My path hasn’t been linear—and I’m grateful for that.
I was born and raised in Pakistan. I studied electrical engineering and briefly worked for Ericsson for less than a year right after graduation. I stepped away from industry early on due to cultural expectations within my household—not for lack of support, but because I had not yet seen a clear path to balancing professional work with family life.
I moved to Dubai with my husband and two kids due to my husband’s job. About 12 years ago, my five-year-old son asked me a tough question. I had an epiphany. I forced myself to learn Arabic and understand the Quran. It was a three-year-long commitment involving 100s of written and oral tests. The result was not only a gorgeous-looking certificate and permission to teach the course to others but also the realization that homemaking and work need not be mutually exclusive. I can combine them and still succeed. That shift fundamentally changed how I approach work, learning, and long-term growth now.
I found an opportunity to teach Makerspace to students in grades K-7 at an American school in Dubai, and began a Master’s in Education at the same time. I spent the next six years as an assessment designer for the institute I went to for my Arabic journey.
After moving to America in 2018, I worked with Mason City Schools for two years as a substitute teacher, and I joined and led the PTO board as the secretary and spiritwear head. I planned and successfully ran the first PTO-led t-shirt competition.
Top 3 artworks printed next year as part of the spiritwear inventory
I simultaneously joined and spent five years in a leadership role at a Cincinnati-based nonprofit, PGITI, leading and organizing community engagement programs that supported P&G expat families transitioning to Cincinnati.
The role was very fulfilling. I was the youngest person on the board. And I had loads of ideas and freedom to implement. So I experimented. I was able to create a system for incorporating our members' feedback into the programs through one big survey every four years, and feedback forms after every event, along with refreshing the format for the presentations for the annual general meetings and welcome back coffees (those were required events as the organization needed funds from P&G).
Watching my children grow from half my size to towering over me reminded me how quickly life evolves—and pushed me to evolve with it, redefining purpose and growth at every stage.
2025
2015
Combining my desire to become a professional with all the great feedback that I got while being part of PGITI, I realized that it is time to go after more...
When I first applied to the Master of Design program at the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning, University of Cincinnati, I didn’t get in...
But My heart was set on DAAP...
I did the next best thing and applied for and got into the Industrial Design program.
A3.5-minute blind contour to an 8-hour negative drawing(left to right), the progression mirrored what I discovered about myself on my first day at DAAP: someone with grit, focus, and a work ethic that pushes me to stay with the work until it takes shape.
I built my foundation in industrial design by balancing academic and studio requirements, developing creativity (sketching, drawing), visual communication skills (Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop), hands-on experience with technology(3D modeling, 3D printing, Fusion 360), and tools(Build Lab), and the ability to conduct design research in interdisciplinary collaboration.
Today, I’m in the Master of Design program, practicing research, systems thinking, and human-centered strategy to make sense of complex problems.
I’m driven by meaningful problem-solving and motivated by work that creates real impact.
At the core of my work is a simple intention: to bring honesty, clarity, and purpose to everything I do.
I do Arabic calligraphy for fun. The slow, intentional strokes with my bamboo pen—with their varying intensity of ink—are a form of therapy for me.
I am so grateful for the life and the opportunities that I have. I love the 4 seasons that we get here in Cincinnati. There is no greater blessing than being healthy and free to watch the sun rise and set and everything in between. What follows is a glimpse into some of the many things I enjoy.