Our Team
Shanza N. Khan
Meet Shanza N. Khan, a distinguished professional who wears multiple hats as Founder and Head Counselor. Shanza holds an MA in Public Policy from Harvard University, where she received a fully funded Dean’s Fellowship, Jane Mansbridge Award, and Roy Scholarship. She graduated with a Summa Cum Laude in Economics from Emory University at the young age of nineteen. Shanza’s outstanding achievements have earned her memberships in prestigious organizations such as the Omicron Delta Kappa, National Leadership Honor Society, and the Omicron Delta Epsilon International Economic Honor Society in the USA. With over 22 years of experience, Shanza has worked with renowned development organizations including the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Federal Reserve Bank, the Aga Khan Development Network, MicroFinance Opportunities, Overseas Development Institute, DFID, USAID, GIZ, UNICEF, UNDP, and was also a founding member of Strategic and Policy Research Pvt. Ltd in Islamabad.
Meet Our Counselors
Nazia Hashmi
Nazia Hashmi holds a dual degree in Computer Science Engineering and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MSc in Economics from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
She began her career in banking technology, spending over a decade at Goldman Sachs. After returning to Pakistan, she led the product team at Cheetay, a growing e-commerce startup.
Currently, Nazia is working at Waseela, an AgriTech platform dedicated to solving challenges faced by farmers. Alongside her professional work, she actively mentors students at Eye on Ivy, where her insightful guidance has helped many enhance their profiles and gain admission to top-choice universities.
Tashfa Fatina
Tashfa Fatina is a dedicated and experienced guidance counselor and human resource specialist based in Lahore, Pakistan. With a strong background in student counseling and career guidance, she is committed to helping students achieve their academic and career objectives. Currently a College Counselor at Eye on Ivy, Tashfa has been instrumental in guiding students through academic challenges, aiding them in profile building, and preparing for college admissions. Her previous roles include working as an A-Level Guidance Counselor at LACAS & Beaconhouse, and as a Senior Guidance Counselor at Lahore Grammar School where she assisted students with college research and essay writing.
Tashfa has a proven track record of helping students secure admissions to prestigious universities, often with full scholarships, including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Oxford. Her leadership experience extends to her tenure with AIESEC, where she served as a Team Leader in Recruitment and Selection, streamlining recruitment processes and developing organizational strategies. She holds a Bachelor of Science (Honors) in Human Resource Management from the Institute of Administrative Sciences in Lahore.
Fatima Burki
Fatima Burki is a graduate of the University of Sussex in the UK. A former editor at The Daily Times in Lahore and research editor at Imagination Publishing in Chicago, with 20 years of experience in writing and editing, Fatima currently works with students as a college counselor at Eye on Ivy. Previously she worked as an editor for Eye on Ivy. With a passion for the written word, she helped students craft their personal statements with academic flair. And now as counselor, she is guiding students and helping them get to college and achieve their dreams of higher education.
Mariam Asif Sheikh
Mariam Asif Sheikh holds a Master of Science in Economics from New York University Abu Dhabi (2024) and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Communication, Legal Institutions, Economics & Government (CLEG) from American University (2022). Her academic excellence has been recognized through memberships in distinguished honor societies, including Omicron Delta Epsilon and Pi Sigma Alpha. Mariam’s professional journey encompasses strategic roles in international development, consulting, and education. At the World Bank, she contributed to enhancing digital infrastructure in rural Pakistan. During her tenure at Castalia LLC, she supported the Uruguayan government in managing Public-Private Partnership (PPP) contracts for education projects. At the Eurasia Center, her work focused on data-driven analyses of South Asian geopolitics, while at Energix Renewables, she conducted comprehensive feasibility studies for solar energy projects. Mariam is a certified Social and Educational Researcher and a trained Mental Health First Aid provider. As a College Counselor at Eye on Ivy, Mariam has maintained a 90% acceptance rate for students securing admission to their top three university choices. She specializes in strategic profile development and application optimization.
Meet Our Profile Builder Counselors
Sana Inam
As head profile-building counselor at Eye on Ivy, Sana’s role involves enhancing a student’s academic and extracurricular profile to make it compelling for college applications. This process includes offering personalized guidance on subject selection and areas of interest based on the student’s strengths, as well as identifying relevant national and international opportunities that align with their passions. Although profile-building is a challenging role, it is also highly rewarding. It fosters a deep connection with students, allowing Sana to become not only a mentor but also a confidant and life coach. Sana works intuitively to build a collaborative relationship between counselor and student which is crucial in crafting a distinctive profile for each individual. While the concept of profile-building is relatively new, its importance in the college admissions process is significant.
Aleena Khan
Aleena Khan has recently graduated from the University of Oxford with an MSc in Social Anthropology. Her research focused on a qualitative investigation into the cybersecurity challenges faced by women in Lower Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. She is deeply interested in taking an anthropological and people-centered approach to addressing students' concerns about their academic and extracurricular profiles—recognising that each student’s background, interests, and ambitions require tailored guidance. Aleena aims to empower students by helping them articulate their unique narratives, align their goals with meaningful opportunities, and build well-rounded profiles for competitive university applications.
Hafsah Haq
Hafsah Haq is a Profile Building Counselor at Eye On Ivy, bringing a rich background in counseling, mental health, and student development. Hafsah holds a Bachelor's with Honors in Applied Psychology from Beaconhouse National University and has been recognized on the Dean’s Honor List for 4 consecutive years with a CGPA of 3.83. Her experience spans roles as a mental health counselor, assistant psychologist, and assistant director for various student programs and theater productions.
Moreover, her continued work in the entertainment industry and varied hobbies allows insight for students in many fields of interests. With hands-on expertise in guiding students, teachers, and parents on matters such as mental health, well-being, and personal growth, Hafsah blends psychological insight with creative leadership. She is dedicated to empowering students, fostering confidence, and helping them craft impactful profiles that reflect their strengths and ambitions.
Rauhah Mushtaq
Graduating with honors in Biotechnology and Sociology from Forman Christian College, Rauhah has been fascinated with the world of DNA and the insightful perspectives of Marxist thought. This powerful combination of scientific curiosity and social awareness has driven her four years of counseling, where she’s guided students to look beyond the usual career paths, explore their passions, and analyze their options before making a choice. Before joining Eye on Ivy, Rauhah has worked at Kestrel Education and Success Factor.
So, if you're looking for someone who's a human rights advocate with a secret passion for aesthetics (and a knack for capturing the beauty of the everyday through photography) - look no further! In her spare time she’s a movie buff with a particular soft spot for crime-thrillers, and a voracious reader with a fascination for Eastern literature, always open to new perspectives.
She has a knack for building strong relationships with students, parents, and colleagues, helping them navigate the exciting world of college admissions. She’s a whiz at creating personalized profiles that cater to each student's unique needs, and she’s experienced in organizing events like college fairs and information sessions to connect students with the right opportunities.
Maria Farooq
Maria Farooq, is Eye on Ivy’s Head of External Relations. Maria is dedicated to guiding students in identifying their passions and effectively leveraging their talents by securing them top-tier work placements. With her extensive expertise, she forges strong relationships with a diverse array of local and international organizations, fostering the development of crucial skills, knowledge, and discipline among young learners.
Her goal is to broaden the company's scope in order to maximize available opportunities. Following the tailored placements she plans, monitors, and evaluates, our students emerge significantly transformed. Prior to her career in counseling, Maria served as a consultant trainer for Tetra Pak, where she focused on educational outreach programs. With over a decade of experience in the education sector, she adopts a visionary approach to provide students with hands-on experiences that empower them to present themselves effectively in their applications.
Meet Our Editors
Ambreen Noon Kazi
Ambreen is a seasoned journalist, copywriter, and editor with more than 15 years of experience. Her professional journey has taken her across print, broadcast, and digital media, working with prestigious institutions such as The Nation, The Friday Times, Libas International, Gulf News, and Arab Radio Network. Her expertise as a content creator extends to social media, ghostwriting, thought leadership, and biographical content.
Having recently transitioned to the college counseling space, Ambreen is helping bring creativity, finesse, and poise to students’ personal statements and essays. She’s often found elbow-deep, thinking hat on, reviewing drafts with a microscope, and offering insightful feedback to Eye on Ivy’s editorial team. As a mother, Ambreen brings a nuanced eye to narratives that help students create polished essays that make them stand out.
Isra Arif
Isra Arif is a Creative Writer and Editor at Eye on Ivy with a passion for all things related to reading -- whether it’s cereal box labels, research papers on what is Pluto if not a planet, or her students’ personal statements. She holds a degree in Business Administration from Australia and was born and raised in the U.A.E. She has worked in U.A.E., Pakistan and is now based out of Switzerland. While being in the process of becoming Pakistan’s first female certified watchmaker, Isra enjoys taking the path less travelled. And encourages her students to do the same with their ideas and styles of writing.
Aima Khosa
Aima Khosa is a senior editor and communications specialist with experience spanning more than 10 years in news media and international development. Having served as an editor in major newsrooms of Pakistan, she specializes in editing, vetting, and fact-checking. Her editorial career includes leadership roles such as News Editor at The Friday Times, Editor at MIT Review, and Senior Sub Editor at The Express Tribune, where she developed expertise in content strategy, editorial production, and management.
With an MA in Politics, Philosophy and Public Affairs from the University of Milan and an MA in International Affairs from The American University of Paris, Aima brings a global perspective to her work. Multilingual and skilled in leveraging digital tools including AI-driven methodologies, she excels at crafting engaging narratives while maintaining rigorous editorial standards.
Fizza Ayub Khawaja
Fizza, currently a junior at LUMS, loves all things related to reading, reviewing, editing, and writing…and then, writing some more. When she's not adding that final tweak to a personal statement or sprinkling some extra magic onto a supplement, she's busy watching some trashy TV with a steaming cup of tea and a sizable cookie!
Our Mentors
Ali Sultan
We are honored to have Mr. Ali Sultan as a distinguished international law specialist on our team at Eye on Ivy. Ali brings a wealth of academic and practical experience, having taught law at Lahore University of Management Sciences and the Foreign Service Academy. In addition, he regularly provides expert advice to public and private stakeholders on various aspects of international law, showcasing his expertise in the field. He pursued his Juris Doctor (JD) at the University of Virginia Law School, where he also served as an editor for the Journal of Law and Politics. Given Ali's extensive knowledge and practical experience, Eye on Ivy is thrilled to have him on board as an Advisor for the US College and Law School admissions process.
Fatima Khawaja Rehman
Dr Fatima Rehman is a highly qualified and experienced professional with a background in Biology and Genetics. She holds a BSc in Biology and a PhD in Genetics and Molecular Biology from Emory University. Currently, Dr Rehman is working at the Biology department at the University of North Florida (UNF) as a full-time faculty member. Her expertise and dedication to academia and research make her a valuable asset to the University of North Florida, and she continues to contribute to the field of Biology through her teaching, research, and curriculum development efforts.
Safiya Aftab
Safiya Aftab is a highly accomplished professional, holding a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University. In addition, she has earned graduate degrees in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science, as well as Quaid-e-Azam University. Safiya also has an LLB degree from the University of London. Safiya has a diverse range of professional experience, including having held permanent staff positions with globally recognized organizations such as the Asian Development Bank and the UN World Food Program, along with consulting roles as a freelance consultant and with international firms. Her expertise makes her a valuable addition to Eye on Ivy as both a Mentor and a collaborator.
Haroon Shah
Haroon Shah is a seasoned professional and currently serves as a Senior Manager in Scotiabank's Global Capital Markets Teams, where he oversees the bank's trading and lending relationships with Financial Institutions in 69 countries. Prior to this role, Haroon worked in Global Risk Management, where he assessed the risk associated with the bank's corporate customers. Haroon holds an MBA degree from the prestigious Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario. He also holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance from James Madison University. Haroon brings valuable expertise to the Eye on Ivy team.
Mariam Zia
Dr Mariam Zia is a highly accomplished academic and professional with a strong background in English Literature. She completed her PhD in English Literature from the University of Sussex, UK in 2016, with her thesis focusing on storytelling and the uncanny in the context of the dastan genre, specifically Dastan-e Amir Hamza. In addition to her PhD, Dr Zia holds two MA degrees. She completed her first MA in English Language and Literature from the University of Punjab, Pakistan in 2004, and her second MA in Critical Theory from the University of Sussex, UK in 2006. Dr. Mariam Zia's diverse background in literature, media, and academia makes her a valuable asset to the Eye on Ivy family.
Mashal Khan
Mashal Khan is a highly accomplished and talented professional in the field of visual communication and graphic design. She holds a BFA in Visual Communication, Graphic Design from the American University in Dubai, where she was recognized with the Departmental Award for achieving the highest academic standing. She further pursued her education and earned an MFA in Hydra Transdisciplinary Design from Parsons The New School in New York, where she once again won the Departmental Award for her outstanding academic performance. Currently, she is utilizing her skills for social impact at Kaarvan Crafts Foundation in Lahore. Mashal Khan's passion for using design as a tool for positive change makes her a valuable asset in the field of visual communication and graphic design.