I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Global Health at Denison University. I have extensive experience in teaching, research, project management, grant and proposal writing, and project monitoring and evaluation. As a global health scholar, I have authored 23 peer-reviewed publications and received the People's Choice award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for one of my research projects. In 2023, the University of Maryland honored me with a Women of Influence Award. I am also an inductee of the Gamma Zeta chapter of the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health.

I received my PhD in maternal and child health program from the School of Public Health at the University of Maryland (UMD) in College Park, where I also taught global and public health courses. Prior to completing my master's in public health (M.P.H), I worked as a Technical Project Officer at Abt Associates on the Health Financing and Governance (HFG), a 5-year global project awarded by USAID and implemented in 40 countries. I graduated from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, with a BA in economics and fulfillment of pre-med requirements in 2017. Fluent in Farsi/Dari, I am eager to volunteer and provide language support to the Farsi-speaking community.

I value presence and compassion. I have realized that there is an unimaginable love/beauty within each of us and that we can access it if we become self-aware and see ourselves for who we are instead of identifying with social constructs. I also think that we all human beings are one in essence, which is one reason why serving others through our passions and skills makes us feel happy and fulfilled. 

In addition to enjoying my work, I like spending time in nature, hiking, skiing, dancing, writing, and playing pickleball.

Degrees: PhD in Maternal and Child Health from University of Maryland in College Park. Master of Public Health from Adelphi University. Bachelor of Art from Smith College in Northampton, MA.