About Narjis
Growing up in the Middle East, Narjis realized the importance of self-advocacy, mentorship, and sponsorship in both her personal and corporate life. While in the region, she co-founded a Women’s Initiatives organization as part of which she organized Women Leadership Programs, planned International Women’s Day and attended female leadership conferences. During her summer internship at Deloitte Canada – Human Capital Consulting, she has learned about the challenges companies face in designing more innovative, inclusive HR policies. She plans to pair her interest in design thinking, behavioral economics, and passion for female empowerment to help bridge the gaps in management and pay in the corporate world. With the support of GATE, and as a Diversity and Inclusion Champion at Rotman, she hopes to do her part in changing the conversation on gender equality. Narjis also holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Carnegie Mellon University, with a minor in Psychology.
MBA Student Fellow Project
Narjis proposed developing a podcast examining the phenomenon of “covering” in the workplace. “Covering” refers to the ways in which an individual conceals certain aspects of their identity in public due to a fear of backlash, discrimination, and/or bias. Those who cover are ultimately prevented from expressing their authentic selves in a variety of contexts. In the context of a work environment, covering can not only harm the individual but also hinder an organization’s ability to create an authentic culture of inclusion.
In this podcast, Narjis interviews individuals who have covered or uncovered certain aspects of their identity in the workplace, such as their religion, ethnicity, marital status, disabilities, and sexual orientation.