I'm a journalist, film and radio producer.
Growing up in England as a second-generation Iranian immigrant, I always knew I wanted to tell stories. I started out penning a TV column for a local newspaper and - *hair flip* - even had a short-lived stint writing horoscopes.
Today, living in Canada, I'm a writer, film and radio producer, and a journalist covering social impact and culture. I pen stories for reputable publications like Shondaland and CBC Arts, and write a bi-weekly column for the Ottawa Business Journal.
In film and TV, I'm the Production Executive at Creatorland Inc., a Canadian independent production company advancing the narratives of unheard voices and underserved people. In 2022, I was selected as a fellow of the Netflix-BANFF Diversity of Voices Initiative.
In the radio and podcasting world, I'm a producer at CKCU-FM, Canada’s longest-running campus radio station, committed to preserving diversity, alternative content and independent voices.
But wait, there's more!
I'm also a copywriter, with clients across technology, finance, and philanthropy. Leveraging my journalistic background, I provide writing and editorial services for clients like the Community Foundations of Canada, Impact Hub Ottawa, Godzpeed, and more.
No matter which hat I'm wearing, my mission is always the same: using storytelling excellence for good.
I also do public speaking and community engagement.
This includes things like hosting a media panel at SoGal's 2020 Global Summit in San Francisco, where I interviewed leaders in media, tech and business.
From 2019-2020, I co-led SoGal Ottawa, the largest global platform for diverse entrepreneurs and investors. After hosting monthly community events, we took three diverse Canadian entrepreneurs to Silicon Valley for a global pitch competition, where they could attract investments and mentorship from top-tier venture capitalists (I wrote about the experience here).
From 2018-2020, I sat on the Board of Digi60 Filmmakers' Festival, Ottawa's leading professional development festival for new and emerging filmmakers.
Above photo by Merritt.