Not entirely sure what to go with here so I'll go with what gives me the most contentment. On my best days, I do a pretty good job of pretending to be a student of tasawwuf and the traditional sciences. My teachers at Chicago based Sacred Learning are kind enough to let me keep pretending. By their barakah and sincerity, I've also had an opportunity to pass some of that knowledge along over the years in the New York tri-state area. My one hope in life if that Allah (swt) find it in His mercy to accept me in some form for the khidmah of his deen and the work of my teachers. Patience is something I'm continually working on. I am quite self-conscious and analyze everything from everyone else's perspective before my own, which often complicates life both for me and those around me. I invest a lot in relationships (family, friends, etc.) and in maintaining them. As I've grown older, I have come to appreciate an cherish those who have perfected basic mannerisms (listening until someone has finished speaking, considering the other's state of mind before saying something etc.). Spending time with scholars of tasawwuf is something I actively seek out. 

By way of something that should be flagged fairly upfront- I have many flaws (perhaps not the most charming note to kick things off on) and handicaps, principal of which is an earlier short-lived marriage (over the course of a year when I was 27) . 

By way of a more conventional intro- I am currently leading a country team within the Office of Tony Blair’s Government Advisory practice (Tony Blair Associates). In this role, I advise the prime ministers of a number of Central Eastern European countries on a range of domestic policy issues and certain heads of government in the Middle East on geopolitical issues.  I also work on the firm's Middle East leadership team. Previously, I was the Chief Development Officer at an alternative energy investment firm under Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser, Founder of Qatar Foundation. Earlier, I was at Booz Allen Hamilton (New York, Washington D.C), advising U.S government and western allied government agencies on public sector restructuring and policy strategy. Prior to that, I had stints at a venture capital firm, the United Nations Security Council and a foreign policy think tank where I worked on energy programs. 