A member of the Texas Medical Board’s past affiliation with an organization, whose Canadian branch has faced accusations of terror financing, is receiving renewed scrutiny, although the board president denies any current connection.
In January 2017, the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) posted on Facebook that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had appointed Dr. Sherif Zaafran, identified in the post as an “ISNA Founders Committee Member,” as president of the Texas Medical Board.
The January 16, 2017, post reads, “Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently appointed Dr. Sherif Zaafran, an ISNA Founders Committee Member, as President of the Texas Medical Board.” The post links to a January 13, 2017, press release from the governor’s office announcing Zaafran’s appointment and naming him president of the board.
Zaafran, an anesthesiologist based in Houston and president of US Anesthesia Partners Southwest Division, was appointed to a term set to expire April 13, 2021, per the press release.
The release details his medical credentials and professional affiliations, but does not mention ISNA.
In an email to The Dallas Express, Zaafran said, “My only involvement with ISNA, an organization promoting interfaith understanding, from 2016 to 2019 around the time period a convention was held in Houston, was in connection with a fundraising committee called the ‘Founders Committee’, not a reference to the creation of ISNA back in 1982 when I was 12 years old.”
The last INSA Facebook post reviewed by The Dallas Express that mentions Zaafran was made in 2019.
Another post from ISNA, dated June 29, 2018, links Zaafran’s wife, Tara, to the organization and protests against the immigration policies of President Donald Trump during his first term in office. “Tara Zaafran visiting the McAllen Detention Center with a group of Interfaith leaders protesting the detention of children,” the post reads, alongside an image of protestors.
ISNA’s Canadian affiliate, ISNA Canada, has faced allegations and regulatory penalties in that country over the past decade related to financial mismanagement and alleged terror financing.
A June 18, 2025, report by the Middle East Forum said Canada’s revenue agency had previously revoked or suspended the charitable status of ISNA-linked entities after audits alleged funds were transferred to organizations tied to Jamaat-e-Islami and its armed wing, Hizbul Mujahideen, which Canada has designated as a terrorist organization.
The report cited findings that ISNA Canada had acted as a “conduit” for funds that “may have, directly or indirectly,” supported political or militant activities. ISNA Canada did not respond to inquiries from that outlet, according to the report.
Canadian authorities have publicly documented enforcement actions against certain ISNA-affiliated charities in past years, though ISNA Canada has continued to operate and receive some government funding, according to the same report.
There is no public evidence that Zaafran has been accused of wrongdoing or that he was involved in the Canadian entity’s activities.
A 2014 announcement noted that INSA and its Canadian affiliate operate separately. “ISNA Canada and Islamic Development Foundation (IDF) in Canada are federally registered charities in Canada. It is important to note that the leadership and management of both of these organizations in Canada are separate from ISNA,” a press release stated.
“My life’s work is to practice medicine at the highest level, and it is an honor to lead the Medical Board in Texas with its mission to protect patients,” Zaafran told The Dallas Express.
Questions about foreign influence and medical board oversight in Texas have surfaced previously. In a March 1, 2026, report, The Dallas Express detailed concerns about another Texas medical regulatory board member’s role with a Pakistani government initiative.
The Texas Medical Board regulates the practice of medicine in the state, including physician licensing and discipline. Board members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Texas Senate.
