Shahri Estakhry has found her life’s passion in grassroots cultural and humanitarian endeavors. She founded the Iranian School of San Diego, where for nearly three decades children have connected with their heritage through language, dance and theater classes and families have formed lifelong friendships. In 1989, Shahri cofounded the Persian Cultural Center (PCC), recognized for its arts and culture programming and cross-cultural outreach. In 1997, she cofounded the Iranian-American Scholarship Fund, providing over 250 scholarships to students of Iranian heritage nationwide. Shahri founded Dollar A Month Fund charity, supporting nearly 1500 children on four continents. She served as Chair of UNICEF San Diego, spearheaded a successful international campaign for the recognition of Nowruz by the United Nations and its member nations, and forged a partnership between the San Diego Museum of Art and PCC to establish a permanent Persian Art section at the Museum. Shahri is recipient of the KPBS-Union Bank Local Heroes award and a San Diego Magazine Woman of the Year nominee. She is a two-time breast cancer survivor.