Her dedication, commitment, brilliance and passion are inspiring. Along with me, university colleagues sing her praises. Her work ethic, transparency, collaboration and team building are unparalleled. It is evident that she is both a team player and fearless leader. Any company or initiative would be extremely lucky to have Shireen on their team. It's been a gift to see her evolution to date, and now I am excited to see her fly!

Neyda Martinez
Independent Producer | Sundance Doc Lab Fellow | Associate Professor & Dir. Media Management Graduate Program / Co-Director, Impact Entrepreneurship Initiative The New School

Shireen is an excellent communicator and adept in the positive and productive uses of social media. She is an enthusiastic team member who contributes new ideas and is willing to challenge herself.

Mérida Escandón Gasbarro
Strategic Enrollment Management Professional, Graduate Admission, The New School

Shireen is an exceptionally diligent, gracious, creative and intelligent young woman. She attended school remotely at the start of the pandemic and though she faced numerous logistical, existential and personal obstacles, she was undaunted in her engagement with the participation in the course... In my experience, all students I have been involved with at The New School over my 25+ year career there are uniquely motivated and passionate, yet there are a select few that I have connected so closely with due to their initiative. Shireen is in that category.

Dawnja Burris
Higher Education Administrator, Professor and Fine Art Photographer

She is an excellent communicator, reliable colleague, and has become a respected mentor to many in our programs. She is also an exceptional filmmaker in her own right, and it was a privilege to have her wealth of experience to riff off of and collaborate with in the class, for myself, and for the students. Shireen stepped into the role with grace and class, and was instrumental in helping to create the perfect communal course environment that is a hallmark of my own approach, and neither I nor the students could have been better served. One of the best course assistants I have had the good fortune to work with, and a personality that is always supportive, open, and positive. Her attitude and expertise raised the bar for everyone, myself included.

Brian J. McCormick
writer, educator, agitator

I met Shireen when she attended a learning workshop at Talpa Media (Middle East) at which I was a speaker. Her passion, inquisitive mind, and eagerness to learn, quickly distinguished her from her peers. She thus earned her spot as a recurrent freelancer for the company. While I did not get the chance to manage her directly, I often observed her at work. Her ethics, hard work, and determination, inspired people around her. In addition to the professional value she brought to the company and her team, her unique personality, collaborative attitude, and joyful presence, contributed to creating a wonderful work environment. I sincerely wish her a fulfilling career path.

Lea Bendaly Varjabedian, MFA / MBA

Having had the privilege of working closely with Shireen, I've witnessed her transformative journey from story editor on The Voice Middle East to crafting her first script and venturing into new realms of storytelling, writing, and directing.

What truly stands out is Shireen’s exceptional ability to infuse her work with a unique sense of aesthetics, effortlessly weaving emotions into her storytelling. Her unwavering enthusiasm to learn and refine her craft is palpable.

Shireen possesses a rare combination of creativity and adaptability that not only makes her an invaluable asset but also ensures that her projects resonate on a profound emotional level.

I wholeheartedly believe in her ongoing success in the industry.

Jenane Mandour
Production Division Director at ITV. Studios | Chief Operating Officer at Blue Engine Studios

Shireen worked with us on a tough short film shoot and was always hard working, reliable and truly resourceful. A true joy to have on set. Can’t wait to work with her again!

Jonathan Craven
Producer/Consultant/Writer

Shireen is creative, a hard worker, self starter, detail oriented and reliable - I highly recommend her!

Vladan Nikolic
Professor at The New School, Film director and screenwriter