Zahra Travels is an online platform where I document and critique concerns in mainstream travel culture and inspire mindful solo travel. My travel experiences have shaped my personal voice and encouraged me to explore topics like privilege, materialism and voluntourism. Zahra Travels helps me to keep creating engaging content and amplifies my knowledge of brand-building, WordPress, SEO, and social media.

Spearheaded CNO’s TikTok strategy, producing and editing over 60 videos that garnered over 8,000 likes in under a year.

- Successfully launched seven climate-focused podcasts, with Maxed Out ranking in the top 5% of all podcasts on Apple in 2023.- Sourced and booked prominent guests, including David Suzuki, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, and Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.- Conducted in-depth research, pre-interviews, and audio checks to ensure smooth and engaging podcast episodes.- Edited interview audio using Adobe Audition, enhancing clarity and narrative flow by layering sound, music, and clips.- Collaborated with hosts and the senior producer to script and record concise, impactful episodes.- Managed podcast promotion across platforms, including creating audiograms in Canva and cross-promotional ads.- Analyzed performance data and compiled quarterly reports tracking TikTok and podcast success.- Produced a live panel discussion featuring Canada’s Environment Minister and the EU’s Environment Commissioner, later released as a podcast episode at COP15.

- Identified personal finance stories that resonate with Gen Z and millennial audiences, leading to award-winning episodes.- Found diverse guests and experts across Canada fit for each episode- Contributed to Stress Test’s recognition with the 2022 Quill Inc Best Finance Podcast Award, SABEW Canada’s Best in Business Award, and the PMAC Award for Excellence in Investment Journalism.

- Pitched and coordinated guests for the Globe’s daily news podcast, handling scheduling, pre-interviews, and in-studio recordings.- Recorded hosts and guests in-studio and edited the tape for clarity, time, continuity and impact.

- Directed the editorial team in launching the eighth issue of Truly Belong magazine.- Scripted and produced three seasons of a weekly podcast on investment immigration, doubling the company’s YouTube following in one year.- Authored press releases, editorials, and industry articles for top publications, including The Guardian Nigeria and The Khaleej Times.- Collaborated with data experts and writers on the World Citizenship Report, which major outlets like Forbes Russia and BBC Africa featured.

Compiled daily news rundowns, supporting journalists with research, transcriptions, and digital content production.

- Contributed to the growth of the magazine’s web audience- Wrote stories related to faith, social justice and ethical living for web and print- Uploaded content to WordPress from the print issues of the magazine- Maintained Twitter and Facebook accounts and pioneered their Instagram- The publication also commissioned my grad school thesis about FGM and featured it on the cover of its February 2020 issue.

Helping Dr Romayne Fullerton Smith and Dr Maggie Jones Patterson with fact-checking and research for their book "Naming Names" that compares crime coverage in North America and Europe.

- Responsible for all social media, marketing, billings, and admin work at the education centre- Used Quickbooks, Weebly, Vista Print, Excel, Google Forms, and Indeed.com daily- Communicated with parents, advertisers, insurance companies, and phone companies regularly- Created and archived teaching content online for students from grades 1-12- Hosted, created, and ran PA Day and March Break Camps- Taught students from grades 2 to 7 in the daily Afterschool Academic Program

Along with preparing daily lessons for adult students, I marked homework and tests, conducted interviews to test students' English levels and organized conversation activities. I also learned basic Arabic in order to aid the language barrier for students who struggled with basic English.

As a writer for Find Your Pleasure, I was tasked with exploring topics of feminity, sexuality, and pleasure as a young woman of color. Along with personal pieces, my work included statistical research and interviews. I also helped founder Cynthia Loyst with events and sales for her brand.

-Pitched and wrote travel related articles-Curated posts for social media i.e Facebook and Instagram-Interviewed travel experts -Traveled to featured locations as part of media trips for marketing content

- Provided broadly-based support to students who use English as an additional language- Worked specifically with students on developing English language writing and speaking skills- Contributed to the collection and development of English language practice resources for Ryerson students

At RU Student Life, I was primarily tasked with telling stories relevant to the lives of students, especially minorities. I wrote about everything from immigration, volunteering abroad, balancing multiple cultural identities, to intersectional feminism. I also had a chance to converse with great personalities, such as Canadian author, activist, and poet, Rupi Kaur, in a video interview which reached an audience of over 16,000. Due to my passion for storytelling, I was profiled in the summer 2016 edition of the Ryerson University Alumni Magazine: The Power of Inclusion for my work that advocated inclusivity and student leadership.

- Pitched and wrote articles about Toronto life as a young adult - Kept up with news and social media in order to inform readers about events in Toronto- Worked with other bloggers by offering content suggestions and pitching advice