Bilal guides Headwaters Foundation for Justice’s culture and programmatic vision, fostering alignment across operations, fundraising, communications, and community-led grantmaking. He champions collective processes in HFJ’s daily work and centers grantee partners’ wisdom to shape the organization’s culture and approach to donor organizing.

With a background anchored in health equity, Bilal has spent recent years building philanthropic programming, leading strategic planning efforts, and advancing justice-focused grantmaking in Minnesota and across national funder networks. His leadership is rooted in collaboration, equity, and community accountability.

Bilal’s personal journey informs his work. He came to Minnesota as a war asylee with his family in 1990 and carries his Palestinian ancestry with pride. Growing up in a close-knit Muslim family, he learned the values of resilience, community, and collective care — lessons that continue to shape his leadership.

Outside of work, Bilal enjoys biking the trails of South Minneapolis and hiking with his husband in search of wildflowers.