Click here to watch Shaimaa’s video

Education: Bachelor’s degree in economics and statistics, Cairo University; Master of Business Administration, Drake University

Hometown: Cairo, Egypt

Family: Husband, Fuad Yahya; two sons, one stepson and one stepdaughter.

Hobbies: Cooking, kayaking, yoga

Words to live by: Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

Three notable accomplishments: 

• I serve as a member of the Board of Trustees for Broadlawns Medical Center, which included running for office in 2022.
• I am a Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute graduate, class of 2020 (the pandemic class). 
• I served on the West Des Moines Human Rights Commission and launched a podcast.

How have you helped improve organizations you’ve been a part of? 

I ask the tough questions, not to embarrass anyone, but rather to understand and credibly challenge when needed, and hopefully improve the status quo. I stay up to date on industry trends and relevant global events and bring the bigger outside picture to any table I have a seat on.

What motivates you? 

An intellectual conversation over a cup of coffee is sufficient enough to motivate me.

Is there a memory or experience from your formative years that continues to influence your approach to life? 

When I was a teenager, I used to cover for my brother. When we got in trouble, my mom told me something that I still live by. She said, “If what you do secretly, in private, would bring you shame if it becomes public, then it is not the right thing to do.” I go back to these words when I face ethical or moral dilemmas.

What piece of advice would you give to others who hope to make a difference in their communities?

The world is run by those who show up. So show up, then speak up.

Tell us about a time you failed (or at least you did from your own perception). 

Oh, where to start on the list of my failures? I am a human, and as a woman, we tend to be hard on ourselves with our shortcomings with families and at work. What I learned from my many failures is: 1. Give myself and others grace; 2. Avoid guilt-tripping; 3. Remind myself that no one represents me but me, and I am only responsible for my energy that I bring into this world.

What is a favorite book, show, movie, podcast, etc. that you’d encourage others to consume? 

“The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion” by Christopher Germer and “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey. 

How do you try to find balance and joy in the many activities you take part in? 

As for balance: I have to remind myself every now and then that there is no such thing as an “absolute” balance. As most women, I do my best to have my family first but I know there are times when my work will come first and other times when the community will come first. You don’t balance all three at once, but you try to strive for balance among these three. As for joy: As I matured, I started to notice the joy in little things like a walk on the beach or a cup of coffee with a loved one or just 15 minutes in silence or rolling down the car window for some wind therapy with my favorite music.

What is one of your guilty pleasures? 

German cars, but since they are usually a pricey pleasure, I avoid the temptation by having a cup of coffee by the beach. 

What’s something many people don’t know about you? 

I think people might look at my social media and assume I have it all together. In reality, I don’t. I have my own share of struggles. I try to use my own challenges as lessons for others. For example: Many people don’t know that I was a victim of domestic abuse, but I don’t let that define me. Another thing people don’t know about me is that gender stereotyping drove me out of engineering school.

Anything else you want to add about yourself? 

I am a work-in-progress, evolving human.

What do you consider the greatest barrier to gender equity? 

Denying its existence in the first place or overlooking the deeply rooted factors or celebrating the small wins without looking at the bigger picture. For example: We celebrate women’s right to vote as if it were centuries ago, while in fact it was just over 100 years ago. We still have so much to achieve.

Who is an empowering woman that you look up to?

Internationally, Malala Yousafzai; nationally, Michelle Obama; locally, Teree Caldwell-Johnson.

What will it take for women to achieve gender parity in leadership positions? 

On the organizational level, I believe we need intentionally structured mentorship programs for people who could occupy the C-suite. There are so many barriers in any organizational structure, and without removing the roadblocks and investing in succession planning, we won’t achieve gender parity in leadership positions. On the individual level, I encourage women to invest in their own learning, find a mentor or two or 100, take professional certifications that are applicable to your field, and don’t forget to take care of your physical and mental well-being.

What support would be most helpful for business leaders to provide for their women and nonbinary employees? 

I am a product of Diverse Mentoring Programs (DMP). There was no other way for a Muslim- immigrant woman of color to make it this far in corporate America. DMP focuses on developing a pipeline of leaders from all walks of lives. Organizations that deal with programs like this as a checkbox will rarely ever see the desired results. These programs are an investment that requires strategy, objectives and monitoring measures. 

Fill in the blank: If gender equity were achieved, the world would look like ____________.

As it should have been and as it should be.