National Iranian American Council

The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) was founded in early 2002, and describes itself as "a non-partisan, non-political, non-sectarian, and non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Iranian-American participation in American civic life." [1]

"NIAC's activities will center around four separate objectives:

• "Building a database of Iranian American organizations through services and activities that support collaboration and cooperation among grassroots groups.
• "Encouraging opportunities for the Iranian-American community to represent itself in its own words and on its own terms by promoting media outlets directed at enhancing public awareness and education about the community.
• "Supporting capacity-building activities for Iranian-American organizations through information sharing, professional development, voter registration and the promotion of philanthropy among Iranian-Americans.
• "Fostering greater understanding between Iran and the United States by creating opportunities for Iranian-Americans to serve as a natural bridge between both peoples." [2]

"NIAC is launching its Public Service and Journalism Fellowship Program for Iranian-American youth next year, and will aim to award its first group of fellows in Summer 2005 with internship placements." [3]

NIAC runs the US-Iran Media Resource Project, which is funded through grants by Connect US Fund and the Ploughshares Fund.

Funding

NIAC has been, according to its 2003 annual report, a recipient of grants from the following U.S. foundations:

• The Open Society Institute
• Tides Foundation
• National Endowment for Democracy
• Kenbe Foundation
• Kamyar and Goli Foundation

Staff 2006

• Neda Almubarak, Intern
• Shervin Boloorian, Legislative Director
• Marjan H. Ehsassi, Board Member And Director Of Legal Programs
• Goli Fassihian, Communications Consultant
• Nathan C. Hunerwadel, Intern
• Dr. Mohammad Mansouri, Project Manager
• Sean Murphy, Board Member And Technology Advisor
• Trita Parsi, President
• Melahat Rafiei, Development Consultant
• Ashton Rogers
• Ehsan Tabesh, Office Manager

Source

Directors 2006

• Trita Parsi, President
• Djamshid Foroughi, Secretary
• Parissa Behnia
• Shahri Estakhry
• Hossein Hosseini
• Mohamad Navab
• Alex Patico, Treasurer
• Mojtaba Akbarzadeh
• Ali Dabiri
• Elahe Enssani
• Sean Murphy

Source

Emeritus Board members and former Executive Directors

• Dokhi Fassihian, August 2003-September 2005
• Marjan H. Ehsassi, January 2003-August 2003

Advisory Board 2006

On its website, the NIAC listed the members of its Advisory Committee, as of November 2006, as comprising

• Abol Ardalan, Phd
• Michael Chegini, Phd
• Hadi Ghaemi, Phd
• Matt Ghaffari
• Ali Golchin
• Thomas Greene Phd
• Ladan Manteghi
• The Honorable Jim Moody Phd
• Davood Rahni, Phd
• Nader Rastegar, MBA
• Babak Talebi
• Saeed Tavazoie

[4]

Board of Directors (November 2004)

• Trita Parsi, President, PhD Candidate, Johns Hopkins University
• Alex Patico, Treasurer, Deputy Director, IIED
• Jamshid Foroughi, Secretary, Vice President, Citibank
• Michael Chegini, PhD, CEO and President, Owen Group
• Marjan H. Ehsassi, Esq.
• Hadi Ghaemi, PhD, Independent Researcher
• Ali Golchin, Esq.]]
• Ladan Manteghi, AARP
• Sean Murphy, COO, Capitol Advantage
• Nader Rastegar, MBA

Advisory Board (November 2004)

• The Honorable Jim Moody, PhD, Morgan Stanley
• Saeed Tavazoie, PhD, Associate Professor, Princeton University
• Abdol Ardalan, PhD, President, AAA Consulting
• Thomas Greene, PhD, Retired US Diplomat
• Matt Ghaffari, Olympic Medalist

• Executive Director - Dokhi Fassihian, MA

Source

Publications

• "NIAC 2003-2004 Annual Report"
• Trita Parsi, "Washington's Enrichment Fetish", tompaine.com, August 28, 2006.
• Trita Parsi, "Treacherous Triangle – The Secret Dealings of Israel, Iran and the United States", Yale University Press 2007.

Contact

Web: http://www.niacouncil.org