New Jersey Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wells announced today that Eman Hamad, MD, has been elected as Vice-Chair of the New Jersey Arab-American Heritage Commission. Established within the Department of State in October 2008 by Governor Jon S. Corzine, the Commission was founded to recognize, promote and disseminate the cultural heritage, history and contributions of Arab-Americans in all areas of American life as citizens of New Jersey and the nation.

"I am delighted to have Dr. Eman Hamad serve as the Commission's first ever Vice-Chair; she brings a professionalism that is unmatched to the job," said Hany Mawla, Chairman of the Commission. "Her selection is a testament to the high regard in which she is held by her fellow Commissioners."

Dr. Hamad holds a B.S. in Biochemistry from Montclair State University, obtained her M.D. from Ross University School of Medicine, and completed her medical residency at the University of Connecticut. She has completed a Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant Fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University and will be starting a Cardiology Fellowship at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center. Dr. Hamad is a member of the American Heart Association, American Medical Association, and the Network of Arabic American Medical Association to name a few.  

"Our Commission has a diverse talent pool encompassing a wide spectrum of fields encompassing education, media, law, arts and the sciences; we have an amazing potential to educate, inform and change any false perception about Arab Americans, thereby promoting understanding and tolerance," noted Dr. Hamad. "I look forward to working hand-in-hand with Secretary Wells, the chair and my fellow commissioners in order to showcase the various aspects of Arab Heritage, culture and history through various events and educational programs."

In addition to her impressive educational and professional credentials, Dr. Hamad has long been recognized a leader within the community, and serves on the Leadership Committee for the Network of Arabic American Professionals (NAAP-NY/NJ). As a member of the latter, she has coordinated multiple events, including NAAP's annual Arab American street festival in Manhattan, the annual picnic, annual banquet and NAAP's Debka (Folklore Dance) Program.

For additional information on the Arab-American Heritage Commission, or to learn more about the diverse array of services and programs offered by the Department of State, visit www.state.nj.us/state.

About The Arab-American Heritage Commission

The New Jersey Arab-American Heritage Commission was created by Governor Jon S. Corzine through Executive Order #123, signed on October 24, 2008. The Commission resides within the Department of State with the purpose of recognizing, promoting and disseminating the cultural heritage, history and contributions of Arab-Americans in all areas of American life. This includes, but is not limited to, the need to: Identify and prevent discrimination and bias against Arab-Americans; emphasize and underscore that the culture, history and heritage of Arab-Americans as a part of New Jersey's civic life and culture is part of the policy of the State of New Jersey; educate the citizens of New Jersey about culture, music, art, language, history and heritage of Arabs at all levels; and design, encourage and promote the implementation of Arab-American cultural and educational programs in the State and to coordinate events that will increase the awareness of and celebrate Arab-American heritage, history and language.