Ali Djalilian

Medical

Ali Djalilian, MD is currently a Professor of Ophthalmology at University of Illinois at Chicago. He is one the leading experts in the management of patients with severe ocular surface disease. He has  published over 150 journal papers and book chapters. He is currently the editor-in-chief of the journal The Ocular Surface.

Dr. Ali Eydgahi

Growth & Development

Dr. Eydgahi received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. He started his career as a faculty member at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1985 and since then he has been with the State University of New York, Oakland University, Tehran University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and Eastern Michigan University as an administrator and/or a faculty member. Dr. Eydgahi has served as the chair and/or a member of numerous national and international professional societies and has received a number of awards for his accomplishments. Dr. Eydgahi joined the Child Foundation Board of Directors in August 2011.

Ms. Farideh Bakhtiari

Compliance  

Ms. Bakhtiari graduated from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering. Her professional experience has included programming, product verification, design, system architecture and projects, products, resources, and budget management. My Engineering career started at Canadian Electronics & Aviation (CAE) as a programmer followed by working at Ericsson Mobility for 4 years as software designer. Moving to Seattle in 1996, I started working at AT&T Wireless in progression from a platform manager to the senior lead engineer responsible for architecture, design, and implementation of Mobility Network Management Solutions. I strive for building professional and personal relationships based on trust, collaboration, and problem-solving through team work.

Mr. Gary Gamer

Marketing

Gary’s career also includes fifteen years in senior leadership positions at Holt International Children’s Services, where he served as CEO, and as the Peace and Justice Coordinator for the U.S. National Council of Churches USA. Gary has worked with NGOs in Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands, the Middle East, Latin America and the U.S. in program support and development. He has lived in countries of these regions.

Dr. Jamal Rostami

International

Dr. Rostami is a registered Professional Engineering (PE) in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia with over 25 years of experience in design, management, research, and teaching in the field of mining, tunneling, and underground construction. Dr. Rostami received his undergraduate in Mining Engineering from University of Tehran in 1987 with the high honor of first in his class. He obtained his MSc and PhD degrees in mining engineering from Colorado School of Mines (CSM) in 1992 and 1997, respectively. Dr. Rostami worked as a research faculty and deputy director of Earth Mechanics Institute at CSM until year 2000. Dr. Rostami joined the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) in 2007 where he is currently an associate professor, Centennial Chair and Interim Program Chair in Mining Engineering. Dr. Rostami has published over 130 papers and many technical reports. He is a member of SME, ASCE, ARMA, ISEE, IRSME, IRRMS, TRB tunneling committee, and Univ. of Tehran alumni association (Kanoon Fanni). He is the 2013 chair of the professional engineering exam committee, and a member of the structure and governance (S&G) strategic committee of the society of mining engineers (SME). He was the founder of Iranian Academic Association in Washington DC active for ten years before it was registered as Iranian American Academics and Professionals (IAAP) in 2013. Dr. Rostami is also an active member of the interfaith initiative of Center Country PA (IICC) since 2010.

Mr. Kamyar Lashgari

Executive

Mr. Lashgari received his Bachelor in Urban Planning and Masters in Urban Design from the University of Washington and has been a professional planner and designer for the past 34 years. At the start of his career, Mr. Lashgari worked in the public sector for various cities in Washington and California as an Urban Designer and Planner. He later worked for architectural and civil engineering firms in both Southern California and Iran. While working in Iran, he specialized in urban reconstruction planning for areas affected by the war. d the Board of Directors of Child Foundation and ever since has been involved in the growth and development of the Foundation in different roles.

Ms. Manijeh Taherynia

Finance

Ms. Manijeh Taherynia is a certified public accountant with over 15 years of experience in state and local government auditing and accounting, as well as taxation in public accounting in Colorado. She received her Master’s in Accounting from the University of Colorado at Denver. Ms. Taherynia has also served on the board of other non-profit organizations. 

Mr. Navid Agha Seyedali

Youth

Mr. Seyedali is an engineer in the field of aviation supporting airlines and aerospace companies. He received his Master’s degree in Transportation Engineering from Seattle University and his Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from University of Washington. Mr. Seyedali has been a volunteer for Child Foundation since 1995. In mid-2000 Mr. Seyedali joine