While my perspective was forged in the dualities of Washington, D.C. and Baghdad, my professional life has been defined by the pursuit of excellence across borders. My connection to the U.S. capital began while my mother was completing her Master’s degree in Fine Arts at Howard University and my father was working in the city; at only six months old, I was taken back to Iraq by my parents, where I was raised and eventually studied Architectural Engineering at the University of Baghdad (1984–1989). Graduating with top honors and gaining two years of early experience at Al-Bayati Architects, I was prepared for a career in design—but the 1991 Gulf War changed everything on a cellular level, teaching me what it truly means to feel powerless.

Driven by a hope larger than my fear, I left Iraq alone with no financial safety net. I first went to Germany, working at George Kinsky Architect in Frankfurt for $100 a month while painting and selling my artwork to sustain my journey. Upon arriving in the United States during an economic downturn, I faced the dismissal of my initial degree. Determined to move forward, I accepted an unpaid internship, approaching even the simplest tasks with seriousness and gratitude.

This persistence led to a scholarship through the Aga Khan Program at MIT and Harvard. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1992–1994), I completed my Master of Science in Architectural Studies (SMArchS), supporting myself as a teaching and research assistant and working in a café on the department floor. These years extended my focus beyond design into history, theory, and criticism—disciplines that sharpened the strategic approach to architectural leadership I carry today.

In 2004, I became a licensed architect in the State of New York and a LEED Accredited Professional.