Board of Directors

Who Are We?

We are a group of educators, environmental scientists, physical and mental health professionals, lawyers, and parents who are inspired by the conspicuous need to restructure educational systems around the world. We are dedicated to addressing these fundamental needs through establishment of a global non-profit organization.

Board of Directors:

Hamid Rastegar

Hamid Rastegar has a doctorate in environmental science and engineering from UCLA and is the President and CEO of Aspen Engineering Group, a consulting company with offices in western United States. Dr. Rastegar has been involved in a number of service and educational projects in China and has traveled to China numerous times. The projects in China includes: seminars on global environmental issues; first and second symposia on ethics and cultures (In Beijing and Los Angeles attended by tens of scholars from around the world, particularly China) and Youth Summer Service Projects (involving more than 60 youths since 1999).

Mitra Rastegar, DDS

Mitra Rastegar is a Dentist and currently manages dental offices. Dr. Rastegar has been involved in both educational and health projects in China. She has participated in three voluntary health services projects with the Baha’i-inspired organization, Health for Humanity in two Cities (and delivered dental equipment and instruments to hospitals). She has developed close relationships and a network of friends among hospital directors, dentists/doctors, and government health officials in China. Dr. Rastegar was involved in planning and executing the two ethics and cultures symposia in Beijing and Los Angeles (attended by tens of scholars from around the world). Dr. Rastegar has been the director for the Youth Summer Service Projects since 1999.

Heshmat Shariary, MD

Was born in 1934. He is married and has three children. He received his MD Degree (1960) from Shiraz Medical School and specialization in Orthopedic Surgery (1968) from the University of Louisville, School of Medicine, Kentucky. Dr. Shariary has been active with Chinese cross-cultural exchange and Sino-American friendship activities since 1990 and has been serving as a board member of PRIDE since 1994.

Farideh Shariary

Received her nursing diploma (1969) in Romford, England. She did her operating room post training at the Middlesex Hospital London, Hospital for sick children. She was the operating room instructor at Harris Hospital Fortwort Olas, Texas, and operating room supervisor at Arad Hospital in Tehran, Iran. She is married and has three children. Mrs. Shariary has been engaged in intercultural exchange activities with the Chinese since 1990 and has been serving on the board of PRIDE since 1994.

Mondana Najafabadi-Chong

Has been an attorney since 1991 and is licensed to practice law in the State of California and United States Federal courts. Her law firm’s primary area of practice is in the field of civil litigation and business law. She is actively engaged in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution and is a trained mediator,

serving on the mediation panel of the Los Angeles County Superior Court. She is a member of the State Bar of California, Los Angeles County Bar Association, American Immigration Legal Association, and ACLU among others. She is on the board of directors of FRC, Inc., a non-profit organization, serving the impoverished elderly in Altadena with subsidized housing.

Keyvan Geula, MS., LMFT (President)

Mrs. Geula is a licensed, Marriage, Family, and Child Counselor, and Family Mediator in private practice in California. She specializes in the integration of psychotherapy and spirituality and offers training in the US and abroad including in Mainland China. She is an adjunct professor of Marriage, Family, and Intimate Relations at Citrus Community College. She serves as a cross-cultural and moral education consultant and trainer to schools, educators, private organizations, and parents. Mrs. Geula has served as a guest speaker for the LA county Superior Courts PACT (Parent and Children Together) program. She is the producer and talk show host of the TV series “Transforming Human Consciousness”. She is married and is the parent of 3 adult children and grandmother of two. She is a core-curriculum trainer for the spiritual education of children.

Advisors:

Dr. D. Allen, PH.D. Eminent Professor of Educational Reform, Department of Educational Curriculum and Instruction, Old Dominion University.

Dr. Ding Jo Curry,

President of Coast Line Community College.

Dr. M. Higgins, Director of Education and Training International Educational Initiatives, Inc. Professor.

Dr. R. Johnson, Educational Administrator at Fort Hays University.

Ms. T. Langness, Board Chair/Executive Director Full-Circle Learning/Children’s Enrichment Program, Educator, Writer.

Mr. W. Barnes, Educators, Executive Director Desert Rose Baha’i Institute.

Ms. N. Barnes, Educator, Admin.

Joanna Conrad, US NSA Recording Secretary.

Dr. Roger Prentice, Ph.D. Director of The Holistic Institute, Burnlaw Whitfield, Hexham.

Dr. Marilyn Higgins, Director of Education and Training International Educational Initiatives, Inc.

Dr. Bahia Farahi, Educator/Administrator.

Dr. Rhett Diessner, Professor of Psychology and Education Division of Education Lewis-Clark State College.

Dr. Judith Johnson, Associate Professor Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Yamaguchi University.