I work as a nurse practitioner at Duke as part of a team providing care for children with chronic lung diseases. I also have a public health degree, and an interest in studying how families and communities influence the health and behavior of vulnerable children.

I grew up in Iran, in a Christian family, and acknowledged Jesus as my Lord and Savior as a teenager. I attended a small school, originally a Presbyterian Mission school, and "chapel" was part of my elementary school experience. My faith was both challenged and grew when I was in college, and Blacknall was a part of that. Through my adult life, I've continued — sometimes daily — to learn to trust God for His good gifts, to believe in His abundance, and to see His hand and care both in good times and in hard circumstances.

I joined Blacknall as a college student at Duke and have been involved in local missions, children’s ministry, communion prep, and as an Elder with responsibility for our Mission Outreach. I’m currently on the board of Samaritan Health Center, and am also learning how to stand with, and support, our immigrant neighbors. I love how much Blacknall is a church that cares for its members but also for neighbors. I’m grateful for the ways this community has given me places to use my gifts, and hope that I can be a part of Blacknall’s ongoing deep engagement in worship and mission — as a response to God’s great love for us.