Known for her compassion, dedication to making a difference, and commitment to operational excellence, Lina Hourani-Harajli serves as President & CEO of ACCESS, the nation’s largest and most comprehensive Arab American institution.
Appointed President & CEO effective October 1, 2026, Lina brings more than 25 years of leadership at ACCESS to the role. Since joining ACCESS in 2000, Lina has served the organization in progressively increasing leadership capacities, including more than a decade as Chief Operating Officer. She founded the Business Operations division, led the planning and buildout of numerous ACCESS facilities, and oversaw human resources, IT, marketing & communications, and ACCESS’ program and operational areas.
Lina has also worked with key leaders across ACCESS to implement the organization’s whole-family philosophy, helping families break the cycle of poverty, climb the economic ladder, and thrive through support that spans the entire life journey – from early childhood to adulthood, education to employment, and health to healing.
Her accomplishments with ACCESS include negotiating sizable contracts that resulted in millions of dollars in savings for the organization; leading the migration of the agency to a cloud-based IT infrastructure; spearheading the implementation of an integrated Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA); and leading the purchases and renovations of numerous facilities.
Before joining ACCESS, Lina worked in the private sector for more than 10 years. She received her bachelor’s degree in business administration, with a concentration in accounting, from the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
Lina has been appointed by the Governor of Michigan to multiple terms as treasurer on the Executive Board for the State of Michigan’s Commission on Middle Eastern American Affairs (CMEAA). The Commission, housed within the Office of Global Michigan, operates in an advisory capacity to the Governor on issues of economic development, coordination of state services, public awareness, and combatting discrimination within Michigan’s Middle Eastern communities.
Lina earned her Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management certification from Harvard Business School in 2022. She is a Leadership Detroit XXXV graduate and serves on the Community Catalyst Board and Finance Committee, Wayne State University Advisory Board, GreenLight Fund Detroit Selection Advisory Council, and Comerica Community Development Advisory Council.
She also serves on the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), a regional planning partnership working to enhance the quality of life in Southeast Michigan.
Lina resides in Dearborn, Michigan, with her husband and four children. She is a voracious reader and loves traveling and being a mom.