Featured Expert

Dara is a seasoned media professional with over thirty years of experience across many genres in the media landscape. As President of Creative Strategies Media LLC, a media consulting company, and Enlightened Media LLC, a film production company, Dara’s genuine passion for telling impactful stories has taken her around the globe. Her journey to understand the value systems in Himalayan culture took her to Bhutan in 2008 and led her to initiate the production of the documentary, Bhutan: A Kingdom of Happiness.

As a veteran filmmaker, Dara has written, produced and directed many programs and series for such networks as Animal Planet, CBS, Discovery Channel, Discovery HD-Theater, Discovery Kids, ESPN, Fox, Home and Garden Television, Lifetime Television, National Geographic Channel, Outdoor Life Channel and PBS.

In her work as media strategist, Dara has developed and executed numerous award-winning multi-media projects for academic institutions, associations, corporations and government agencies. As an educator, mentor and dedicated life-long learner, Dara has embraced her work as adjunct professor in the School of Communication at American University since 2004.

She earned her B.A. in Individual Studies from the University of Maryland and her M.A. in Film and Video from American University.