I’m a computational linguist and AI researcher with more than two decades of experience at the intersection of language and technology. Trained as a formal linguist with a PhD from the University of Southern California, my work centers on the syntax–semantics interface and how linguistic theory can inform computational models of language.

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I direct the Zoorna Institute, a research and education organization dedicated to developing linguistically grounded and ethically designed AI. Our team brings together linguists, computer scientists, and educators to advance multilingual and low-resource language technologies, with a focus on the languages of the Middle East and the Caucasus. 

Throughout my career, I have worked across academia, research labs, and applied AI projects—from federal research initiatives to narrative analytics and cross-linguistic NLP systems. ​I also design and teach AI literacy programs that make the principles of language technology accessible to educators, researchers, and business leaders, bridging theory and application.

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Beyond research, I focus on how AI interacts with larger economic, political, and cultural systems, and how those structures shape who benefits and who is left out. I’m especially committed to supporting minority languages, underrepresented communities, and women in technology, ensuring that innovation reflects linguistic and social diversity.

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My broader perspective embraces humane and ecological values, grounded in the belief that language, society, and the living world are interconnected—a principle that also inspires my animal-rescue and sanctuary work.​​