SR

My professional journey started when I was 13. I designed and monetized a Harry Potter website to pay for my SATs and college applications. My love for a liberal arts education and the land that created the Simpsons led me to moving from Lahore, Pakistan to Northfield, Minnesota. Thanks to my training as a debater, it wasn’t too hard of a sell to my mom (the full scholarship helped; the movie "Fargo" didn't).

Like a phoenix, from the ashes of my Harry Potter website grew my passion for economics and human behavior. I observed "irrational" behaviors, including mine—spending hours to find the best Marriott points redemption (hint: Marrakesh). I wanted to understand what motivated individuals and organizational behavior and how to influence and optimize those choices.

This led me to joining the World Bank to work on the World Development Report (2015) which applied behavioral insights to economic development challenges. Fast forward three years, I had gotten my “economics fix” by working at the IMF and Analysis Group and was embarking on an academic journey at Harvard to dig deeper. I worked with Max Bazerman to promote consumer welfare, learned from Cass Sunstein that framing of issues matters a lot and from Larry Summers on how to lead a negotiation when buying a house (of course, in addition to all the wisdom on secular stagnation). I also found my passion for teaching and coaching—I taught behavioral economics and microeconomics to Harvard undergraduates, and did independent consulting and coaching on the side.

Due to a series of unexpected events (Trump's travel ban and free pizza at a recruiting event) I landed at Boston Consulting Group. At BCG, I refined some existing skills (solving tough organizational problems) and learned many new ones (building strategies, understanding health systems, building dashboards). I’d come to learn new skills, but I stayed because of the mentors I found.

While my professional endeavors consume most of my time, my personal life isn’t too drab. Cursed with being unable to relax, I take on “projects” to the chagrin of those living with me. I am a big DIYer (caning chairs, anyone?), an avid watercolorist, a novice birder and sewer (yes, the yellow dress in these pictures was made by yours truly). I also volunteer to teach debate, and provide college and career counseling.

I live in the DC area with my husband Mark and my mom Homa.