▁Times . ▁Pre viously ▁she ▁was ▁a ▁Senior ▁W riter ▁for ▁The ▁Wall ▁Street ▁Journal ▁for ▁ 1 7 ▁years ▁and ▁a ▁conflict ▁rep orter ▁based ▁in ▁the ▁Middle ▁East . ▁She ▁is ▁a ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁recip ient ▁of ▁an ▁Ell is ▁Island ▁Medal ▁of ▁Honor ▁in ▁recognition ▁of ▁her ▁" dist ingu ished ▁contribution " ▁to ▁America ' s ▁society . ▁ ▁After ▁ 1 4 ▁years ▁covering ▁wars ▁and ▁u pr is ings ▁in ▁the ▁Middle ▁East , ▁F ass i hi ▁returned ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁to ▁focused ▁on ▁writing ▁about ▁diplom acy ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁Nations . ▁F ass i hi ▁is ▁the ▁author ▁of ▁Wait ing ▁for ▁An ▁Ord inary ▁Day , ▁a ▁mem oir ▁of ▁her ▁four ▁years ▁covering ▁the ▁Ira q ▁War ▁and ▁witness ing ▁the ▁un ra vel ing ▁of ▁social ▁life ▁for ▁Ira qi ▁citizens . ▁F ass i hi ▁has ▁won ▁over ▁a ▁dozen ▁major ▁national ▁journal ism ▁awards ▁for ▁her ▁coverage ▁of ▁wars ▁and ▁u pr is ings ▁in ▁the ▁Middle ▁East ▁and ▁an ▁investig ative ▁project ▁about ▁cy ber ▁security . ▁She ▁was ▁a ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁Niem an ▁fellow ▁at ▁Harvard ▁University . ▁ ▁Life ▁F arn az ▁F ass i hi ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁to ▁Iran ian ▁parents ▁and ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁Te h ran ▁and ▁Port land , ▁Oregon . ▁She ▁received ▁an ▁M . S . ▁in ▁journal ism ▁from ▁Columbia ▁University ' s ▁Gr adu ate ▁School ▁of ▁Journal