Hi, I'm Leila (she/her)! I am an artist, educator, and researcher who moves through the worlds of art and education. Through my work, I collaborate and create with children, their caregivers, teachers, and the community to work toward social justice. I imagine, dream, create, and educate on both Iranian and American lands.

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In my doctoral research at the UW-Madison School of Education, I’m exploring Participatory Research and how adults can help children develop power analysis—the ability to understand and engage with power, and how it shapes our lives and societies. I also collaborate with "Read With Me," a literacy-promoting project in Iran, alongside my wonderful friends and fellow educators. Through this project, we run literature and art workshops for teachers in underserved communities. You can learn more about the "Read With Me" project on our website.

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Outside of school, I enjoy swimming, hiking, long walks on the beach, photography, art projects, reading books, and making messes—because it usually means I'm doing something fun! You can find me, my art, and the results of my creative messes here.

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I hold a B.Sc. in Software Engineering, an MFA in Book Illustration from Iran, and my second MFA in Visual Arts from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the U.S. (yes, I love art!). Now, I'm pursuing my PhD at UW-Madison's School of Education.