TESTIMONIALS
ST. PAUL’S SCHOOL
“Atia is a force for good. Beginning with a powerful morning Chapel Talk to classroom visits, to a lunch discussion with several high school students, to dinner, discussion, and an Afghan tea ceremony, her positive interactions were age appropriate for her audience, and her magnetic personality, authentic leadership, and heartfelt delivery captivated everyone who met her! Atia was a pleasure to meet and a true collaborator.”
Bethany Dickerson Wynder | Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives | St. Paul’s School
HARKER SCHOOL
“Atia Abawi was an exceptional and memorable speaker for our school community. Through her storytelling and wisdom, she helped students open their minds to new perspectives in a way that felt both personal and profound. One student shared during the closing open mic that Atia’s talk made her realize she had been using her Instagram account as an echo chamber. Hearing Atia’s message inspired her to seek out diverse viewpoints and think more critically about how to have difficult yet necessary conversations. She left the talk with a deeper commitment to empathy and global awareness—an impact that speaks to Atia’s ability to engage and inspire.
Atia met with me several times before her visit to the school because she wanted to tailor her message to who we are and what we needed. Her visit was not just a presentation but a meaningful conversation that left a lasting impression.
I wholeheartedly recommend Atia for any school looking to inspire and engage students in a powerful way.”
Patricia Lai Burrows | Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | Harker School
HATHAWAY BROWN SCHOOL
“Atia was wonderful! The students were riveted by her fascinating story. She was such an engaging speaker, expertly weaving together her life experience and her perspective as a journalist in a way that students found engaging, inspiring, and accessible all at the same time. We especially appreciated how she responded to student questions with unflinching honesty, while always being sensitive to the audience context. We can't wait to have her back!”
Matt Rager | Director of Osborne Fellowships in Writing | Hathaway Brown School
ACADEMY OF THE SACRED HEART
“Atia was amazing - beginning with our evening reception with donors and parent presentation, to spending the day with every division of the school. Her presentations were age appropriate to her audience, and her authentic and heartfelt delivery was felt by everyone who met her! She was such a pleasure to meet and work with!!”
Jana Fogleman | DEI Coordinator |Academy of the Sacred Heart School
THUMBTACK, LLC
“Atia Abawi’s talk was both enlightening and deeply personal. Her powerful storytelling, shaped by her experience as a refugee and her extensive reporting around the globe, provided a unique perspective on the challenges and triumphs of democracy. It was a compelling and thought-provoking session that left the audience with a deeper understanding of the global democratic landscape.”
Misha Garg | Director of People Analytics and Immigrants ERG Lead | Thumbtack, LLC
GREENWICH COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL
"Atia was able to empower students to use their voices to become storytellers, not only of their own journey but also of those untold narratives that can shape our global perspective. This learning was extended in her classroom visits where Atia spoke vibrantly about the experiences of being a foreign correspondent and the empathy needed to understand the lives of others, especially those individuals who suffer from displacement from war."
Emmanuel Saldana | Associate Director of DE&I | Greenwich Country Day School
CASTILLEJA SCHOOL
“Atia Abawi reminded us about the dangers of prejudice—both abroad and closer to home and encouraged students to start conversations, join community action projects, and contact elected officials to advocate for issues they care about. I was moved by her words about the power of unity. “Quite often, during the worst of times, is when the best comes out in people. They might be strangers, but they become family.””
Head of School| Castilleja School
THE AWTY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
“Atia Abawi visited my students (grades 8-12) and was very well received. Faculty members were impressed too. Her presentations were engaging and heartfelt. It was a bonus to have her speak as both a journalist and an author. The students were truly inspired by her, as evidenced by the many students who thanked me for bringing Ms. Abawi to the school. Atia is very personable; and it was also easy working with Conor, her rep. If you are looking for a wonderful speaker experience, I highly recommend Ms. Atia Abawi.”
Diana Armentor | Director of Libraries | The Awty International School
TENT PARTNERSHIP FOR REFUGEES
“Atia was a fantastic moderator for the virtual launch of Tent’s Afghan Refugee Mentorship Program. The level of professionalism, preparation, and poise she brought was exceptional and we’re so grateful to her for her pivotal role in making this meaningful event such a resounding success.”
Haiwen Langworth |Global Director of Communications & Marketing |Tent Partnership for Refugees
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MILWAUKEE
“Atia Abawi connects with all ages by generating dialogue and inspiring solutions through a globally informed and humanitarian perspective. She is a seamless builder of community.”
Laura Klein | Upper School Librarian | University School of Milwaukee
DANA HALL SCHOOL
"Atia is a connector. Everything about the way she approaches her presentations is about connecting with the audience and people around her. Even when she is the center of attention, she is always more curious and inquisitive about others than about herself, making people feel special and important. Atia is masterful at inviting complex issues into the room while making learning accessible. Atia leaves people wanting more and appreciative to have learned from her. She is a bright light!"
Rachel Nagler | Director of Community, Equity and Inclusion | Dana Hall School
INTERNATIONAL SERVICE SUMMIT
“Atia was a fantastic keynote speaker and moderator for our inaugural International Service Summit in 2018. Her level of preparation, professionalism, and composure both on stage and with our participants was exceptional. We are so grateful to Atia for her pivotal role in making this significant event such a resounding success. Her personal experiences and perspective are something everyone should hear, particularly today in these challenging political settings that are impacting the personal living circumstances for countless underserved people around the world.”
Charles R. Newman | Naperville, IL | Rotary Club of Naperville
METAIRIE PARK COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL
"The presentations to our lower school were fabulous. Atia kept students engaged the whole time and they were attentive, asked great questions, and enjoyed the drawing section at the end. (We probably could've kept going!) It was terrific because it was so interactive, and she is a natural at that."
Ninnette Varisco | Director of DEIB | Metairie Park Country Day School