He has a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering, an MBA, and training in mental health, executive coaching, economics, and finance. He spent a major part of his career as consulting engineer, owner and manager of an environmental consulting firm, employee with municipal and state governments (L.A. County Sanitation District and Metro Vancouver), and a university educator in the U.S. and Canada.

In 2006, he decided to dedicate his life to serving the community and established El-Rayes Foundation as a venue to fill a gap in treatment of mental illness with focus on depression and anxiety, the second cause of disability in the developed countries. In 2011, he published a book titled, Mental Wellness: A Spiritual Journey, which was very well received by patients and mental health professionals. The Foundation also offers financial assistance to Egyptians who need help to feed their children and send them to school.

He has been involved in the political process in North America since 1981. He participated in both provincial and federal politics and ran for the B.C. Green Party in 2005. The Occupy Wall Street movement motivated him to write this book to address inequality, and restore democracy and prosperity.