I grew up during war.

I lost my fiancé to chemical attacks.

I began my career as a journalist, reporting under censorship and fear — where I learned how power, silence, and narrative shape human lives.

Around that time, I was cast as the lead actress in a film that later won recognition at the Venice Film Festival and was released theatrically in the U.S. and Europe. Through the screenings and audience conversations, I saw firsthand how sharing personal stories creates connections that facts and data alone rarely achieve.

The following year, I came to the United States as a graduate student and eventually earned my Ph.D.

I became a university professor teaching women’s studies and transnational feminism, believing education alone could create change.

Then one moment shifted everything.

While teaching about the impact of war, I shared my personal story.

That was when I realized: Stories reach where information cannot.

I left academia and founded StoryBolt, building a global storytelling platform with 4,000 filmmakers across 112 countries and partnering with organizations to spark dialogue and cultural change.

Across industries and continents, I saw the same truth:

People don’t resist change.

They resist disconnection.

Today, I help leaders build the courage to stay connected — to themselves, to their people, and to hope — especially when change feels hardest.