Neda Farid
Acting President
Chair of LA Region
Neda has been actively involved in AD-43 for about 30 years and is passionate about public education, social justice, the arts, and equity issues. Professionally, she practices in the area of Special Education Advocacy, while continuing to tackle issues relating to social justice, mental health, and public education, especially among immigrant communities.
Neda is an active volunteer with a multitude of local city, county, and state organizations serving underrepresented populations. She supports the community pro bono, especially the Iranian-immigrant community, through tax season, with services for parents with special needs children, and by assisting our Iranian and Iranian-Armenian homeless seniors and youth off the streets.
Alex Mohajer
Acting Vice President
Vice Chair of LA Region
Alex is an award-winning political activist, organizer, and journalist. He is the Regional Chair of the Iranian American Democrats representing Los Angeles and serves as the first Iranian American and millennial president of the Stonewall Democrats, one the nation’s oldest and largest LGBTQ+ political advocacy organizations. He is the recipient of a Truman Award from DPSFV for executive producing the National Vote-at-Home Initiative during the 2020 election and a 2018 Excellence in Journalism Award from the National Association of LGBTQ Journalists. He holds a BA from UC Berkeley and a JD from Chapman University School of Law.
Negeen Sadeghi-Movahed
Secretary
Appointed Parliamentarian
Activist and Consumer Protection Attorney based in Los Angeles, CA, Past Chairwoman of the American Bar Association’s Law Student Division and former Associate Director of the Iranian American Women Foundation, featured Analyst in several Iranian and American media outlets.
Negeen’s analysis on feminism, education policy, race relations, and international affairs have been featured on Washington Post, Manoto TV, Mic, KIRN 670 radio, FEM Newsmagazine, ABC’s Nightline, BBC World Service’s Newsday, and Al Jazeera America.
Sudi Farokhnia
Treasurer
Sudi Farokhnia is a Risk and Audit professional; Appointed Delegate to CADEM since 2019, 2020 Elected DNC Delegate CD45, Treasurer of Feel the Bern Democratic Club OC, Women Rights activist, a devoted Community Organizer, and Philanthropist.
As an attentive listener and passionate about social justice & gender equality, Sudi prioritizes removing all barriers of voting, promoting Diversity and Inclusion by amplifying the voice of the under-represented communities, advocating for Progressive values, standing up to Hate & Violence (end endless wars that displaces people, especially women and children), cutting military spending, demilitarizing the police, closing private prisons, and holding our elected officials Accountable and Accessible to their constituents.
Azadeh “Azi” Ghafari
SoCal Regional Chair
Azi is a licensed mental health practitioner who works as a hospital administrator in Southern California. She specializes in public health policy and mental health advocacy within immigrant and refugee populations. During the 2008 and 2012 general elections, she worked as an Organizing Director for the Obama for America campaign. During the 2018 midterm elections, she worked as the Compliance Finance Director for the California Democratic Party (CDP) and went on to serve as the party’s first female Creative Director.
Alireza Mosallaie
SoCal Regional Vice Chair
Alireza is an activist interested in protecting the earth from Global Warming/Climate Change. While effectively initiating a medicare for all/single payer healthcare and free tuition and universal healthcare. Everyone deserves to live a comfortable life. And all for raising the minimum wage. Social media has been a passion and I am on there every day seeing the good and change I can make.
Iman Novin
NorCal Regional Chair
Iman has over 14 years of experience in the multifamily development sector with a focus on affordable housing, mixed-income and transit-oriented development. Prior to starting Novin Development, Iman worked at MidPen Housing as Director of Acquisitions and at BRIDGE Housing as a Project Manager in both northern and southern California.
Iman is active locally serving on the Walnut Creek Planning Commission and Board of Directors of the Trinity Center and Chamber of Commerce. Iman holds degrees in Structural Engineering and Urban Studies and Planning from the University of California, San Diego with honors.
Donna Arkee
NorCal Regional Vice Chair
Donna Arkee is a Bay Area based artist, comedian, vintage store co-owner/vintage clothing sourcer and freelance writer. Holding a Master’s in Women and Gender Studies from San Francisco State University, and two bachelor’s degrees in Anthropology and Ethnic Studies from UC Riverside, they’ve done it all, from performing stand up comedy for Sister Spit, to having academic articles published in American Quarterly, and doing historical research and public outreach for the Save Our Chinatown Committee.
Mana Shooshtari
Central Valley Regional Chair
Mana started organizing as a high school student in Stockton, CA on issues surrounding gun violence prevention, immigration rights, and intersectional feminism. In 2021, Mana was elected to present CA Assembly District 13 as a Delegate to the California Democratic Party. She was also elected to serve as Vice President for the Young Democrats of San Joaquin. She’s pursuing a B.A. in Political Science at San José State University.
Parshan Khosravi
Chair of Policy Development Committee
Parshan is a legislative advocate, grassroots organizer, and unapologetic voice for equity-driven public policy. As a former Iranian refugee and a member of the Zoroastrian community, Parshan is a fierce advocate for immigrant rights, and a believer in the power of education as a mechanism of community empowerment. Parshan’s policy focus areas include higher education, immigration, and labor rights. In his professional job as the Government Relations Director of the University of California Student Association, Parshan leads the organization’s advocacy efforts in Sacramento and Washington DC. Parshan also currently serves as the chair of the CYD Labor Caucus.
Fariba “Faye” Hezar
Chair of Outreach Committee
Fariba is a community activist, organizer, and member of the central committee of Orange County. She received her undergraduate degree in Biology & Chemistry and PsyD in clinical Psychology. She has been a campaign manager for the Iranian community in LA and OC Census in 2010 and 2020. Fariba co-founded Imagine Action OC, and is currently the Field Operation and Fundraising Co-Chair for the Newport Beach Women Democratic Club. Fariba has been a Delegate to CADEM, since 2018. Lastly, she is a member of the Language Accessibility Advisory Committee with the Registrar of Voters in OC.
Shervin Aazami
Chair of Membership Committee
Shervin grew up in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, the son of two Bahai Iranians who fled religious persecution during the 1979 Iranian Revolution. His professional and educational background is in public health, where he has spent his career advocating for progressive policies like universal healthcare, guaranteed housing, and criminal justice reform. Shervin previously worked on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. doing healthcare policy advocacy on behalf of Native American Tribal Governments, and he is currently leading strategy and development for a California-based non-profit fighting to end mass incarceration. He is a former Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress for California’s 32nd District and was the only candidate who refused corporate PAC money. In his free time Shervin loves reading with his young son, going on day trips with his family, and exploring LA’s food scene.
Keristofer Seryani
Chair of Endorsement Committee
Keristofer was born in Tehran, Iran, of Armenian and Assyrian ethnicity and moved to the US at the age of 12. He is a life-long Democrat with a keen interest in Women’s rights and equality. He currently serves as an ADEM delegate for AD12, e-board member, and vice-chair of the Finance Steering Committee within the California Democratic Party. Keristofer holds a B.A. degree in economics and political science from Whittier College and a M.S. in Foreign Service with a concentration in International Finance and Commerce from Georgetown University and has spent the past two decades structuring and developing large-scale energy infrastructure projects.