Why do I coach?

As an experienced admissions and career coach, I am motivated by the success that my students achieve in their respective goals. My own background as a low-income first-gen Muslim American propelled me into researching and applying for as many opportunities as possible. I became aware of the institutional roadblocks that many first-gen BIPOC applicants have to go through which is why I focus on connecting students with as many opportunities as possible. Despite my family's financial background, I was able to receive over $1M in under grad and grad school funding along with admission into 8 policy Master's programs, ultimately choosing HKS. I believe everyone is entitled to this success and should not have to depend on luck to find and fund higher education. I approach coaching in a personalized manner. My first meeting always aims to learn more about the candidates's background, interests, and what makes them unique. From there, I develop a personal narrative and roadmap to create a holistic application that stands out beyond test score or GPA metrics. That approach has helped several candidates get acceptances to top policy schools including HKS and UC Berkeley but also helps them develop narrative skills that they can apply in the real world. Looking beyond grad school admissions, I also understand how building a personal narrative and crafting a unique resume is critical for professional success. I have worked with clients looking to pivot into the tech space, mainly product management and policy roles. By creating a "right fit" assessment, my clients update their resumes with the critical skills necessary in the roles that they are respectively applying for with several receiving multiple job offers. Professional success is the end point for coaching and I work personally with clients until a marker of success has been achieved. I gained initial coaching experience working at the admissions offices for both the George Washington University and Harvard University, developing feeder programs for BIPOC applicants. One such effort was expanding the Public Policy Leadership Conference at HKS from 40 students to 100 in order to maximize the school's outreach efforts. I steadfastly believe in every candidate's potential and approach each coaching session as a way for them to understand their own strengths and story. Through my work, I have helped so many people develop the confidence needed for future success and that is my driving force. I hope to continue helping others for as long as I have the opportunity to do so!

Work Experience

Researcher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

July 2023 - Present

Senior Policy Lead

Google

January 2021 - Present

Fellow

Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard

2020 - 2021

Developed global playbook for disruptive digital transformation across local and statewide governments in 18 countries. Skills: Digital Transformation · Technology Transfer · Policy Analysis

Innovation Strategist

United Nations Population Fund

June 2019 - August 2019

Aisha was also given offers to work at

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  TikTok

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  Meta (Facebook)

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  Notion

Education

Harvard University

Master's degree, Public Policy Analysis

Public Policy and International Affairs full scholarship recipient Middle East Initiative grant recipient Islamic Scholarship Fund recipient

George Washington University

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Major: International Affairs and Economics; Minor: Statistics and Sustainability

magna cum laude graduate Daniel's Fund full scholarship recipient Presidential Scholar, Greenhouse Scholar, PPIA Fellow, PPLC Fellow, Gilman Fellow

Aisha was also personally admitted to

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  University of Chicago

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  Georgetown University

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  Columbia University

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  Carnegie Mellon University

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  University of California, Berkeley

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  Johns Hopkins University

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  Cornell University