St. Cloud’s Ayan Omar, Serdar Mamedov Named 2026 Bush Fellows

(KNSI) – Two St. Cloud area leaders are receiving Bush Fellowships worth up to $150,000 each to pursue bold ideas aimed at making the region better for everyone.

Ayan Omar and Serdar Mamedov were among 30 people from Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota honored this year. Each Bush Fellow receives a grant to carry out a self-designed leadership plan meant to help them think bigger, strengthen their skills, expand their networks and increase their capacity to create meaningful change.

Omar is the executive director of engagement, equity and strategic communication for St. Cloud Area School District 742. According to the Bush Foundation, she wants to design a new teacher evaluation model that provides personalized feedback, strengthens professional development and helps educators stay engaged and effective in a changing educational landscape. To expand her ability to lead that change, she plans to pursue a doctorate in education policy and leadership and deepen her expertise in systems design.

Omar helped improve family engagement in the district and launched a mentorship initiative that connects students with local business leaders to expand career opportunities. She leads professional development for educators across the district and has built partnerships that align education, business and community resources. Her work has been recognized through multiple ChangeMaker awards and selection as a TEDx speaker.

Mamedov is a University of Minnesota Extension educator with an office in St. Cloud. He identified a gap in access to fresh halal meat in central Minnesota and brought together community members, farmers, policymakers and advocates to address it. He coordinates a regional halal meat task force and has worked directly with state leaders to advocate for farmer training and certification opportunities.

Halal meat comes from animals that are permissible, or lawful, for Muslims to eat under Islamic dietary laws. The animal must be healthy, slaughtered by a swift cut to the throat by a Muslim who invokes God’s name, and have its blood fully drained.

With the fellowship, Mamedov plans to study global halal food systems, gain skills in emerging digital supply chain management technologies, grow his understanding of policy and systems leadership, and build partnerships that will help scale culturally responsive food infrastructure across Minnesota and beyond.

The Bush Foundation selects fellows based on a track record of getting things done and inspiring others.

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