Board of Trustees

Shokooh Mirzadegi
Executive Director – WCHV

Ms. Mirzadegi is an accomplished author, journalist, lecturer and an international activist for cultural heritage, human rights and women.  She has written over fifteen books and hundreds of articles in the fields of education, cultural heritage, women and literature.  She is also the founder of the first International NGO focused on preservation of national historical and cultural heritage of Iran.

 

Soudy Chamanara
Chairperson

SPECIAL EXPERIENCE
Chairperson, Ethnic Social Services Referral, Non Profit

Ms. Chamanara established and registered the non-profit group in Virginia. She lead referral service and support group for Iranian Community dealing with the mentally ill, senior citizens, and people in need of counseling and referral; and provided supportive solution focused counseling to individuals and crisis intervention. OAdditionally oganizing and hold workshops.

Victim Services in Fair fax county. She is a chairperson for this non-profit group in Virginia and on the lead referral service for the Iranian Community.

 

Dr. Kaveh Farrokh
History Consultant for the Advisory Board

Dr. Kaveh Farrokh was born in Athens, Greece and received his PhD at the University of British Columbia, specializing in the linguistic and cognitive processes of the Persian-language. He has authored eight books of the military history of Iran in English and Spanish with seven translations of these in Persian and Russian academic press outlets. Farrokh publishes articles in peer-reviewed journals and publications in English, Persian, Spanish and German (i.e. Classic Arms and Militaria, International Book of Dyslexia: A Cross Language Comparison and Practice Guide, Palgrave-Macmillan, etc.). He currently serves as Professor of History and as academic advisor for the Analytica Iranica encyclopedia initiative at Methodolgica Governance University, Paris, France. Farrokh has provided lectures in other North American Universities, notably Portland State University, University of Southern California and Stanford University. Farrokh has also lectured in 2011 and 2013 at Yerevan State University Iranian Studies department’s “Iran and the Caucasus” Journal (BRILL, Leiden-Boston) conferences, Siedlce University’s Baltica-Ianica Conference in 2016 and the Fourth International Research Conference on the History of Arms and Armor conference held by the National Museum of Military History of Ukraine in Kiev in 2020. He was affiliated with the University of British Columbia’s Continuing Studies Division in 2004-2018 where he taught history topics pertaining to ancient Iran and the classical era. Farrokh has received the Best History Book Award (London) (2008) and Scholarship and Merit Award (2009), and recognition by Independent Book Publisher’s Association (US) (2008), Wall Street Journal (2011), and peer-reviewed journals (e.g. Iranshenasi journal of Iranian Studies, 2010, and Quardeni Asiatici Journal, 2011). Farrokh has often interviewed by major international media outlets (e.g. BBC, History Channel, Voice of America, Armenian State Television, etc.). Farrokh is affiliated with a number of world-renowned organizations, including Stanford University’s WAIS (World Association of International Studies) Society, the Hellenic-Iranian Studies Society, the UNESCO-affiliated Pasargard preservation Society, the UN-affiliated and Nobel-prize nominated WAALM Institute in London where he is Chair of the Cultural Diplomacy’s Department of Traditions & Cultural History (affiliated with the Academic Council of the United Nations System-ACUNS- and the International Peace Bureau).