Meet the Team

Board Members

Shahrzad Shams

President

Shahrzad Shams served as a full-time Assistant Teaching Professor in Persian in the Department of near Eastern Languages and Civilization at the University of Washington.

Leyla Salmassi

Vice President

Leyla Salmassi is a double Huskey with 2 B.A.s and an M.A. from the University of Washington. She is an experienced project and program manager in higher education with a commitment to excellence, diversity, equity, and inclusion in education.

Hamid Attar

Treasurer

Hamid Attar is a Systems Engineering Leader and sits on our board as Peyvand’s treasurer.

Advisory Board

Prof. Naghmeh Samini is the Co-Founder / Artistic Director of Seda Iranian Theater. She is an Iranian-American playwright, scriptwriter, and lecturer in Dramatic Arts. More than twenty of her plays have been staged in Iran, France, India, Canada, the United States and other countries. These include Sleeping in an Empty Cup, Sky Horses Rain Ashes, The Homeland & The Forgotten History of Mastaneh.

Naghmeh Samini

Principal for DAVID WOODWARD & ASSOCIATES LLC (DW) facilitating international K-20 education services, multi-regional business development, and global engagement and change management for institutions.

David Woodward

Babak Parviz is the CEO and founder of NewDays.ai. From 2023 to 2025, he was a venture partner at the Madrona Venture Group primarily focused on venture capital investments in artificial intelligence, healthcare, and deep tech.

Babak Parviz

Mehran received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, in 1996.

Mehran Mesbahi

Arts Advisory Committee

Parisa Ghaderi

Fine Arts / Film

Parisa Ghaderi is a Professor of Graphic Design at Shoreline Community College. She holds a Master of Fine Arts from the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design at the University of Michigan. Her work has been exhibited in renowned museums and galleries worldwide.

Amir Siadat

Film

Amir Siadat is a distinguished scholar, filmmaker, film critic, curator, and educator with extensive experience in the field and deep respect among peers. He has served as the Director of Cinematheque of Tehran Museum of Contemporary Arts.

Naghmeh Samini

Dramatic Arts

Prof. Naghmeh Samini is the Co-Founder / Artistic Director of Seda Iranian Theater. She is an Iranian-American playwright, scriptwriter, and lecturer in Dramatic Arts. More than twenty of her plays have been staged in Iran, France, India, Canada, the United States and other countries. These include Sleeping in an Empty Cup, Sky Horses Rain Ashes, The Homeland & The Forgotten History of Mastaneh.

Parmida Ziaei

Performing Arts

Pamida has been merging her backgrounds in performing arts and Architecture by designing for live theatre, themed entertainment, immersive and branded spaces, and attractions. She has been a scenic and production designer with many local Seattle theatres including ACT, Village Theatre, Seattle Shakespeare Company, ArtsWest, Seattle Public Theatre, Sound Theatre Company, Taproot Theatre among others. Parmida is the co-founder and Producing/ managing director of Seda Iranian Theatre Ensemble. Parmida has been the recipient of multiple residencies including the 2022 Northwest Creator Residency at Village Theatre.