Photo: Saif Khlaifat

My Story

I often come back to how extraordinary it is to be human, and how precious our planet is. We are living through times of rapid transformation, socially, economically, ecologically, and my journey has been about learning how to meet this moment with both compassion and courage.

My care for the world started early. As a child, I stopped eating meat because I saw animals as my friends, and as a teenager, I was already organising for equality and justice. That thread has continued through studies and degrees in peace and development, economics, and socio-ecological resilience, and into professional roles where I’ve worked to transform systems, from leading sustainability at the Swedish Red Cross to supporting UNHCR in Jordan and the UN Human Rights Office on environmental performance, to my current work, as an international manager at ECOnGOOD, board member of the bank JAK and much more, shaping the field of wellbeing economics and sustainable business.

But the outer work has always been deeply connected to the inner. Navigating trauma, depression, and a sensitivity to the state of the world, I learned the importance of inner transformation, how essential it is to pair strategy with stillness, action with reflection, and system change with soul work. Over time, I’ve deepened my spiritual practices through meditation, yoga, and silence, moving beyond ego-driven pursuits towards service. This balance between inner and outer change has become the foundation of everything I do.

Today, I describe myself as both an inner wellbeing and economic system change advocate. Over the past three years, I’ve worked across projects, movements, and partnerships, combining research, policy, communications, and coaching, always with the aim of helping people and organisations align with values of care, justice, and sustainability.

Beyond work, I am endlessly curious about the world. Travel has been one of my greatest teachers: from hitchhiking across Asia to learning agroforestry in Kenya, scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, and crossing continents by train. These experiences have shaped my perspective on history, culture, and our shared humanity. I also find joy and grounding in hiking, dancing, painting, and exploring the beauty of both nature and art.

For me, the greatest journey is the one within, and the greatest achievement is who we become as human beings. My purpose is to be of service in this extraordinary time, helping to nurture both personal wellbeing and systemic transformation.

Thank you for reading my story.

Photo: Saif Khlaifat