My career journey began after I graduated from Al-Ahliyya Amman University in 2003 with a BSc in Computer Information Systems. I started my professional career at the Arab Academy for Banking and Financial Sciences, where I promoted academic programmes across the Arab region while also earning a Higher Diploma in Management Information Systems.

I then joined Junior Achievement Worldwide, where I progressed from Senior Project Coordinator to Education Manager for the MENA region. During this stage, I managed USAID-funded youth programmes and developed partnerships with schools, businesses and volunteers.

Shortly after graduation, I married Mohammad, my classmate at Al-Ahliyya Amman University, and together we embarked on an entrepreneurial journey by founding Protei, a telecommunications solutions company that grew to serve operators around the world. During my 16 years at Protei, I led business development, built international partnerships, negotiated contracts and oversaw projects across the Middle East, the Gulf and the UK.

Alongside my professional career, I have always been committed to continuous learning and personal development. I became an accredited International Arbitrator and earned an MSc in Cybersecurity from the University of Bedfordshire with Distinction, ranking first in my class. Today, I am continuing my academic journey as a PhD researcher, where I am designing a blockchain-based system to protect digital evidence of war crimes and help victims obtain justice.

I am proud that my career has brought together non-profit work, business, entrepreneurship and academia. At Junior Achievement, I had the opportunity to help young people across the Arab region discover their potential. At Protei, I contributed to building and developing an international telecommunications company, leading its business development and partnerships for 16 years.

Among the professional milestones I am most proud of are becoming an accredited International Arbitrator and graduating with Distinction and ranking first in my class in my MSc in Cybersecurity. However, the achievement that is closest to my heart today is my PhD research, because it brings together technology, law and human rights and gives me an opportunity to use my knowledge to serve a humanitarian cause.

As one of relatively few women pursuing specialised cybersecurity research at doctoral level, I hope my journey will inspire more Arab women to enter this field and contribute to its development.

My journey has not been without challenges. One of the greatest challenges I have faced has been balancing my professional career, raising my four sons—Ayham, Tayem, Aser and Tamim—and returning to education later in life. There were many late nights and difficult decisions, but I learned to plan carefully, seek support when needed and never consider learning to be limited by age.

My career has also required me to reinvent myself more than once. I moved from the non-profit sector to business and eventually towards what I consider my true passion: using technology to create a positive impact on people's lives. Choosing to pursue a PhD in a field that brings together technology, law and human rights was a courageous step, but every challenge taught me that resilience and continuous learning can open doors that once seemed impossible to reach.

Al-Ahliyya Amman University