| SHEREEF ZAKI |
By May 2019, I had achieved nearly every goal I had set for myself. Between June and August, it had all fallen apart. I became incredibly ill and was hospitalized. My relationship with work turned toxic. My partnership unexpectedly ended. My stress and anxiety crushed me. I fell apart. Achieving my goals had nearly cost me my physical and emotional life. And in a state of absolute humility, I realized they were set for the wrong reasons, without knowledge of myself and therefore without integrity to myself. To heal, grow and thrive, I recognized the complexity of my identity through which I realized my higher purpose. I created XOU.
Through XOU, I reintegrated my life experiences. I learned how to speak many social, professional and emotional languages with empathy. I was able to thrive even during the pandemic and quarantine. And I continue to find my joy through connection, exploration and creativity.
I currently live in NYC and Harlem is home. There is nowhere else in the world where it is normal to have identity defined by so many intersections (gay, POC, immigrant) and still belong. I write, read and meditate every day to center my heart and mind. I swim. I dance. I take photographs stylized with a focus on tunneled depth perception. And I have come to realize that my highest purpose in life is to help others see themselves without the distortions of the world — and shine.
- Professional Experience -
My education and professional background inform my analytical and emotional capacity for Experiential Advising. I received a BA from Bucknell University (Economics, Int’l Relations and Spanish), an MIA/MPP from Columbia University (International Finance and Banking) and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University (Organizational Behavior and Quantitative Analysis). Finally, I have received three Scrum Certifications (Scrum Master, Advanced Scrum Master and Scrum Professional) and two IC-Agile certifications both in 1:1 coaching (ACC) and team facilitation (ATF).
I have worked in the non-profit space, Tech Finance and Product Management. I spent years working at Amazon with responsibilities ranging from financial oversight of PrimeAir (drone delivery) to Product Managing the international expansion of AmazonFLEX (gig economy-based delivery). I most recently worked as a Senior Technical Product Manager at the New York Times formally rotating through their Data Platform and News App teams, then leading the front and backend redesign of their Games App.
I developed a broad range of skills including stakeholder management, quantitative modeling/forecasting, UX/UI design, negotiation strategy, conflict resolution and served as a communications coach. I collaborated across teams including Legal, Tech, Operations, Engineering, Policy, PR, Marketing and Finance. Along with my managers, colleagues and classmates, I participated in various leadership training modules, personality evaluations and professional strength-finder tests - the results of which were inert without a way to change or develop strengths. My experiences, failures and successes have informed the development of XOU. Professional and personal worlds abruptly change and through Experiential Advising you will adapt, grow and thrive from those changes.
You Will Experience You