November 23rd, Los Angeles, CA – With the two-year term of its first Board coming to an end, the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) today announced Board and Management transitions at year-end.
PAAIA will be holding elections for the upcoming two year (2011-2012) Board of Directors in mid-December. One of the distinguishing hallmarks of PAAIA since its inception has been its transparent governance structure and the limitation on the term limits set for its Board of Directors. According to its By-Laws, PAAIA Board members are elected for a 2 year term. In addition, no Board member can stand for election beyond two consecutive terms. Consistent with its commitment to a democratic process and ensuring that its Board serves as temporary stewards of the organization, a slate of nominees for election to the Board will be announced shortly and eligible members will be invited to vote over a weeklong period around mid-December.
Coincident with the end of the current Board's term, Dr. Mahasti Afshar is also stepping down from her role as the organization's Executive Director. During her year-long tenure, Dr. Afshar instituted a number of nationwide initiatives, including the highly-successful Mentorship Program and the recently launched "3Seen" and "Persian Thanks" programs. Building on the strength of established, signature programs such as "Passing the Torch of Success" and the newly launched initiatives, the organization saw its membership grow significantly during her tenure as Executive Director.
"We are grateful to Mahasti for moving our organization to the next level", said Dr. Hamid Biglari, Chairman of the Board of PAAIA. "Her focus on empowering our youth will have a profound and lasting impact on future generations of Iranian Americans."
To ensure an orderly transition, PAAIA has appointed Mr. Morad Ghorban as the Acting Executive Director while conducting a nationwide search to identify and hire the organization's next chief executive. Mr. Ghorban has served as PAAIA's Legislative Director since 2008. "As the longest-serving officer in the organization, the Board has had ample experience with and confidence in Morad," said Dr. Firouz Naderi, Vice Chairman of the Board. "He will bring a capable pair of hands to the management of the organization while new elections take place and a newly-elected Board takes responsibility for appointing the next ED."
As PAAIA embarks on its fourth year of existence, the Board of Directors of PAAIA is grateful to the community for the support it has shown to the organization. At its recent October retreat, the Board unveiled its 2-year strategy to its Trustees. The strategy and associated plans and activities were met with the unanimous support of the Trustees. In its next phase, PAAIA will focus on strengthening its eight chapters and continuing to pursue its many successful programs, including Passing the Torch of Success, national surveys, and the Mentorship program.
About PAAIA
The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nonreligious membership organization that serves the domestic interests of Iranian Americans and represents the community before U.S. policymakers and the American public at large. PAAIA's affiliate 501c3 organization, PAAIA Fund, conducts programs in the areas of education, information dissemination and community development and carries the weight of the organization's philanthropic and public service mission nationally.
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