The purpose of this organization is:
• To assist low income or no income families
. To provide affordable housing
. To provide support services and employment
. To advocate women’s right
. To provide basic communication
. To help resolve family problems
. To provide immigration services
. To help drug and alcohol addiction
. Raise awareness of the Persian Culture and Community to the younger generation.
Shahbod Noori, Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Shahbod Noori is the Executive Director and Publisher of Tehran International Weekly Magazine, one of the leading Persian-Language magazine in the United States and around the World since 1996. He started his publishing company in 1989 with The Original Bazaar Weekly, the first free classified and advertising paper among Iranians residing in Southern California. Besides being a publisher, Noori has always shown great concern for social issues within the Iranian community. Both as a journalist and publisher he does not only try to be a true voice of Iranians in Southern California and around the globe, but also helps many in the community at times of despair and hardship. His passion for social justice and helping the most vulnerable women and children in the society has led him to find The Persian Relief Center.
Mastaneh Ekhtebar, Secretary/Executive Director
Mastaneh Ekhtebar was born in Iran and raised in Germany before she moved to the United States in 1992. She received her Bachelor Degree of Science in Nursing from California State University Northridge. Along with raising two children, she has helped her husband, Shahbod Noori, with the publish business in the past, and has continued to support his efforts helping out Iranian community to this date. She acquired her Realtor license in 2006 and is currently working with one of the lead realty companies in Southern California.
Saman Dameshghi, Chief Financial Officer
Saman Dameshghi has been working at Tehran Magazine since 2006 as a graphic designer. She studied Graphic Design and graduated from Bahai University in Tehran before she moved to the United States in 2005.
Saman has been a valued and trusted employee at Tehran Magazine as well as a big supporter of The Persian Relief Center since it’s founding.
Board Members
Haideh Sheikhvand, Journalist, Real Estate Agent
Haideh Sheikhvand has worked as a Real Estate agent in California since 1999. She studied Accounting at Seattle Community College and continued her education in Business Finance at Washington State University. Writing has always been her hobby and although she currently translates and writes various news for Tehran Magazine, her passion is writing as a critic about political and social issues.
Being aware and interested in human rights and social issues has driven her to get involved as a sponsor and a volunteer with many Non-profit and Charitable organizations such as The Child Foundation, Children Cancer Society, Family Health Alliance and Persian Relief Center.
Hoda Kord, Writer, Poet, TV Anchor
Hoda Kord’s first poems were published in major magazines like Sepid&Siah, Ferdosi and Tehran Mosavar when she was only sixteen. She started writing as well as hosting a radio show in Iran at the age of seventeen. After working several years at various programs in Iran’s Radio and TV, she attended The University of London in 1976 to study Journalism. She also received a Certificate in Dramatic Art & Screen Writing from Hammersmith Royal Society, and her first book of poems was published in 1980. In 1982, after writing countless poems and articles for varies Persian magazines in England and United States, she started hosting her show at JameJam, one of the first Iranian TV channels in Los Angeles, where she interviewed many political figures of that time. Hoda Kord has five published books as well as many published stories and essays.
Manzar Kalaleh, Social Worker, Legal Assistant
Manzar Kalaleh worked as an analyst at Iran’s Staff Department for over ten years before she moved to the United States. She received her degree in Human Services from The University of Phoenix and started her own organization, Kia Social Services in 1995. She has provided her service as a paralegal and social worker since than.
Over the years, although a single mom of two boys, she has always found the time to volunteer and use her expertise to help the Iranian community with their immigration, legal and social issues.
Dr. Mehrdad Alborz, Attorney
Mehrdad Alborz has been practicing Law in California since 1997. He received his degree in Computer Science and Automation Engineering from The University of California Northridge in 1992. He continued his education in law and graduated from UWLA Law School in 1995. Working as an attorney, Dr.Alborz helps many families in times of crisis by volunteering his expertise and holding free workshops to inform people in the community in regards to various sectors of law such as new immigration laws.
Leila Forouhar, Actress, Singer
Leila Forouhar was born into an artists family for her father, Jahangir Forouhar,
has already had established a solid background in the Iranian entertainment industry. Farangis Farahzadi, Leila’s mother, is also a well-known film and theater actress. In addition to music, Leila was also an actress having played in many Persian films of the 1960s and 1970s. At a very young age she was on the stage with her father, mother and the great actor of Iran’s theater, Arham Sadr, at the theater of Sepahan Esfehan and became known as a child star of Iran. Leila proved brilliance while acting in the movies such as Soltane Ghalbha. Leila started her singing career when she was 14 years old, after the Iranian Revolution in 1979 she remained in Iran but did not perform or record due to the ban on solo female singers.
In 1988, Leila and her family moved to the United States. By the 1990`s she re-established her reputation as a popular female vocalist amongst Persian audiences and performs in concerts around the world.
Leila Forouhar is a well established star with an impressive fan base. She is also well –beloved activist for human rights in the Persian community.
Fariba Forouhar, Actress, Producer
Fariba Forouhar has been involved in the entertainment industry first as an actress and singer herself, then producing videos, music and managing her sister, Leila Forouhar’s career.
At the age of 12 she performed her first live theater performance next to great figures like Shohreh Aghdashloo, Mahin Beghim and Mehri Vedadian.
Since 1985 Fariba has become Leila’s producer and manager, putting aside her performing abilities and focusing on Leila’s career. In the last 20 years she has developed a great relationship with the Persian entertainment industry, musicians, writers and directors.
Fatima Lahouty, Mediation Associatesِ
Dr.Fatima Lahouty, the founder of Mediation Associates, has obtained her Jurist Doctorate from the Abraham Lincoln University School of Law, a Master Degree in Organizational Management and Bachelor of Science Degree in Construction Management. She has also completed Mediation Training Program at The Loyola Law School Center for Conflict Resolution and Mediation Training Program, with a focus on Win-Win Negotiations at The University of California Los Angeles Legal Programs. Dr. Lahouty’s 20 years of direct experience provides a foundation for understanding and empathizing with disputants. Her training, skills and experiences in mediation and facilitation provides a process that works for all parties. Dr. Lahouty has helped many families as well as businesses in the Persian community and is a Winner of the 2007 Leadership Award for Communications.