As Project Manager for Island Innovation I help bring clients’ vision to life by cultivating sustainable practices and fostering innovation in order to strengthen communities worldwide. My approach to project management is characterised by a holistic view of sustainability, taking into account environmental, economic and social considerations. I believe true sustainability is achieved when all aspects of a project align with the goal of leaving a positive legacy for future generations.

Having cultural exposure to a global network of passionate like-minded people grants incredible opportunities to engage with a diverse range of languages, customs and diversity of thought. As a curious peoples-person, the ability to form these cross-border relationships is an invaluable part of my job. The culture of flexibility at Island Innovation, where you are encouraged to work from anywhere in the world, has granted me the opportunity to travel and experience first-hand how different communities are affected by changes to our climate. My world has gotten so much bigger through traveling, and my creativity has flourished as a result. I believe that this has, in turn, made me a more successful project manager, as I am able to support clients by producing innovative solutions to the problems facing our global community.

After receiving my International Relations MSc degree from Norway and France, I was very keen to apply the theoretical skills I had accumulated in relation to humanitarian research and meaningful social impact to the real world. In my role as Co-head UK Youth Delegate to COP28 with the Future Leaders Network, I have since been able to translate these skills into meaningful action through direct policy development with both the UK government, and other governments around the world.

My work heavily centers around the power of young people in advancing issues facing our 21st century global context, fostering partnerships and filling in lacunas and stalemates in international climate dialogue that are hindering our progress. This includes being selected by the British Council to deliver the keynote speech at the 2023 International Youth Climate Change Conference in Sri Lanka, as well as receiving a full Peace Boat US scholarship alongside 12 other young people from across the world. During this scholarship, I was fortunate enough to conduct research around Latin America, witnessing first-hand the effect of climate change induced livelihood challenges of vulnerable communities in Panama, Guatemala and Mexico. I translated the findings of the problems, as well as solutions, that were informed by academics, sustainability partners and citizens of the local communities that we visited, into reports which I developed for the United Nations to better inform and frame how to foster sustainable ecosystems and resilient communities worldwide.

As an Iraqi-Welsh woman born in London, who has been very fortunate to study and travel in many corners of the world, I am greatly influenced by a colorful array of cultures, people and places. Being a citizen of the world, I feel as though it is my responsibility to bridge the disconnect between our understanding of international crises and actionable, durable steps to solve them. In the same way that ‘no man is an island’, I strongly believe that the connectedness of people is an essential component to this success, both in the climate and any other sphere. We have a lot to learn from each other and the ultimate goal is to help people on both sides learn a new language to fill in gaps in our understanding. While I have a deep-rooted belief in the power of sustainable practices to transform our planet, I also dedicate a lot of my time to other types of humanitarian projects. This includes teaching English to refugees in a camp in Azraq, Jordan and working with organisations such as UN Women to pioneer gender equality. My spare time is invested in an array of sport, art, music and travel, as well as in trying to pick up new skills (albeit often unsuccessfully) in all of the above. I get lots of my energy and happiness from friends and family who I treasure highly, and who I am keen to make the world a better place for.