As she writes in her memoir:

“There’s a saying that girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice. I’d say that girls are made up of the same things that boys are made up of; it’s culture that tells them otherwise. In my case, I was the son my father never had and the daughter my mother didn’t want.”

Samina grew up on Staten Island, New York, and from Day One, she has been fighting to create the life of her dreams. As the child of immigrants, she had to find her own way in a world of contradictions.

Compliance to cultural norms has never been her way. Instead, she envisioned the life she ultimately wanted and set her intention to manifest her dreams. This caused endless friction between her and her mother, who held dear the notion of a woman’s role in her religion. By contrast, her father quietly supported Samina's “westernization” although also wished she would obey some of their culture’s customs. 

Her experience of growing up as “other” in the 1970’s and 80’s without support or role models made her formative years feel like an obstacle course. While navigating the minefield of cultural expectations and disapproval of her mother, she charted a path forward armed with only her own will to succeed. 

From her youth through early professional years, she rejected the cultural expectations of her and found like-minded women who became lifelong friends. She also found professional allies in men who recognized her drive and ambition, valuing those qualities rather than diminishing them. 

Her career has been defined by her ability to navigate complexity, drive innovation, and create opportunities for growth and success. She has been responsible for high-profile acquisitions, provided strategic vision for industry-leading companies, and advocated for diverse perspectives and non-traditional thinking. 

Her personal journey—defying cultural expectations, pursuing professional aspirations, and weathering significant personal challenges—has deepened her commitment to empowering others to achieve their full potential, and she is deeply committed to being a woman who helps other women, personally and professionally. 

Today, Samina is fueled by purpose. She is the mother of amazing twin girls. She is a woman who knows deeply what it means to have loved and lost. She is central figure in a Chosen Family that she has created for herself and her family. She is a trailblazing executive who has opened doors for herself and for others. She is an investor who wants to actively help shape a future for her children. She is living a story that is far from over.