About
I use play to bring stories into focus and make room for new possibilities.
I’m a designer, filmmaker, educator, and artist whose work explores memory, belonging, culture, and community.
My creative path began in graphic design, helping organizations communicate through branding, packaging, and visual storytelling. Growing curiosity about the stories behind people, places, and culture led me to earn a master’s degree in Visual Anthropology at USC. This expanded my practice into documenting lives and preserving cultural memory.
Today, I bring these experiences together through design, documentary and commercial filmmaking, teaching, and participatory workshops. I help people shape and share their stories, discover their creative voice, and see new possibilities for themselves and their communities.
One question continues to guide me:
What does it mean to find home in a place, in a story, and in ourselves?
At Wish Doll Making Workshop
LAYO Concert Collateral Design at Saban Theatre
Workshop for CSUN Art and Design at Tool Box LA in Chatsworth, CA
The Fifth Question Best Documentary Award
Food Packaging Creative Direction & Illustration
Experimental Short Film Workshop - Published at AIGA Educator's Conference
What I do
I work across several connected areas:
Filmmaking
Creating documentaries that explore identity, memory and belonging, and commercials that bring the stories of brands and organizations to life.
Creating documentaries that explore identity, memory and belonging, and commercials that bring the stories of brands and organizations to life.
Design
Developing visual identities, publications, exhibitions, and storytelling experiences rooted in strategy and human connection.
Developing visual identities, publications, exhibitions, and storytelling experiences rooted in strategy and human connection.
Teaching & Mentorship
Helping students and emerging creatives discover their own voice while building the skills to communicate it effectively.
Helping students and emerging creatives discover their own voice while building the skills to communicate it effectively.
Community Workshops
Designing participatory experiences where storytelling, making, and dialogue become tools for connection across generations and cultures.
Designing participatory experiences where storytelling, making, and dialogue become tools for connection across generations and cultures.
Selected Highlights
• Lecturer, USC Roski School of Art and Design
• Instructor, UCLA Extension
• Taught design practice, history, and professional development at California State University, Northridge for 15 years
• More than 25 years of professional experience in graphic design
• MA in Visual Anthropology, University of Southern California
• Featured artist in Meet Your Neighbor, the inaugural exhibition at Holocaust Museum LA’s Goldrich Cultural Center
• Director of The Fifth Question, Between the Shells, and the documentary in development, My Lost Iran
Holocaust Museum LA Permanent Exhibit
With Colleagues at California State University Northridge
Film Directing for "My Lost Iran"
Client Testimonials
Shirin's graphic designs for the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra have created a new level of excitement and respect for our organization. How rare that a graphic designer excels in so many formats! Shirin's logos, invitations, posters, and brochures all inspire a "wow" effect from everyone that sees them. I am struck by her flair to intuit the heart of the message we are after, and then to create striking visuals that bring that message to such life.
–Russell Steinberg, Artistic Director at
Los Angeles Youth Orchestra
Upon our decision to improve our company's branding and expanding our product line to gain a competitive edge, there were several qualities we identified that were most critical to us. Understanding our industry, creatively incorporating our views and ideas, and working closely with us toward a timely fulfillment. Shirin surpassed our expectations on all accounts. We've received countless compliments from consumers and distributors and I look very forward to continue working with her on all our designing needs.
–Jason and Mark Rofeh, Serengeti Tea Company
–Russell Steinberg, Artistic Director at
Los Angeles Youth Orchestra
Upon our decision to improve our company's branding and expanding our product line to gain a competitive edge, there were several qualities we identified that were most critical to us. Understanding our industry, creatively incorporating our views and ideas, and working closely with us toward a timely fulfillment. Shirin surpassed our expectations on all accounts. We've received countless compliments from consumers and distributors and I look very forward to continue working with her on all our designing needs.
–Jason and Mark Rofeh, Serengeti Tea Company
Student Testimonials
You are a wonderful professor and mentor. Thank you. I will continue to improve, I will never forget your teachings. I have truly learned a lot. Some students like myself just need confidence, and thank you for showing the way. Product design wasn't my major when I came to CSUN, after taking your class and talking to you it helped me a lot to make that decision. Hope you will continue to teach and I wish you all the best.
–Mark Miranda, Packaging student CSUN
Your class was so helpful for me this past semester. I really benefited from the lectures on interviewing and resumes, and all the group work. I applied for Anthropologie and am now a part-time employee there! (I did what you said, I created a vintage inspired resume and folder (handmade). You were right about going out and "Just doing it" once you know what you love. I also created an artistic resume and spread sheet of some of my make-up designand have an interview with Clinique.
Thanks again, your class was such a great experience for me. I've really learned how to sell myself by going the extra mile with the resume and overall presentation.
–Jackie Burch, Illustration student CSUN