as Board Treasurer for Oakland Soccer Club.

Jabir Faqir

Board Member

Born and raised in Oakland, Jabir serves as CEO of fundraising consulting firm Ansar Partners, and has been a successful fundraising professional for a variety of social justice organizations. Over the past sixteen years, he has helped raise over $33 million for organizations active in social justice, civil rights, higher education and peace activism.

Most recently, he was the Development Manager at the Dream Corps, founded by Van Jones. He was hired by the then-interim CEO John Anner, and later joined John in founding Ansar Partners. 

Just prior to the Dream Corps, Jabir was the Senior Development Officer at Muslim Advocates, the leading civil rights organization for Muslims in America. There he managed the annual fundraising campaigns and led the development team.

Jabir played similar roles at Peace Action, the nation’s largest grassroots peace and justice lobbying organization. He also managed annual fund campaigns at the University of California, Berkeley, raising money to benefit student aid, faculty excellence, and research across the campus for the College of Engineering, School of Law (Boalt Hall), Haas School of Business, Cal Athletics and many other departments.

Jabir is a passionate community activist, dedicating his time to social justice organizing, youth mentoring, and work in Muslim communities. He spends his free time cooking, enjoying music, and at the ballpark watching the Oakland A’s.