06/24/2026
To further highlight our board members, we want to shine a light on Shabnam, our Program Director, who is the true heart and soul of our home. She is often the friendly face greeting guests and making all the arrangements happen behind the scenes so that their stays are comfortable. She makes sure guests are supported without worry during their time of emergency, and we could not be more grateful to her for championing Sister Ruth’s values.
Shabnam Gul is the Program Director of The Family Link. With a background spanning early childhood education, school leadership, and nonprofit program management, her passion has always been community service.
Her career in education began in Northwest Pakistan, where she served as School Principal at the Baacha Khan Trust Education Foundation, a role that reflects her longstanding commitment to underserved communities everywhere. She later served as an Early Childhood Educator, supporting young learners and families, work that deepened her belief in the power of stable and nurturing environments for families in need. Her personal journey as a Family Link guest allows her an intimate understanding of the challenges and needs of families she now serves.
What The Family Link Means to Me: “The Family Link is more than an organization to me. It is home. When my daughter was receiving medical treatment, my family and I found ourselves far from home, navigating an unfamiliar country while facing one of the most frightening chapters. The Family Link and Sister Ruth welcomed us, offering not just a place to stay, but a sense of belonging at a moment when everything felt uncertain.
The Family Link reminds me that our shared humanity runs deeper than borders, language, or culture and that in our most vulnerable moments, strangers can become community. To me, it represents hope. It represents the beauty of transcending boundaries and arriving at something real: our fundamental human connection. Service has always carried a spiritual dimension for me, a sense of duty to something larger than myself. The Family Link embodies that spirit. Showing up for another family in crisis becomes an act of love, and ultimately that is what brings me back, knowing what it means to be held by a community when you need it most.”
Join us in our appreciation of Shabnam!
