Sharifa's passion for events, venues, and sports began as a high-performance athlete in Upstate New York, where she competed at one of the highest levels in women’s soccer. After concluding her athletic career, she transitioned from participating in sports events to organizing them.
She has since traveled the world, working in venue management, operations, and crowd management for world-class, high-profile events across Canada, the United States, Australia, the England, and Qatar.
Sharifa is currently an Assistant Teaching Professor and Program Lead for the Mega Events Management graduate program and the undergraduate Events & Entertainment Management program at Florida International University's Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. She draws on her academic background, international experience, and industry expertise to education both aspiring and established event professionals.