School Administration
Kamaal Ahmad, Principal
Ustath Kamaal is a former University of Kentucky football player who has spent the past nine years in the educational field. The past two years have been spent as an assistant principal, with seven years of teaching experience before that. Ustath Kamaal has a M.Ed. from the University of Utah in Educational Leadership in Policy (2021), a B.S. in Special Education from Utah State University (2020), a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Kentucky (2005), and an A.A. in General Studies from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (2002).
Upon graduating from the University of Kentucky in 2005, Ustath Kamaal coached college football at Weber State University, where he was the Director of Football Operations, Recruiting Coordinator, and NFL Liaison. He has also coached football and basketball at the secondary level. He was heavily involved in the community in Salt Lake City - serving on the Executive Committee for the Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake, as well as committees for the mayor of Salt Lake City.
Basimah Shalash, Assistant Principal
Basimah Shalash has been part of the LUA staff since 2010. She began as a long term substitute for middle school math and science. Then joined as a full time teacher in 2011. She taught for 7 years before becoming Academic Director in 2018.
She is a Lexington native but moved to Dayton, OH as a child and graduated from Wright State University in 2007 with and Bachelors of Science in Chemistry. Then she relocated to Lexington in 2010. She received a Master’s of Education in 2015 and a second Master's of Arts in Education with P-12 school administration certification from Georgetown College.
She is a mother of four children, one is an LUA alumni and three who attend LUA. She is looking forward to a exciting school year of allowing students to gain academic and Islamic knowledge to apply in their everyday lives.
Hope Omran, Office Manager
Hope Omran was born in Illinois and moved to Lexington at the young age of three. She graduated from Tates Creek High School and attended the University of Kentucky. She has a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Business Administration. She started working at Lexington Universal Academy (LUA) in November of 2007 as a part time assistant to the treasurer. In June 2008 she became the office manager. She is the wife of Mahmoud Omran and the mother of five children., Sajidah, Jadallah, Dua’a, Nasreen and Jalaal. Jalaal attended LUA from kindergarten to eighth grade. She also has one granddaughter, Kawthar. She is also a current ISCK Board member. She is deeply committed to the vision of LUA.
Lubna Shalash, Secretary
Ustatha Lubna Shalash has been working with LUA since 2021, with Mrs. Hope in the front office. She was born in Jerusalem and came to America when she was two years old. She is married to Abdallah Shalash and has 4 kids, 3 boys and 1 girl. Her daughter Nima attends LUA as a 1st grader. She feels blessed to be working at LUA with an amazing and caring staff. Some of her hobbies include cooking, watching movies and enjoying family time.