From Immigrant to Ambassador

What remains of us when we remove titles, roles, and expectations? Who are we when we stop trying to prove that we “belong” — and begin living from our own truth?

In this conversation, Nathalie Rayes, former United States Ambassador to Croatia, shares her journey from a Venezuelan-Lebanese refugee family to the highest levels of U.S. diplomacy and the leadership of one of the world’s largest international NGOs. As she works on her autobiography, Nathalie returns to questions of identity, belonging, and inner strength — the very forces that shaped her long before any formal position of power.

The conversation is guided by Iva Biondić, creating a space of presence, empathy, and meaning. At a time when she herself is finishing her first book, Iva and Nathalie open a dialogue on how women, through personal stories, heal lived experiences, build resilience, and leave a legacy that goes far beyond a career.