I was born in Kashmir, nestled in the Himalayan foothills of northern India. My early education was shaped by many influences—I attended a Christian school, studied under Hindu professors, and lived among Sikh, Buddhist, and Muslims. From childhood, I learned to embrace multiple cultures, respect different traditions, and seek common ground.

When I came to America, I saw a nation where people shared vision of freedom, opportunity, and justice—however imperfectly. For 25 years, I thrived in the corporate world—until 9/11 changed my path. Determined to fight the forces of division, I traded boardrooms for building bridges between fractured communities.

My rebellion took shape in action:

• I turned art into activism, curating stories that made “the other” feel familiar.
• I launched Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow (MLT), a global platform to equip youth as leaders, not just dreamers.
• I founded WISE, the world’s largest network of Muslim women leaders, because faith without female voices is a song half-sung.
• I authored WISE Up, research-backed tools to arm peacemakers with truth in an age of soundbites.