But please call me Dina :).

Born in Egypt to Egyptian parents, I have lived in multiple countries and was exposed to diverse cultures at a very young age, mainly thanks to my mom who was a diplomat. I now live in Switzerland and have done for 30 years. 

I am a wife, a mom, a daughter, a sister, a friend, a neighbour, a coach, a trainer, a writer, a poet, and a singer.

Many years ago, a hiring manager in an interview turned to me and said: “What a patchwork CV”. I smiled proudly ’till I realised that, in her world, patchwork is bad! But in mine, patchwork is great! It’s who I am: an insatiable mind with a rainbow of interests. She still hired me. 🙂

Today, this colourful patchwork path of mine allows me to connect and effectively serve clients from a variety of backgrounds, industries, and cultures. It makes me a better coach. 

So how “patchworky” am I?

Let’s see… I have:

• 2 BAs – in Tourism & Hotel Management, and Business & Marketing,
• 2 MAs – a MBA and a MA in Media & Communication,
• and a zillion Diplomas in a variety of fields – Human resources, Human Rights, Coaching, Psychology, Leadership, Writing, Blogging, Parenting, etc..

Why? Because I love studying. It opens my world to new horizons & perspectives, which enriches my life and those I serve – including you, my clients.

I have worked in 4 different industries:

• Tourism & Hotel industry,
• Pharmaceutical,
• Intergovernmental – United Nations,
• Non-Governmental – NGOs.

Somehow my career moved from being a hotel professional, to Tour Operator agent in the travel industry, to Human Resources (HR) professional, to Human Rights consultant, back to HR, and now coaching.

During my 20+ years journey as a People Practices (HR) Manager in multinational organisations, I changed roles every 3-4 years, working in the areas of:

• Compensation & Performance Management,
• HR Operations,
• HR Analytics & Automation,
• Global Project & Change Management,
• Diversity & Inclusion,
• Training,
• Leadership & People Development,
• Employee Counselling & Mental Health,
• Employee Engagement, and finally
• Coaching.

Why? Because, if I can’t keep on learning and experiencing new worlds, I wither and die! OK, that’s an exaggeration :). But I was never interested in a typical “moving up-the-ladder” career. Instead, I chose to move laterally between disciplines and functions to satisfy my continuous thirst for learning and discovery. 

Now my path wasn’t always smooth.

Despite being a high performer, I lost my job 4 times throughout my career, changed careers 4-5 times, and can relate to how difficult this can be. I also know that every time this happened, it became a unique opportunity to re-launch my career onto new and refreshing paths.

When I burned-out at the end of 2014, I realised I needed to make drastic changes in my life: carving out time for myself, my family, my writing, and God. So, I made a conscious choice to give voice to my personal needs and passions beyond work. I became a certified coach. I returned to my writing and poetry, and became a picture book author and blogger. I joined a choir and became a gospel choir singer and a voice-over amateur.

And I’m still learning – sometimes the hard way… :).

At your service

While I am a woman of many passions, most importantly, I am passionate about people. Having gone through a multitude of transitions and mused over existential questions, I am passionate and inspired to support you on your own learning journey, search for meaning, and life transitions, whatever these may be. 

Transitions are but the chrysalis from which new life can form! When we choose to go through that uncomfortable, at times painful, space – that’s when we make the most meaningful shifts in our lives. And it’s a journey we are not meant to take alone.

Whatever you may be going through right now that has brought you to my page, one thing is certain: We are not meant to go through life’s summits and valleys on our own, but in the companionship of others. I would be honoured to be your companion and walk alongside you on your journey.

Pericles said: “What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the [hearts and] lives of others.”

What I would like to leave behind as your coach is for you to know that you are accepted, loved and cared for deeply just the way you are; AND that you are on an exciting journey waiting to unfold under the warming sun of “love”, the nourishing earth of “hope”, and the refreshing rain of “challenge”.

I’d be honoured if I could be remembered as the windshield wipes on your car as you embark on that journey :).