Today, I can tell you wholeheartedly that I am the best version of myself with the urge to keep improving. However, I was not always like this. I grew up, a Sephardi Jew, in an Ashkenazi neighborhood where I would constantly compare myself with others and thought that I was never good enough. I desperately tried to fit in by hiding the truth about my background. My parents divorced when I was very young so my mother–with no parents, no education, no profession, and no income–did everything in her power to make sure that her children did not bear her single-mother burden. Even though she wanted us to have an easy life, I knew that I would have to put in ten times the effort of my peers to live an “easy” life. I began working any and all jobs that came my way, while taking on a rigorous academic load at school. It was because of this strong and consistent motivation that I was the first in my family to complete university, get a driver’s license, and move to America. 

After serving my time in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), I completed my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Haifa University. When I moved to America, I completed another two Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and Education from California State University, Northridge. For me, education was my golden ticket to the life I had always wanted for myself and my family.

Not only am I married with 3 children, I am also a certified physical trainer, a nutritionist, a Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Master Coach and Trainer, and a Certified Hypnotherapist. To this day, I am endlessly working to find harmony between my family and my career. I lead my life knowing that I serve as a role model to my kids and they understand that I fought hard to get to where I am. I am humbled by my experiences and no longer feel the need to hide from my background. I am proud of my mother, I am proud of my Moroccan heritage, and I am proud of myself for showing up everyday as the best version of myself.