Ashraf discovered that the trails teach what conference rooms can’t. After twenty years as a creative director, he found his most profound lessons came with a pack on his back and the wifi turned off. The mountains became his second classroom—a place where being present isn’t just a skill but a practice, where every summit and every mile reinforces why we’re here: to serve, to grow, to connect with something larger than ourselves.

As Youth Coordinator for the Muslim Community of Knoxville and a graduate of Tayseer Seminary, Ashraf brings young people into the wilderness to discover their own strength and to understand that caring for creation is caring for ourselves. He’s found that the best community building happens around a campfire after a long day on the trail, where shared challenges forge lasting bonds. The backpacking trails around East Tennessee have become spaces where he combines his passion for mentorship with his love of the outdoors, leading groups to experience both the physical challenge and spiritual renewal that wilderness offers.