Persian Cultural Foundation (PCF)

Maboud Ansari, Ph.D.

Dr. Maboud Ansari (Professor of Sociology) received his B.A. from Teachers College, Tehran, Iran, his M.A. from Tehran University, and Ph.D. from the New School for Social Research. He teaches History of Social Theory, Modern Sociological Theory, Muslims and Islamic Institutions in the U.S. -both at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

His books include The Making of the Iranian Community in America (1992); Iranian Immigrants in the United States (Associated Faculty Press, 1988); Modern Sociological Theories (1979); translation into Persian, The Sociological Imagination by C. Wright Mills' (1979); a translation into Persian of Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (1993), He also wrote two entries for publication in the Encyclopedia of New York State on "Islam in New York State" and "Iranian-Americans." His current research interests focus on second generation Iranians in United States.

Prof. Ansari was a board member of Persian, Cultural and Humanitarian Associations of New Jersey from 1985-2000. He was also the director of a cultural program at the William Paterson University, teaching Persian language and culture from 1986-2000. He is advisor to the Student Muslim Association on William Paterson University. He is involved in various cultural and social events in the Persian community and was the editor/publisher of an Iranian-American magazine called Pardis (1992-1995). He is frequently interviewed in the Persian media and is a contributor to The Iran Times published in Washington, DC. Since 1997, he has also been an editorial member of CIRA Journal (Center for Iranian Research and Analysis).

Fereshtah Bekhrad

Fereshteh Bekhrad has over thirty-five years of domestic and international experience in Management, Design and Development. Her expertise is Asset & Crisis Management, Architecture, Urban Design, Advocacy & Comprehensive Planning and Development.

Ms. Bekhrad is the Chair and Founder of Elmhurst Inc. since 1993. A multidisciplinary Design, Development and Management Corporation in charge of design, development, asset management, operation and revitalization of a numerous projects domestically and internationally.

In 1973, Ms. Bekhrad received her Masters Degree in Urban Design and Architecture from Washington University. In 1970, she completed her Masters in Architecture, with honors, at University of Tehran, Iran. In addition, she received her Certificate in Development Management from the Wharton School of Business in 1979. Bekhrad has lectured and published in the Planning, Design and Development and is the recipient of numerous Design, Achievement, Performance and Development Awards.

Member of Board of Trustee of Iranian-American Political Action Committee
Member of the New Haven Urban Design League 2003
Member of Iranian American Society of New York 2001
Member of the Board of Trustees of Encyclopedia Iranica affiliated with Columbia University
Member of the American Institute of Certified Planners since 1986
Member of the American Planning Association since 1985
Member of the American Institute of Architects since 1979

Mehrangiz Kar

Mehrangiz Kar is an attorney, a writer, and an activist having worked towards the promotion of democracy, rule of law and human rights within the framework of the Islamic law of the Islamic Republic of Iran since the revolution in 1979. She has been an active public defender in Iran's civil and criminal courts and has published, on a regular basis, in several influential and independent journals. Ms. Kar used international forums as a platform for voicing her opinions and advocating for the democratic, political, legal, constitutional, and human rights of the Iranian people.

Ms. Kar has lectured at Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; Radcliff Institute of Fellows, Harvard University; Department of Middle East and Asian Languages and Culture, Columbia University; University of Virginia; and Washington College of Law, American University. She is currently teaching at Washington College of Law.

She has also been a Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy, Senior Fellow at Toda Institute for Global Peace and Policy Research, Japan, a Labor Law Specialist, The Ministry of Labor and Social Security, Iran and, currently, an Attorney at Law.

Ms. Kar has published numerous books and articles on "legal and women issues" in Iran. She has been a member of the Bar Association of Iran, Pen Club of the United States, and Board of Directors of Iranian Pen Club.

She has been the recipient of the 2001 Vasyl Stus Freedom-to-Write Award of PEN, New England, 2002 Hellman/Hammett Grant from Human Rights Watch, 2002 Democracy Award of the National Endowment for Democracy (USA), 2002 Ludovic Terrarium International Human rights Prize (France), and 2004 Annual Human Rights Award.

Ahmad Karimi-Hakkak, Ph.D.

Ahmad Karimi-Hakkak is Professor and Founding Director of the Center for Persian Studies at the University of Maryland. For nineteen years before that he was Professor of Persian language and literature and Iranian culture and civilization at the University of Washington. He has studied in Iran and the United States, receiving his Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Rutgers University in 1979, and has taught English and comparative literature and translation studies, as well as classical and modern Persian literature at the University of Tehran, Rutgers University, Columbia University, and the University of Texas.

Professor Karimi-Hakkak is the author of eighteen books and over one hundred major scholarly articles. He has contributed entries on Iran and Persian literature to many reference works, including the Encyclopedia Britannica, The Encyclopaedia Iranica, and the Encyclopedia of Translation Studies. His works have been translated into French, Dutch, Spanish, Russian, Greek, Arabic, Persian, and Japanese. He has won numerous awards and honors, and has served as President of the International Society for Iranian Studies and several other professional academic organizations.

Ahmad Karimi-Hakkak is married and has two sons, Kusha Karimi and Kia Karimi.

Rose M. Day, ESQ.

Rose M. Day graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business. Upon graduating from NYU, she received a Series & Investments licence and worked on Wall Street for a few years as an investment advisor to a private institutional investor. She subsequently received a Juries Doctorate degree from Albany Law School of Union University.

She is the president and managing attorney of a Great Neck, New York based law firm. She specializes in civil litigation and is committed to protecting the rights of injured individuals. She is sustaining member of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association. She is an active contributor to the Salvation Army Dance Program which provides cultural dance programs for underprivileged children. She is also committed to causes for the prevention of cruelty to animals and is an animal right activist.

Reza Moini, PE

Reza Moini is a registered professional engineer, residing in California. He holds a master degree in mechanical engineering. He is a member of AMSE and holder of several civic and community awards. He has worked for over 30 years in Multinational Engineering Corporations in the United States and overseas, he is an expert in the areas of design, and supervision of the petrochemical and mining facilities. His work has covered a vast area from the oil fields in southern Iran to the Alaskan tundra. Since 1995, he has been a senior partner and managing director in a Commercial Real State Partnership.

Reza has had journalistic activity in Iran as well, for 7 years he worked in Keyhan news paper, where he worked in "Keyhan Publications" and "Ketab-e Hafteh" a weekly popular magazine. It was in these years that he was asked to be the managing editor of "CHEHREHAY-e ASHENA" the first book of biography ever published in Iran in 1965. The book contains over 1000 names of many Iranians from all levels and categories.

Reza's love for the Persian Art and Culture has always been the motive behind his tireless compassionate work; He has sponsored, organized and coordinated many Iranian events consisting of poetry, lectures and seminars, he has been host or committee member in invitations and coordination or host to Icons of the Iranian contemporary art and literature such as the late Faridoun Moshiri, Simin Behbahani, Houshang Ebtehaj and recently the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Shirin Ebadi in Stanford University. He has been one of the founders of Anjoman Sokhan and member of the board of the Society of Iranian Professionals "SIP" since November 2001 in northern California. He also serves as the Executive Director of PCF Branch in California.

Contact Reza at reza@persiancultural.org

Jasmin Moshirpur, M.D.

Jasmin Moshirpur, M.D. is the Dean for Elmhurst and Queens Hospital Center Programs at The Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Regional Medical Director, Queens Health Network, which includes Elmhurst Hospital Center and Queens Hospital Center. Dr. Moshirpur attended the Shiraz School of Medicine in Iran where she received her MD degree in 1962. She immigrated to the United States in 1963.

Dr. Moshirpur began her career at Elmhurst Hospital Center in 1970 as Director of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Out-Patient Department. In July 1977, Dr. Moshirpur became Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Elmhurst Hospital Center. In 1987 she was promoted to Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at The Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She has been President of the Saul B. Gusberg Society, President of the Queens Gynecology Society, and is currently the President of the Shiraz University School of Medical Sciences Alumni Association and the President of the Iranian-American Medical Association, New York Chapter, and is a member of the American Academy of Medical Directors. In addition, Dr. Moshirpur plays a pivotal role in an advisory capacity for the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation.

Dr. Moshirpur is highly regarded for her passionate commitment to women’s health issues and is a vocal advocate for excellence in medical care. She has recently been honored by Shareing and Careing, a breast cancer support group, and recognized by both the City Council of the City of New York and the New York State Assembly.

Dr. Moshirpur was a devoted wife to the late Iraj Iraj, M.D., a prominent cardiologist. She adroitly managed to balance an accomplished professional career with equal success as a mother, raising three children, John, Gita and Cameron.

David N. Rahni , Ph.D.

David N. Rahni is recognized for his three decades of community based leadership endeavors in the Persian American Community and beyond. He has extensively written on civil and constitutional rights as it is pertinent to the recent immigrants. His writing on the historical and cultural aspects of the people of Iran is also regarded well in the community. He has served as the co-founders of numerous Persian-American organizations.

David N. Rahni is Professor of Chemistry at Pace University, New York since 1986. He has served as Pace’s founding director of the graduate program in Environmental Science. He has been the recipient of the 2000 Algorithm Scientific International Award, co-sponsored by many agencies including the UNDP, UNESCO and the Third World Academy of Sciences. He was selected the 1996 Distinguished Scientist by the American Chemical Society’s Westchester Section. During 1993-94, he was a Fulbright Senior Research Scholar at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and Visiting Professor at the University of Oxford, UK. Dr. Rahni has held visiting scientist positions with IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center and Ciba-Geigy Research Division.

Professor Rahni earned his Ph.D. and completed postdoctoral studies in Analytical Chemistry at the (L.S.U.) University of New Orleans (1980-86), preceded by his earning an M.S. in Chemistry at Eastern New Mexico University (1980), and a B.Sc. in Chemistry at the National University (1979). David Rahni has been the author of over 175 publications. He is the co-author of the book, Bio-imaging in Neuro-degeneration published by Humana Press. A recipient of the 1997-98 Kenan Award for Teaching Excellence, David Rahni has organized, and chaired numerous workshops and symposia, as typified by his fundraising and program leadership for the Am. Chem. Soc. His other contributions include past membership on the Environmental Advisory Council for the U.S. 20th Congressional District Representative, Nita M. Lowey, his leadership role as a founding member and President in Partners for Sustainable Development, a group in the Lower Hudson Valley, New York State wide Initiatives for Economic Development and Climatic Change Conference, and Board Member of Federated Conservationist of Westchester County.

David Rahni’s website is at www.DrRahni.com