​My work as a coach, consultant, and educator is one of the cornerstones of my creative practice, standing alongside my directing and writing.  I believe in holding space for artists, leaders, and organizations to be fully seen and heard -- in order to learn, develop, and create towards a more just, sustainable, and compassionate world.
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With playwright Nathan Alan Davis before the premiere of Nat Turner in Jerusalem at New York Theatre Workshop, developed at Merrimack Repertory Theatre and New York Theatre Workshop, 2016.
Coaching actor Jackie Roth during the PlayPenn new play development conference in Philly.

With my wife, psychologist and leadership consultant Candice Crawford-Zakian, I co-own HumanStudio, LLC, a boutique consultancy dedicated to the development and practice of creative leadership, currently focusing on programs at the intersection of unconscious group dynamics, racial identity, and leadership.

I coach individuals -- artists, administrators, playwrights, performers -- on the development of artistic projects and career goals.
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I'm a co-founder of Maia Directors, a consulting group for artists and organizations wishing to engage in an accurate and nuanced way with stories from the Middle East and beyond.  

Maia Directors meeting at The Lark in NYC (L to R: Kareem Fahmy, Megan Sandberg-Zakian, Evren Odcikin, Pirronne Yousefzadeh)

And ​I'm an Associate with ALJP Consulting, a POC-led executive search firm addressing the contemporary challenges of the non-profit arts and culture sector, with a focus on the creation of more diverse and inclusive environments.

​Want to talk about any of this? Please reach out!
Speaking to supporters of California Shakespeare Theatre before the world premiere of Madhuri Shekar's House of Joy.