I am a historian of Egyptian migration to North America, an educator with over a decade of experience in secondary and post-secondary institutions, and a community-engaged cultural leader. Drawing from my own immigrant experience, I am committed to cultivating critical thinking to empower learners and communities to become more informed, empathetic, and civically engaged.

I earned my Ph.D. in History from York University and am currently Assistant Professor of History at Mount Allison University. I have formerly held appointments at the University of Toronto, York University, Sheridan College, and Philopateer Christian College. My pedagogy is grounded in fostering curiosity, empathy, and analytical depth. I utilize historical thinking to help students make meaningful connections between the past and contemporary global challenges. I design learning environments that center student voice and encourage inquiry and critical self-reflection. These environments also cultivate a sense of shared responsibility for the world around us. My goal is to develop well-rounded, independent thinkers and global citizens who advocate for a more just and compassionate future.

My first book, Ordinary Copts: Ecumenism, Activism, and Belonging in North American Cities, examines the postwar migration of Coptic Orthodox Christians, tracing their movement from Egypt to Central Canada and the Northeastern United States. Its central question is: What is the Coptic immigrant experience? In answering, it explores their social and spiritual lives and illuminates how ordinary people navigated Cold War geopolitical tensions, everyday racialization, and conversations around a universalist Christian ethos. Portions of this work have appeared in Histoire sociale / Social History and The Routledge Handbook on Middle Eastern Diasporas.

Beyond the academy, I am the Founder and Executive Director of Egypt Migrations, a public history and digital humanities initiative that documents and amplifies the experiences of Egyptian immigrants. The organization has garnered international recognition and established the first and only Egyptian immigrant archival collection outside Egypt, housed at the Clara Thomas Archives at York University.

I also serve in executive roles on the boards of cultural organizations committed to heritage, justice, and public education, including The Coptic Museum of Canada and Rowayat Literary Journal. As a public-facing scholar, I contribute to platforms such as Active History, Mada Masr, Public Orthodoxy, and The New Arab. I write on migration, identity, and the role of memory in shaping diasporic futures. Across all facets of my work, I bridge academic research with public practice to make knowledge accessible, relevant, and transformative. It is my goal to foster empathetic, critical, and engaged learners who think boldly and act justly in the world.