Hi everyone! Thanks for visiting my passion project. I’m a 27-year-old Lebanese-American with a love for carbs, musicals, and sappy rom-coms. I’m answering some FAQ’s below to help you get a better sense of me, and why I’m so motivated to help people achieve their dreams and have fun while doing it!
Where are you from originally?
I’m originally from the suburbs of Chicago, and my (now husband) and I relocated to Southern California two years ago for work!
Okay… so what do you do?
I actually work in television! I’m a writer.
Have you always known you wanted to write?
Absolutely not. When I was a kid, my mom used to make me write a bit each day. I journaled during summer breaks or wrote persuasive essays in order to snag a raise in my allowance or a new pet, but I never thought I’d pursue it professionally.
I actually started out as a Musical Theater major at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. My sophomore year, I realized that I wasn’t equipped for a life of auditioning (I honestly commend those who do it), and I made the VERY difficult decision to switch majors and schools. Anyone who’s done this knows it’s not an easy choice.
Where did you go after Cincinnati?
I transferred back home to Chicago and finished up college at Columbia College Chicago. After I transferred, I felt behind in my career – I had spent high school and half of my collegiate career pursuing of which I no longer wanted to be a part, while everyone else my age was two years deep in their study of my new field. So I scrambled and applied to every television internship in Chicago.
Did you land an internship?
I did. With CBS2 Sales. It was not for me, but accepting a tangentially related job afforded me a credit on my resume and knowledge that wound up informing my career down the line. I was then accepted to intern with ABC’s Windy City LIVE in Chicago, and my relationships there landed me an internship at The View. From there, I worked for Harpo Productions and again at Windy City LIVE (as a talent booker) before switching to scripted television.
Do you only write for television?
Actually, no! I also serve as a contributor for Entrepreneur Magazine and The Everygirl.
How can you help me with my career goals?
Ah, you ask the hard questions. This answer is longer, but stick with me.
Before I decided to leave Cincinnati, I auditioned and was called back multiple times for the pre-Broadway production of Aladdin. I was convinced that this was my jam – I’m Lebanese – who better to cast as Jasmine?
Well, apparently someone else because not only was I not cast as the lead, I wasn’t cast at all. This was a huge blow to my self-confidence. For someone who spent most of her life HYPER aware of all of the things that made me foreign, being rejected for a part that would have otherwise embraced my ethnicity seemed to affirm that my heritage was nothing but a liability.
Until I turned it around. I began writing scripts, and in those scripts, I wrote about Middle Eastern characters. I breathed life into characters who reflected my own life experiences – being ethnic, being an only child, being the daughter of an immigrant. As I gave a voice to those characters, I found my own voice along the way.
A year after I moved to Hollywood, I signed with an agent – based off of the script I wrote about my Middle Eastern family. I took control of the narrative. I turned my liability into an asset the moment I realized that I possessed a unique worldview. I learned to harness it and found my way in.
Everyone has a story to tell. No matter how boring you think your life is, everyone has something they can contribute – they just need to learn to create a compelling narrative. I believe that I can help you compose a gripping story that is reflective of your unique worldview and help you optimize it for success.
You’re right, that was long. So more importantly, you’re married?
Yes! I just married my husband Mike this June in Grand Cayman.
The most magical day.
How did you guys meet?
High school, believe it or not. Though, he was way, way cooler than I, so this marriage is definitely score one for the nerds.
Who takes your pictures?
Mike!
What type of camera do you use?
We use the Canon Rebel T3 – it still holds up!
Do you offer private career consulting?
Absolutely. Shoot me a note and we can chat!
