Photo of Reema Saleh in her graduation cap and gown. She is smiling.

Reema Saleh

Policy professional and creative storyteller in Chicago. Here's where to find her on the internet.

Education

She is currently pursuing her Master of Public Policy at the Harris School. She is a second-year student specializing in global conflict and international development. She is passionate about using her research skills for advocacy-driven storytelling. She is an avid writer, journalist, and digital media producer.

At Harris, Reema is a Pearson and International House Fellow. She is a Research Assistant for Professor Kara Ross Camarena and the Lead Producer for the Root of Conflict Podcast. She serves on the leadership teams for the University of Chicago Public Policy Podcasts and the International Development Policy Association. She brings a breadth of experience from research to storytelling. This summer, she is working for the Institute for Governance Reform, a think tank in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Previously, she completed internships with Freedom House, PartnersGlobal, Advocates for Youth, and the U.S. State Department.

Originally from South Carolina, she graduated from the University of Chicago with degrees in Public Policy and Creative Writing. During her studies, she founded the Partnership for the Advancement of Refugee Rights and received honors for her thesis, a qualitative study on the role of internet messaging in refugee aid. She was awarded the Boren Scholarship for Arabic studies in Jordan and studied abroad in Morocco.

Podcast Production

Reema is the Lead Producer for Root of Conflict, a podcast on violent conflict around the world and the people, societies, and policies it affects. She's gotten involved in all stages of the production process from research to booking guests, interviewing, editing, and marketing. Additionally, she's worked as a producer and editor on The Forum by University of Chicago Public Policy Podcasts, the Embracing Abilities, Expanding Possibilities by Easterseals Serving Chicagoland and Greater Rockford, and Bridging Knowledge & Policy by the Institute for Governance Reform.

Production, Interviewing, and Editing Experience

Photography

Since 2020, Reema has been dedicated to capturing life and people in Chicago. If you'd like to book her for a portrait session or to shoot an event, please reach out.

Journalism

Newspapers and Magazines

Professional Writing

Videography

Members Only explores the ongoing privatization of public space through a focus on the South Shore Cultural Center, challenging us to imagine beyond existing structures toward new possibilities for accessibility and community. This documentary was produced through the Department of Cinema and Media Studies at the University of Chicago and screened publicly on April 1, 2023. Please contact to watch the film.

She creates regular video essays and media commentary on her YouTube channel, Night Owls Media, which she co-produces with her sister.