Born in England to Egyptian immigrants and raised in rural North Carolina, I grew up in a tiny town with a huge curiosity about the different cultures that make up my identity. Wanting to better understand the world and my place in it led me to earn a B.A. from the American University in Cairo and an M.B.A. from I.E. Business School in Madrid.  From there, I chose work that allowed me to live in Mexico, Angola, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. In these places— where wealth and want coexisted starkly side by side and communities faced unimaginable challenges— I was profoundly struck by two things: the resilience of people in even the most dire of circumstances and the incredible capacity of the arts to heal, foster understanding, and spark empathy.

Responsible for driving strategy and raising millions at organizations as different as the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Save the Children, Southern California Public Radio, and Marlborough School, I’m uniquely positioned to unite the strengths of nonprofits and donors to create impactful and fulfilling partnerships.

I especially love helping donors connect deeply with their giving, creating opportunities to see the needs and results of their support firsthand. Having curating donor visits to the UK, the US, El Salvador, Morocco, and South Africa, I know how to provide the context that enables donors to engage personally with issues and participate in crafting informed, grounded solutions.

Writing a check is easy; feeling good about wealth, the responsibilities that come with it, and the choices you make in your giving can be complex. I have advised families and individuals on how to use their wealth as a tool for good while guiding them through a tailored process that aligns with their values, comfort levels, and evolving interests.

A builder of relationships, a trusted advisor, and a thoughtful strategist, my career as a fundraiser and philanthropy advisor for more than 20 years has shown me that the best results are born from a spirit of inquiry, a relentless search for alignment and understanding, and a deeply personal approach.

I came to Los Angeles in 2015, drawn by the city’s rich diversity, nature, and culture; a city vast in size, in opportunity, and in need.  The people and promise of L.A. drive my desire to broker collaborative relationships that both change the world and the way we see and engage with it. And though I often feel I’m on holiday just by driving to nearby beaches or the mountains, traveling abroad continues to recharge my curiosity, offering new perspectives and keeping me humble with the understanding that there is always so much more to discover.