Illen is a writer and Creative Strategist at Meta, where she works across Retail, Care Packaged Goods, and Health with a focus in the Food and Beverage space, partnering with global clients such as J.M. Smuckers, Ferrera, and Mondelez to turn people-first ideas into creative campaigns.

Born and raised in Washington D.C., she began her career in advertising after graduating summa cum laude from Amherst College in 2018. Prior to her position at Facebook, Illen worked at The Moth, curating live storytelling events across the U.S. Growing up as a first-generation Eritrean-American, Illen knows first-hand the importance of representation and the value of a multicultural perspective. She brings that passion for diversity and inclusion into her work, where she has collaborated extensively on projects aimed at amplifying creators and businesses of color.

Notably, Illen co-created a Facebook Watch content series to spotlight creatives of color at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival through Meta’s SEEN program, which aims to drive representation in the entertainment industry. In addition, as part of #BuyBlackFriday, a global Instagram initiative dedicated to highlighting Black-owned businesses, Illen partnered with the IG Product and Community teams to develop the first-ever GIPHY sticker tray and campaign to spotlight Black-owned businesses on Instagram.

Outside of work, Illen is a mentor with Girls Write Now, a writing program for girls and gender-expansive teens of color in New York City as well as an active member of the Amherst College Black alumni chapter, leading alumni networking and events.