Mariam Aiyed is a Bay Area-based higher education and operations professional with a background spanning student services, communications, community engagement, and organizational operations.

Raised in Santa Clara as the daughter of two Egyptian immigrants, she grew up deeply influenced by the values of resilience, adaptability, and education, principles that continue to shape both her professional and personal life. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science & Government from San Francisco State University, where she developed a strong interest in ethics, political systems, philosophy, and the social dynamics that influence institutions and communities.

Fluent in both English and the Egyptian dialect of Arabic, Mariam also studied Modern Standard Arabic academically for over ten years, developing a strong appreciation for the language’s linguistic depth and cultural significance.

Her professional journey has included experience across both the tech and higher education sectors. Early in her career, she worked as a contractor within the ecosystem of Meta through quality assurance testing for Oculus software, collaborating with various teams to identify launch-critical issues and improve user experience during development stages. This experience strengthened her ability to think critically, communicate effectively across teams, and thrive within fast-paced operational environments.

She later transitioned into higher education, where she discovered a passion for student-centered work and community building. During her time at Santa Clara University as a Records Coordinator for Graduate Engineering programs, she led the planning and execution of major student and graduate school initiatives, including quarterly orientations, student socials, and the annual Graduate Engineering Commencement Dinner serving hundreds of attendees. She served as the central liaison for graduate student organizations, helping students navigate event planning, funding processes, and organizational logistics while fostering stronger connections across the graduate engineering community. Beyond operational work, she became known for her approachable communication style and the genuine relationships she built with students throughout their academic journeys. She also represented Graduate Programs at high-profile university initiatives and DEI events, such as the Women in STEM and LGBTQ+ in STEM dinners.

She currently serves as an Administrative Services Specialist with the SSLA Project at Stanford Law School, supporting administrative operations, communications, and cross-functional organizational initiatives.

Outside of work, Mariam is an avid reader who can often finish a book in a single day, sometimes two. She enjoys alternating between fiction and autobiographies, with particular interests in philosophy, ethics, political science, and literature that explores identity and human behavior. Writing and storytelling remain important creative outlets for her, especially character-driven narratives and reflective social commentary.

A fun fact about Mariam is that she once spent an entire summer researching her family history after taking a DNA test, combining archival research, historical records, and family storytelling to trace parts of her lineage back several centuries in Egypt.