What I work on
I work closely with all members of our awesome team to develop our annual Festival and year-round programs. I get to have a hand in a lot of things, from programming to community partnerships to marketing and communications initiatives, which keeps things exciting. With a bird’s eye perspective on our organization’s work, I manage staff and financial resources while doing my part to uphold the excellent work that Texas Book Festival is known for.
Why I work here
Festival Weekend nurtured me as a writer and reader for years before I joined TBF. I met many heroes and learned countless lessons that fed my own creative work. It’s a delight to now be part of planning our annual Festival, and as a member of the team I also get to help implement our other great programs, like Reading Rock Stars, Real Reads, and Library Grants. I’m really proud of all of the ways we bring books alive for readers of all ages.
My education and experience
I earned my bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, where I studied literature and art as part of the Humanities Honors program. Before joining TBF, I held curatorial and project management positions at the Museum of Modern Art and the Blanton Museum of Art, while writing fiction on the side. At the Blanton, I worked on key initiatives that helped raise the museum’s national profile, including the site-specific work of art Austin by Ellsworth Kelly, and the museum’s reimagined grounds, designed by Snohetta. I published my first book, Country of Origin, in 2022, the same year I started at the Texas Book Festival. My writing has also appeared in The New York Times, the Washington Post, Aperture, American Short Fiction, and other places.
More about me
I’m a first-generation Egyptian American. Growing up traveling back and forth to visit family definitely inspired my curiosity and storytelling impulses. I have the privilege of being a mother to two wonderful humans, Maya and Jasper. I live to explore the world with my kids and husband.