The 7th Women's Leadership Conference was held for the first time in Los Angeles
Nearly 600 people from all walks of life gathered at The Beverly Hilton to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of Iranian American women throughout the United States and address issues impacting various communities and societies.
The conference kicked off with a letter from President Obama, congratulating the Iranian American Women Foundation on hosting its 7th conference and acknowledging the contributions of the community and its role in shaping the nation. Read more
Breaking Taboos
A judge, an author and a psychotherapist came together to discuss their struggles with personal challenges and their eventual triumph during the Los Angeles Women Leadership Conference.
Viewed as taboos within the Iranian and larger American communities, the topics ranged from sexual molestation to mental illnesses and homosexuality.
The key to overcoming any difficulty, they advised, is to stay true to yourself, care for yourself, surround yourself with loving family members and friends and not allow these struggles to define who you are.
Achievement Spotlight: Farah Majidzadeh
The Iranian American Women Foundation would like to congratulate trustee Farah Majidzadeh for receiving the Lifetime Achievement award during the Conway Center's 16th Annual Family Business Awards Luncheon this month.
Farah is the chief executive officer and chairwoman of Resource International, Inc. a full-service civil engineering firm, specializing in planning, design, construction management, asset management and information technology services.
In October, she was also honored with the Smart 50 Award by Smart Business Magazine and The City of Columbus' Top 10 Certified Female Suppliers at Mayor Michael B. Coleman's Small Business Conference and Expo "MOMENTUM."
The Iranian American Women Foundation would like to extend its sincere thanks to Guity Javid, chairwoman of the Los Angeles IAW's Leadership Conference for her dedication and the time she invested into making the conference a successful one.
With more than 38 years in banking, investments, and structured finance, Guity's leadership, experience and skills made a clear difference in this year's conference. Guity is the Founder and President of Hutton Capital and has held executive positions with major financial institutions including Chase, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo.
She was also Senior Managing Director, Partner and Co-founder of Spring Street Capital. Guity has been a proponent of community service throughout her life. She has also served in several other nonprofit organizations. And on top of all that, she is a mediator with emphasis in business, bankruptcy, cross cultural, and diversity matters. Read more.
In the News:
The Iranian American Women Foundation and its Founder and President Mariam Khosravani were featured in the Los Angeles Times Community News of Orange County.
From Iran to Irvine: Women's foundation grows, inspires
Iranian-American Women Foundation, which arose from 2011 conference, plans its annual gathering in Beverly Hills.
It was supposed to be a one-time conference celebrating Iranian-American women of all ages by showcasing their success in this country and detailing their career paths. That was Mariam Khosravani's plan in 2011.
But the conference sold out. The community embraced it and wanted more.
A year later, Khosravani founded the Iranian-American Women Foundation, based in Irvine. Two years and more than 1,400 members and 50 to 60 volunteers later, Khosravani's project has evolved into a full-time gig. She also is the executive director of the Coastline Community College Foundation in Fountain Valley.
Send your photo and a brief paragraph with all the details to contact@iawfoundation.org and we'll recognize your achievements on our Web site's news page. We look forward to hearing from you!
