My Story
The Road to Islam,
to Newsroom,
to Law School,
to Diplomacy
A Journey of Faith, World Views and Global Dialogue
I was born in 1974, in the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne. I had what I describe as a ‘normal childhood’ – ballet lessons, racing snails, building forts in the backyard with my brothers, climbing trees, Easter egg hunts and Christmas trees. There was a lot of jazz music and Dad would take us overseas a lot, mainly to Asia and America. I loved everything that was different and my, ‘why?’ was always just a thought away, so it was no surprise I’d end up working in newsrooms, but law, diplomacy and Islam?
At 17 I converted to Catholicism from my inherited Anglican denomination, and at 21 I called the Catholic Archdiocese to see if they may accept me as a nun - I had a few questions for God. The phone rang, I thought, “why am I doing this, what am I seeking? what exactly am I supposed to say, is being a nun even a thing these days?” The nerves were intense. No-one answered. I took that as a sign that God thought I wasn’t cut for the cloth and I became an Ansett international flight attendant instead.
Fast forward to 2002. The much adored Ansett Airlines collapsed two days after 9/11 and after eight years as a hostie, I was out of a job - but, my undergrad in media and communications was close to completion and my wings were far from clipped.
In 2004 I converted to Islam while living in the Kingdom of Bahrain and is where the rest of the story really begins - albeit, ‘in the spiritual closet.’
Chapter Two
Once upon a newsroom (and in the closet), I was a curious broadcast journalist presenting, creating and chasing stories across television and radio studios in the USA, UAE, and Australia. In 2011, having spent six fabulous years broadcasting in radio and TV the UAE, I returned home to Australia with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
While working with ABC, I pursued a Master of Islam in the Modern World, an academic journey that led me to establish my own public diplomacy and communications consultancy working with government and law enforcement, to community and interfaith leaders seeking a deeper understanding in a complex world. This specialised work led to undertaking a Juris Doctor which has been one of my most demanding and rewarding pursuits. You can read more about this at my blog, Reflecting on my Mid-Life Decision to Study Law.
Chapter Three
Twenty one years on, I wear many hats (and hijabs): media communications specialist, Islam–West relations specialist, and emerging legal professional, with additional layer of life as an ambassador’s spouse. You can read more about this in my blog post titled, Reconciliation.
Now, back in the UAE I am living in Abu Dhabi on diplomatic posting with my husband - still curious and still communicating. Only now, I find myself at the crossroads of law, diplomacy, culture, and global conversation — where words shape worlds, and nuance matters more than ever.
As a moderator and emcee, I offer a rich portfolio of experience designed for connection, nuance and meaningful conversation. I love the Arabic principle of adab الأدب - a value shaped by Arab culture and Islamic ethics, which embodies respectful, thoughtful, and dignified conduct in every interaction. I always appreciate observing it, and as such, try to always stay grounded in a state of adab.
