Meet Rami

Rami and his wife chose to call Bothell their home 16 years ago because of its affordability (not anymore!), its high-quality schools, and so that their children could have access to the resources that both Seattle and the Eastside have to offer. 

Rami, a Muslim, Palestinian refugee, immigrated to the United States at 18 years old to pursue his dream of higher education. His parents sent him halfway across the world because they believed in the power of education and they saw the United States as a beacon of hope. Today, Rami holds both a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and a Bachelors in Electrical Engineering and has had a successful career working in product development and management in the technology sector, managing multiple teams and budgets in the tens of millions. 

Rami entered public service when he was appointed to the Bothell Landmark Preservation Board, where he works to preserve our historic landmarks and commemorate the history and contributions of our Black and Indigenous community members.

A lifelong bridge-builder and advocate for human rights, Rami stepped up in the face of the division he saw following the national tragedy of 9/11 and became a cofounder and the president of the Washington chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-WA). This work opened his eyes to how much more work we have to do to achieve full racial equity in America. 

Rami is the kind of leader who energetically pursues solutions to everyday problems. In May of 2020, for example, a Black Bothellite shared that she was concerned for her Black husband’s safety when he went for early morning runs. So, Rami rallied the Bothell community to organize “March for Black Lives,” covered by King5, in which more than 200 Bothellites, children and adults, marched for racial justice, and to create the Black Lives Matter Bothell Run Club, a running and walking community committed to raising awareness of racial injustice and ensuring Black community members can enjoy Bothell’s public trails without fear.

Rami also helped establish Anti-Racist Communities of Bothell, where he helped successfully lobby the Bothell City Council to establish a Diversity and Equity Program.

Rami is the first immigrant, American Muslim elected to the Bothell City Council and to serve as Deputy Mayor throughout his current term. His lived experiences as an immigrant and proven record for advancing racial equity and inclusivity prepare him to be able to create the inclusive, progressive, and diverse Bothell we strive toward.