Our Admin Team
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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…
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Briana Raissi
Dean of Lower School
Ms. Briana has worked in the education field as a teacher and administrator for over 20 years, teaching at the elementary, middle, high school, and post secondary levels. She holds…
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Basimah Shalash
PreK Director and Dean of Middle School
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…
Our Teachers
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Shahla Alshakarchi
Pre K4
Ms Shahla Alshakarchi has a bachelor degree in science of civil engineering. She has completed two Kentucky CDA child development credentials in early childhood education She has an associate degree…
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Islam Al Burai
Pre K4
Ustatha Islam Al Burai is the homeroom teacher for PreK-4 at Lexington Universal Academy. She has a bachelor’s degree in Education. Previously, she worked as an ESL teacher in Saudi…
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Amani Shalash
Pre K3
Ustatha Amani Shalash has been a teacher at LUA since 2021. She is a proud alumnus of LUA and was a part of the first graduating kindergarten class. She received…
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Valerie Rister
MS-Language Arts
Valerie Rister is a 30 plus veteran teacher of 6th grade through college age students. She has taught such subjects as communications, digital literacy, information communication technology, Reading, Literature, and…
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Mahmoud Shalash
MS – Math
Ustath Mahmoud serves at Lexington Universal Academy as the Middle School Math Teacher, Middle School Quran Resource, and the 7th Grade Islamic Studies Teacher. After having spent his elementary and…
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Shazia Anjum
MS – Science
Ustatha Shazia Anjum is LUA’s new middle school science teacher. She has a Bachelors in Medicine and Surgery from Pakistan, as well as a Masters in Public Health from Washington…
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Athena Baldwin
5th Grade
Athena Baldwin is a seasoned educator with 28 years of experience teaching History and English across the United States, Turkey, and Abu Dhabi. She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in History…
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Cheryl Paul
4th Grade
Mrs. Cheryl Paul is the fourth grade teacher at Lexington Universal Academy. This is her third year at LUA, but her 13th year as a teacher, and her 8th year…
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Saphia Isa
3rd Grade
Ustatha Saphia Isa is the third grade teacher at Lexington Universal Academy. She joined the LUA family in 2012. Ustatha Saphia is a proud mother of four children, two of…