The top official at the nation’s largest Arab American nonprofit is retiring after spending more than three and a half decades transforming the organization into a nationally recognized provider of health care, education and workforce services.
Maha Freij, who joined the Dearborn-based Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) in 1991 and took over as president in CEO in 2021, announced Wednesday the organization is beginning a leadership transition as she prepares for retirement.
Lina Hourani-Harajli, who currently serves as ACCESS’ chief operating officer, will succeed Freij as president and CEO, effective Oct. 1.
“I have always believed that our responsibility is not simply to build organizations, but to build institutions that can serve communities for generations,” Freij said in a press release announcing the leadership change. “Together, we have built something larger than ourselves — an institution rooted in community, guided by purpose, and prepared to serve future generations.”
When Freij joined ACCESS more than 35 years ago, it was housed in a small storefront. Today it has 11 locations in Metro Detroit, including the ACCESS Community Health and Research Center, the largest Arab-community-based health center in North America, the group said.
Freij, 63, is recognized as the central figure in the agency’s expansion, helping to raise tens of millions of dollars as her organization grew in step with the Arab American population in Metro Detroit.
“Maha’s contributions to ACCESS and the broader community are immeasurable,” said Hussien Shousher, chair of the ACCESS Board of Directors, in a statement. “For more than three decades, her vision has helped transform ACCESS into a national institution while remaining deeply grounded in the needs of the communities we serve.”
During her tenure, Freij led major capital campaigns, including the launch campaign for the Arab American National Museum, an approximately $20 million project.
She also founded the Center for Arab American Philanthropy and strengthened ACCESS’ long-term sustainability by helping grow its reserves and endowment, the organization said.
As president and CEO, she launched the Center for Arab Narratives — a research center documenting and amplifying Arab American stories and experiences — and led the capital campaign for the ACCESS Recovery Center, a behavioral health facility offering addiction treatment and recovery services. which is set to open this fall.
In April, she was named one of The Detroit News’ Michiganians of the Year for 2026.
“One of her most enduring legacies is the culture of leadership and continuity she helped build throughout the organization,” Shousher said, adding that the board is “deeply grateful for her extraordinary service.”
Freij is a native of the Palestinian community of Umm Al-Fahm in Israel. She is married with two grown sons. She plans to support ACCESS as a strategic adviser during the leadership transition.
Stepping into her position is Hourani-Harajli, who has been with ACCESS since 2000, serving as COO for more than a decade.
According to the organization, she has helped strengthen and modernize ACCESS. She founded its business operations division, led the planning and buildout of numerous facilities and has overseen several departments.
“I am honored by the trust the Board has placed in me and grateful to Maha for her decades of leadership and mentorship,” Hourani-Harajli said in a statement. “ACCESS has always been guided by a strong commitment to organizational and operational excellence, and that legacy of service and innovation will continue as we embark on this next chapter in ACCESS’ 55-year history.”
mreinhart@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Maha Freij retiring, led nonprofit ACCESS for 5 years
Reporting by Max Reinhart, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Max Reinhart, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
