I grew up in Cairo in a pastor’s home. Since my teen years, I’ve been involved in various teaching and leading ministries. At age 16 I was selected by the Egyptian government to represent Egypt at Pearson College, an international school in Canada dedicated to peace and international understanding worldwide. Two years later I went to Calvin University seeking a liberal arts Christian education to help me integrate my faith and my social justice convictions.
Following my graduation, I moved back to Cairo, where I earned a Master’s degree in social psychology from the American University in Cairo under the supervision of human rights activist, Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim. During those years, I married Rev. Naji Umran (a Canadian from Syrian origins), and together we served at Heliopolis Community Church for 3 years. Then we moved to North American in 2002, where we each earned a Master’s of Divinity at Calvin Theological Seminary, and together served churches in Michigan and British Columbia. Then God called my husband, myself, and our four sons, Jonathan, Sebastian, Emmanuel and Alexander, to return to Egypt in September 2011.
I worked at Calvin University for 13 years as the Resource Development Specialist for Global and Multi-cultural worship, where I coordinated international worship conference in 15 countries. I’ve been working as a psychologist and counselor since 2000. Since 2013, I have been teaching courses on Preaching, Communication, Psychology, Theology and Practices of Worship, and Spiritual Formation at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo. In 2022, I earned a PhD in theology with a concentration on Preaching at Fuller Theological Seminary in Southern California, USA.
My areas of interest include travel and learning about the cultural influences on the church worldwide, creating new ministries, mentoring youth, administration, poetry and music.
Now to God Who Is Able: Vocation, Justice and Ministry
Co-Editor & author of book chapter, Pickwick Publications, 2023
“Public Theology and the Middle Eastern Church.”
Author, book chapter in Surviving Jewel, Wipf & Stock, 2022.
“The Forward.”
Contributor, Untie the Cords of Silence, Wipf & Stock, 2022.
“Diversity & Inclusion: Gender Justice in the Evangelical Church in Egypt.”
Author, book chapter in Middle Eastern Women: The Intersection of Law,
Culture, and Religion, Diyar Publisher, 2020.
“My Odyssey Towards Ordination as Pastor”
Author, article in FAMA Magazine, The Church of Switzerland, 2019.
“دعوة للحوار” – مقال بكتاب رسامة المرأة قساً، إصدار دار الثقافة. 2016.
أبطال عاديين: قصص من العهد القديم وقصص من الكنيسة الانجيلية بمصر. كتاب إصدار دار الثقافة. 20
