Mara Schiffren, PhD, was born in New York City and moved around between the two coasts of the USA as a child. In college she competed in fencing and soccer, then moved to Israel to pursue her interest in studying Jewish history and religion. There, she became passionate about her studies and decided to pursue advanced academic work. This culminated in a Doctorate in The Study of Religion at Harvard University with a focus on Jewish history and theology. She currently resides in North Salem, NY, with her dog and cat, where she writes for local papers and coaches Peak Performance and Creativity.