About Us

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Mana Kharrazi, Executive Director
Ms. Mana Kharrazi is a graduate of Emory University where she received a B.A. in International Studies and Middle Eastern Studies, along with a minor in Persian. Ms. Kharrazi was born in Tehran to Kurdish and Lurish parents, later moving to Germany, and then to the United States. Ms. Kharrazi co-organized a lecture series at Emory in 2006 that brought together academics, artists, and community leaders from the Iranian diaspora. Ms. Kharrazi continues to be actively involved in her local community. She organized a volunteer trip to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, tutored refugee children and assisted in coaching youth soccer. Ms. Kharrazi is currently a Field Organizer at Amnesty International's Southern Regional Office in Atlanta, Georgia. Ms. Kharrazi initially became involved in IAAB as part of Camp Ayandeh; first as a counselor, later as Associate, and finally as the Director in 2008. She enjoys reading, music, films, traveling, and keeping abreast of current affairs and politics in her spare time.

DIRECTORS

Omeed Askari, Director, Development
Mr. Omeed Askari is a student at Boston University where he is pursuing a B.A. in International Relations with a focus on the Middle East, Foreign Policy, & Security Studies. Mr. Askari is an active member in the Student Union, and the Secretary of the Chi Phi Fraternity. In his hometown of Mission Viejo, CA, he is an active volunteer with the California Young Democrats. Mr. Askari is also a volunteer in the Boston community. In 2007, while in Boston, he assisted the staff at the Salvation Army Day Care, helped understaffed schools prepare for the New Year, and worked at a government-subsidized day care in Jamaica Plains, MA. As a student at Boston University, Mr. Askari was invited to IAAB's Student Summit at Wellesely College, where he became first acquainted with the organization. The following summer, he participated in IAAB's Camp Ayandeh, and has since been involved with IAAB. In his spare time, Mr. Askari reads and writes poetry, keeps himself informed of international politics, repairs computers and, of course, continues to be involved with the Iranian community.

Ali Ehteshami, Director, Student Summit
Mr. Alireza Ehteshami is a student at New York University where he is majoring in Philosophy and Religious Studies. He was born in Tehran and moved to the United States in 2001. Mr. Ehteshami first joined IAAB through Camp Ayandeh 2007 as a counselor. Subsequently, he became IAAB's Director of Technology from 2007 to 2009.

Arash Majdi, Director, Finance
Mr. Arash Majdi currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia and is a graduate student at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Mr. Majdi graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering where he formerly was the President of the Georgia Tech Iranian Student Association. Mr. Majdi has been involved with Camp Ayandeh since its inception first as a counselor, then as an Associate, and finally as the Director in 2009.

Leyla Serway, Director, Public Relations
Ms. Leyla Serway is a graduate of James Madison University where she received her B.S. in Public Relations and Marketing. Currently, Ms. Serway is the Marketing & Communications intern for TechnoServe, an international non-profit organization that helps entrepreneurial men and women in developing countries, specifically within Africa, Latin America and Asia, build businesses that create income, opportunity, and economic growth. Her involvement with IAAB began in the summer of 2008 when she served as a counselor at Camp Ayandeh and later continued as an Associate of Public Relations.

Afsoon Talai, Director, Technology
Ms. Afsoon Talai is a student at the Rhode Island School of Design where she is pursuing a degree in Graphic Design. Ms. Talai was born and raised in Norman, Oklahoma. In addition to managing IAAB’s design projects, Ms. Talai has also designed graphics for a number of other organizations and businesses including CNN, Weleda, and First Act. Ms. Talai also serves as a designer for the Museum of Rhode Island School of Design. Ms. Talai initially became acquainted with IAAB through her sister, Afsaneh Talai, who introduced her to the organization. Ms. Talai enjoys painting, drawing, cooking, and reading in her spare time.

Associates

Nikta Akhavani, Associate, Student Summit
Ms. Nikta Akhavan is a student at the University of California, Davis where she is pursuing a degree in International Relations. Ms. Akhavan is a member of UCD's Iranian student cultural group,where she serves on the Board, and is newly involved with Model United Nations. Ms. Akhavan also works as a class note-taker as part of her various campus activities.

Roshan Alemi, Associate, Camp Ayandeh
Ms. Roshan Alemi is from Northern Virginia and is a student at Wellesley College. In the summer of 2007, she interned in Iran at the Center for Sustainable Growth and Environmental Development, where she helped defend the civil rights of nomadic tribes in Iran. Ms. Alemi has participated in Camp Ayandeh since its inception both as an attendee and Associate.

Taraneh Aminian, Associate, Student Summit
Ms. Taraneh Aminian currently resides in California and is a student at the University of California, Santa Barbara where she is pursuing a B.S in Biochemistry. She is a member of the UCSB Persian Student Group and an active member of the UCSB Polynesian Cultural Club. She is also a volunteer at the hospital and elementary school in Santa Barbara. In her hometown of Danville, Ms. Aminian was involved in the Persian community as a student of Nima Farsi Class where she helped organize various community performances and events. Ms. Aminian is fluent in Persian. Ms. Aminian’s involvement with IAAB began in 2007 as a participant of Camp Ayandeh, after which she joined IAAB’s staff.

Pantea Faed,, Associate, Camp Ayandeh
Ms. Pantea Faed is a student at the University of Southern California where she is pursuing a degree in Political Science. Ms. Faed has been involved with IAAB since the summer of 2009 when she served as a counselor at Camp Ayandeh. Throughout her education, Ms. Faed has shown a deep passion for issues of diversity, equity, and justice. She currently serves on her the Student Government Committee on Diversity at USC and is also on the select panel for the university-wide diversity requirement and curriculum committee under the Provost. She has served as a tutor for several years, serves on the executive board of a program that teaches dance classes to underprivileged students, and works for Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards. Ms. Faed is fluent in Persian and remains politically informed.

Taara Khalilnaj, Associate, Public Relationsh
Ms. Taara Khalilnaji grew up in Northern California and currently resides in the Bay Area where she is a student at Santa Clara University. She is currently pursuing a degree in Communications Studies with minors in both the French Language and English Literature. Prior to college, Ms. Khalilnaji was actively involved in her school's Mock Trial program and Save Darfur project. At SCU, she is a proud member of the United Middle East Club, as well as an Assistant Fiction Editor for the University's renowned literary art magazine. Ms. Khalilnaji joins IAAB’s staff this year after participating in Camp Ayandeh for three years, both as an attendee and as staff.

Reza Rad, Associate, Camp Ayandeh
Mr. Reza Rad attends George Washington University where he is pursuing a degree in Biomedical Engineering. Mr. Rad was born in London, England and moved to Northern Virginia when he was nine years old. Mr. Rad has participated in Camp Ayandeh since its inception and is in his second year as an Associate.

Rosa Rad, Associate, Public Relations
Ms. Rosa Rad is a student at the George Washington University where she is pursuing a degree in Middle Eastern Studies and Spanish. She served as Amnesty International’s Student Area Coordinator for the metropolitan DC area and is involved with her school’s Iranian Cultural Society. Ms. Rad is fluent in Persian. Ms. Rad attended Camp Ayandeh since its inception in 2006 and is now a Public Relations Associate with a particular focus on Student Outreach. She enjoys Iranian music, particularly Googoosh, reading the news, dancing, and photography.

Tara Safaie, Associate, Student Summit
Ms. Tara Safaie is a student at the College of William and Mary and is pursuing a degree in International Relations. Her interest lies specifically in the realm of international criminal law, for which she wishes to go to law school after graduation. On her campus, Ms. Safaie has been involved with the Persian Student Organization and an umbrella language-instruction organization through the Persian language classes she teaches. She also pursues her strong interest in photography by leading the Photography Club while also serving as a student member of the College’s Honor Code and Student Conduct Code Appeals Board. Ms. Safaie is involved in the College’s Undergraduate Admissions Office by giving prospective student tours of the campus. Outside of college, Ms. Safaie shares her love of volleyball both as a volunteer coach and a USA Volleyball referee in the Williamsburg area. Ms. Safaie first became involved with IAAB in 2006 as a participant of Camp Ayandeh and later returned to Camp Ayandeh in the summer of 2009 as a counselor.

Yalda Yekta, Associate, Camp Ayandeh
Yalda Yekta is a student at the University of California, Santa Cruz where she is pursuing a degree in Psychology with a minor in Education. Ms. Yekta is actively involved in bringing together the Persian community in Santa Cruz with the Iranian Student Network where she plans and host various events on the UCSC campus. In her spare time, she enjoys playing the piano and enrolling in jazz dance classes. Ms. Yekta became involved with IAAB after participating in Camp Ayandeh the past three years, and after serving as a member of the camp’s staff in 2009.

Narges Bajoghli, Co-Founder
Ms. Narges Bajoghli is a PhD candidate in socio-cultural Anthropology at New York University, focusing on the production of media and popular culture in revolutionary societies, more specifically on the role of the Basij in media production in Iran. Along with Ms. Nikoo Paydar, Ms. Bajoghli co-founded IAAB in 2003, overseeing, among others, the development of its International Conferences on the Iranian Diaspora, Camp Ayandeh, and co-curating TRANSFORM/NATION: Contemporary Art of Iran and Its Diaspora, sister exhibitions in Washington DC and Tehran, summer 2007. Ms. Bajoghli received her M.A. in the Social Sciences, focusing on Anthropology, from the University of Chicago, and her B.A. from Wellesley College in International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies. As the recipient of the Susan Knafel Fellowship, Ms. Bajoghli spent three semesters researching at the University of Tehran's Faculty of Law and Political Science, and developing projects focusing on the victims of chemical weapons during the Iran-Iraq War. After her research in Iran, she was awarded a place at the Hedgebrook Writer's Residency. Ms. Bajoghli has worked extensively with non-profit organizations in Iran and Latin America and has spent time studying at the University of Havana, Cuba, La Casa de las Americas, Cuba, and the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London (SOAS). She is currently developing and curating art exhibitions and exchanges in Havana and Tehran with Ms. Paydar.

Ramin Bajoghli, Former Co-Executive Director and Board Member
Mr. Ramin Bajoghli graduated from Boston University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and in Political Science. Mr. Bajoghli has worked with IAAB since its inception in 2003, holding numerous positions including New England Area Coordinator, Operations Coordinator, Development Coordinator, and most recently Co-Executive Director. Prior to his work with IAAB, Mr. Bajoghli was an active member of Global Learning (GL), a non-profit/non-governmental organization dedicated to the advancement of public education in Latin America. While working with GL, he served as a Country Coordinator in San Jorge, Nicaragua, leading a group of 25 volunteers from 4 different countries to teach over 400 children in 5 public schools. Currently, Mr. Bajoghli is a freelance photographer and TV Producer working mainly in Washington D.C. and New York City. Mr. Bajoghli's interest in film, photography, travel, and social issues led him to direct, write, and produce numerous projects in Nicaragua and Iran including Only In Iran!, a short documentary/narrative exploring the dual identities of Iranian-Americans. He is currently working on several projects including a documentary, entitled In Search of Socrates.

Shirin Hakimzadeh, Former Co-Executive Director and Board Member
Ms. Shirin Hakimzadeh is in her final year at Georgetown University Law Center, where she serves as an Executive Notes Editor of the Georgetown Law Journal. Ms. Hakimzadeh holds a bachelor degree with honors from Rice University in her hometown of Houston, and a master's degree from Oxford University, where she studied Social and Cultural Anthropology as the recipient of the Wagoner Scholarship. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in Mexico, Chile, and London, where she wrote her master's thesis on the integration of second-generation Iranians. Since then, she has written several articles on the Iranian foreign-born in the US and on migration issues relevant to Iran for the Migration Policy Institute. Ms. Hakimzadeh is particularly interested in immigration, asylum, national security, and criminal law. In 2009, she successfully co-represented a Cameroonian asylum seeker in removal proceedings before an immigration court. Upon graduation, Ms. Hakimzadeh will be clerking for the Honorable G. Murray Snow in the District of Arizona.

Amy Malek, Board Member
Ms. Amy Malek is a PhD student at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in Sociocultural Anthropology. Her primary interest is in visual anthroplogy and the study of visual culture, media, and the negotiation of diasporic identity through cultural production in Iran and the Iranian diaspora. Ms. Malek has worked with IAAB since its inception in 2003, serving in multiple roles. She graduated summa cum laude from Emory University with a B.A. in Middle Eastern Studies and International Studies, and holds an M.A. in Anthroplogy from UCLA and an M.A. in Near Eastern Studies from NYU, where she was a MacCracken Fellow. Alongside her graduate studies, Ms. Malek is currently curating an exhibition of Iranian-American documentary photography to be held at the Fowler Museum in Los Angeles in the summer of 2010.

Nikoo Paydar, Co-Founder and Board Member
Ms. Nikoo Paydar is a PhD student at the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London, focusing on representations of Middle Eastern women in early twentieth-century French art. In July 2008, she completed her M.A. in History of Art at the Courtauld Institute as a Stavros S. Niarchos Foundation Scholar. Ms. Paydar worked at the Smithsonian Institution Office of Policy and Analysis in Washington, D.C. and was the 2005 Contemporary Curatorial Intern at the Drawing Center in New York City. She holds a B.A. in the History of Art from Tufts University, where she was a Citizenship and Public Service Scholar and a Tufts Institute for Leadership and International Perspective Student Fellow. Ms. Paydar studied for one year at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, where she created a photo-journal exhibition of Iranian lifestyle and culture that was shown in Boston and London. She co-curated IAAB's TRANSFORM/NATION: Contemporary Art of Iran and Its Diaspora and is currently developing and curating art exhibitions and exchanges in Havana and Tehran with Ms. Bajoghli.