I was born in Ethiopia and raised in a large family, as a child I was surrounded by examples of living a life full of compassion, love and hard work. From the sacrifices my parents made to my grandmother never turning a blind eye to those in need, the lessons were abundant and they stuck with me. In 1995 I came to the states with my parents and siblings in search of better opportunity, although faced with the challenges of navigating an unfamiliar environment those same lessons never seemed to dissipate. It is these moral pillars of living life with unyielding compassion and hard work that continue to serve as my cornerstone and helped me navigate through achieving my B.S. in Biological Science.

I’ve spent a considerable amount of time in my post baccalaureate years discovering myself through spiritual maturity. What I’ve found and continue to discover is how deeply rooted my passion is for helping people live their lives as the best expression of themselves, in every avenue. The PEG Effect represents everything purposeful I believe and moreover it inspires me to continue sharing love and compassion wherever I can. If you can’t find me hard at work on the PEG Effect, I’m likely at the nearby studio practicing Yoga.

If there was one word to define me, it would be curious. I’ve always thrived in environments where I can learn and understand people, cultures and the challenges they face. I was raised in a space where creativity and curiosity were encouraged and honored. Both of my parents carried unique and equally challenging stories of migration to the U.S. and used their experiences to encourage my siblings and I – as first generation Americans – to seize every unique opportunity within reach. This has allowed me to approach many of life’s greatest obstacles with an open mind, heart and deep desire to seek the human connection I believe we all innately posses.

Stories have always moved me in a deep way, particularly those that never make the primetime news or front page paper. Those you can almost consider untold, those are the stories I’ve always been drawn to, it’s what inspires me and led me to a career in communications. We all have a narrative, a story to be told and one that is likely still being written. If we look back at the obstacles we’ve faced and think about how we overcame them, there is sure to be one or several people who come to mind that helped us along the way. This is why I’m energized and excited by The PEG Effect. Through small gestures we are helping someone redefine their personal narrative while also empowering others to get involved in an effortless way. I’m a firm believer in what unites us is by far much greater than that which divides us. What we leave behind when we are long gone from this physical world is not our resume but our immeasurable impact on humanity.