Freelance journalist in Cairo, Egypt

May 2023 - Present

• Publications include Condé Nast Traveller, New Lines magazine

​

Correspondent for The National newspaper in Cairo, Egypt

​Jan 2021 - April 2023

• Wrote news stories and features about a variety of topics, including business, politics, start-ups, and arts & culture 

​

Personal finance reporter for The National newspaper in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

​Jan 2019 - July 2020

• Wrote and edited personal finance and business stories

​

Freelance journalist in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

​June 2004 - Dec. 2018

• International publications: The Financial Times, The New York Times, Newsweek

• Regional/local publications: The National, Time Out Dubai, Tatler Asia, Trends, Gulf Marketing Review, Communicate, Outdoor UAE

• Websites: Al Arabiya English, Chasing Zest

• Served as a fixer for: ABC World News, American Public Media’s Marketplace radio

 

Editor-in-chief of theBite magazine in Dubai

​March - Oct. 2004

• Helped start quarterly magazine covering the creative industry (advertising, design, media, marketing, photography etc.) in the Middle East & North Africa

• As part of three-person team (publisher, creative director and myself), I was involved in every aspect of developing the magazine, including hiring freelance writers, assigning content, writing various articles, editing the entire magazine, gathering creative work and directing layout.

• Produced July issue (50-plus pages) and October issue (100-plus pages)

​

​

The Associated Press in Los Angeles

Jan. - Oct. 2003

• Broadcast Editor (3 a.m. to 7 a.m. shift): Wrote and edited broadcast items for morning radio, covered early-morning breaking news

• Reporter (7 a.m. to 11 a.m. shift): Wrote national and California wire stories, wrote in-depth articles on California agriculture and business as the agriculture beat writer, developed enterprise stories, covered breaking news, delivered stories on tight deadlines

​

Newsweek magazine in New York City

June - Oct. 2002

• Wrote articles for Newsweek, Newsweek International & newsweek.com

• Editorial assistant to National Affairs editor (Aug.-Oct.): Sent to cover “Buffalo Six” terror cell story in Buffalo, NY; research & reporting credits

• Intern in Foreign section (June-Aug.): Research, reporting, fact-checking, worked closely with foreign editor Fareed Zakaria, corresponded with overseas reporters

​

Columbia University School of Journalism: "Covering Religion in the Former Soviet Union" program

Jan. - May 2002

• Reported from New York, Moscow and Kiev

• Studied religions of the Former Soviet Union, developed expertise in Progressive Judaism and Islam

​

Daily Trojan USC campus newspaper

Sept. 1997 - May 2001

• Assistant City editor (Sept. 2000 – May 2001)

• Weekly columnist “Like An Egyptian” (Sept. 1999 – May 2000): Reported from Cairo

• Entertainment editor (Sept. – Dec. 1999)

• Staff writer (Sept. 1997 – May 2001)

​

Intern at Associated Press Television News in Cairo

June - Aug. 1998

• Conducted interviews in Arabic and English, wrote scripts