Zaida graduated from American University with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies with a concentration on International Economics and Development. She joined Meridian as the Grants, Contracts and Finance Intern for GlobalConnect where she helped develop training materials on project finance, best practices and financial compliance. She then became a Program Associate for the Professional Exchanges Division, providing administrative and logistical support for the International Visitor Leadership Program. In her current position, Zaida programs extensively for international professionals through the Foreign Press Center. She also serves as an officer for Meridian International Center managing their visitors in the Department of Homeland Security’s Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Previously, Zaida volunteered with the English as a Second Language (ESL) Center at Northern Virginia Community College. During her time there, she provided one-on-one tutoring and facilitated group workshops for adult and undergraduate students. Zaida is proficient in Spanish and French, and has a basic knowledge of Urdu.