MISSION-DRIVEN WORK
USAHello (formerly The Refugee Center)
From 2015 - 2018, I produced several multilingual educational video campaigns for USAHello, a Portland-based nonprofit that provides free online resources for immigrants and refugees. The videos covered practical topics such as finding employment, navigating the U.S. healthcare system, and understanding education opportunities — along with student highlight stories and welcome content for new arrivals. The project supported USAHello’s mission to make essential civic information accessible and empathetic, helping newcomers build confidence and connection as they start their lives in the United States.
UNSTATED
Directed and produced a 25-minute documentary following an Iraqi single mother through her first year of resettlement in the United States. Created in collaboration with psychiatrist Dr. Butti, the film examines identity, displacement, and recovery—revealing the psychological dimensions of the refugee experience. Recipient of the Andries Deinum Award for Visionaries, UNSTATED uses intimate, human-centered storytelling to explore how trauma and adaptation coexist, offering a compassionate look at resilience and belonging in the aftermath of conflict.
AFTER THE SILENCE
After the Silence a short documentary profiling Deaf Dogs of Oregon, a nonprofit rescue and adoption organization serving hearing-impaired dogs and their families. The film explores communication, patience, and connection between humans and deaf animals, illustrating compassion in a unique form of advocacy.
After the Silence screened in more than 52 theaters nationwide as part of the Bow Wow Film Festival, expanding awareness of inclusivity and care in animal welfare.
HIGHER EDUCATION
I collaborate with universities and education-access organizations to communicate research, equity, and learning through storytelling. My work in higher education focuses on making complex ideas accessible and relevant, combining academic rigor with visual narrative
PROYECTO HABESHA
From 2016 to 2017, I worked with Proyecto Habesha to document how displaced Syrian students rebuilt their academic futures in Mexico - showing how education can bridge cultures and foster connection.
The initiative is now part of the United Nations framework, extending its mission to help displaced students worldwide pursue higher education and rebuild their lives.
PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY
In 2016, I produced the media for 12 graduate-level courses containing more than 60 videos for the School of Business, crafting modular, story-driven content for hybrid learning.
In 2019, after a successful bid via a competitive RFP process, I produced the donor campaign media that helped secure $84 million in combined state and philanthropic support for STEM facilities—culminating in the opening of the Vernier Science Center, a space that reimagines how design, equity, and Indigenous values intersect in education. That project marked a turning point in my career, shifting my focus from producing content to shaping narrative strategy—aligning stakeholders around stories that expand access, advance inclusion, and hold institutions accountable to the communities they serve.
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
In 2024, during a six-month fixed-duration position with Cornell University, I led and produced digital storytelling and engagement campaigns across a range of university initiatives.
Highlights include:
A viral Bill Nye + frisbee golf alumni profile that was instantly a top 10 most viewed Cornell video with more thank 150k views in 3 days.
The Julian Castro and Tom Davis feature for the Nixon Fellows program, which elevated student engagement in public policy.
The 2024 Giving Day campaign for Student & Campus Life, which achieved the highest number of gifts ever received at Cornell.
I also collaborated with the Cornell Nanoscale Science and Technology Facility (CNF) on research storytelling and coordinated media services for major live events, including the Einhorn Awards and Commencement, and more.
