We’re looking forward to introducing you to Shirin Laor Raz Salemnia. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Shirin Laor Raz , thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
Shirin Laor-Raz Salemnia has followed her own tech yellow brick road—from her dream childhood job testing toys and later working on the world’s most iconic fashion doll brands, Barbie and Bratz, to facing an existential crisis and awakening that transformed her career. Choosing purpose over comfort, she became a social impact tech entrepreneur. Today, as Founder of PlayWerks and WhizGirls Academy, Shirin creates interactive media and STEM and tech focused programs that empower the next generation of innovators.
Her impact has been recognized globally: Tribeca Disruptor Fellow, LA City Pioneer Woman of the Year, IJWO Woman of the Year, TEDx speaker, and esteemed panelist at the Milken Institute Global Conference. Shirin taught Tech for Social Impact at USC Viterbi and served on the Television Academy’s Interactive Media Executive Committee and was on the board of the LA Film School Video Game Program and an advisor to the SMC Entertainment and Digital Media program.. She is shaping the future by blending creativity, technology, and social good.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Shirin Laor-Raz Salemnia is the Founder & CEO of PlayWerks and WhizGirls Academy, two ventures at the intersection of storytelling, technology, and social impact. After starting her career working on iconic brands like Barbie and Bratz, Shirin experienced an existential crisis and awakening that led her on her life mission to create platforms that empower the next generation—especially girls and underserved youth—to thrive in STEM. Through gamified, story-driven learning, hackathons, and immersive experiences, she transforms tech literacy into adventure and leadership training. Recognized as a Tribeca Disruptor Fellow, LA Pioneer Woman of the Year, TEDx speaker, and USC professor, Shirin is building the future by inspiring kids to be innovators, create, and lead. Shirin has partnered with her dear friend Brent Bushnell Founder of Two Bit Circus to launch and host the first ever LA Tech Week Mystery Spy Adventure event for kids in Oct 2025.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world tried to define me, I was a dreamer who believed anything was possible. As a child, I was a persistent visionary, fueled by imagination and deeply influenced by the stories and characters I saw in the media. That spark of possibility shaped my path—from working on the world’s biggest fashion doll brands to reimagining how tech and storytelling can empower the next generation.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes—being an entrepreneur with two ventures has been a deeply spiritual journey filled with extreme highs and lows. There were moments I thought about giving up, but each time I was on the red brick road, life redirected me back to the tech yellow brick road where I truly belong. One of the biggest turning points was when I was invited to work with the Obama Administration at the White House—that experience reignited my purpose. Since then, it’s been a wild, unexpected, and powerful ride that continues to shape my mission today. This will all be included in my memoir soon! Stay tuned!!
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes—the public version of me is the real me. I am unapologetically myself and stay true to my own nature. What you see is exactly who I am: someone driven by creativity, purpose, and the belief that anything is possible.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
Yes—early in my career, I landed my dream job working on Barbie and Bratz, two of the biggest fashion doll brands in the world. On paper, it was everything I thought I wanted as a child who grew up obsessed with toys and media. But once I got there, I realized it didn’t fulfill me the way I imagined. That experience sparked an existential crisis—and ultimately pushed me onto the tech yellow brick road, where I could align creativity with purpose and build ventures that truly make an impact.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shirinlaorrazsalemnia.com, www.whizgirlsacademy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shirinsalemnia/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shirin-laor-raz-salemnia-a95381/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@WhizGirlsAcademy
