Rubina Samer Khan was born and raised in Hyderabad, India. Rubina Khan is a professor, mother, and activist. Her passion for teaching started at a young age when she started to tutor underprivileged kids in Hyderabad while she attended school. In 1995, she earned a master’s degree, with English Literature as a major; she went on to become a valedictorian for her class. In 2005, she earned a doctorate degree in Education with English as her minor from the University of New Orleans, Louisiana. After completing her education at the University of New Orleans, she taught Education, English, and Literature courses to graduate and undergraduate students. Her students described her as a caring and inspirational professor, pushing her students to strive for higher education and find meaning in day-to-day life.

In 2005, she moved to Illinois after being displaced by Hurricane Katrina. She has been teaching as an English Instructor at the College of Lake County and McHenry County College covering English Composition and Developmental courses. In 2022, she started teaching at Waubonsee Community College covering English Composition courses. She has also served on the boards of the Islamic Foundation North (IFN), and the Aligarh University Alumni Association.