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Tara Kangarlou is an award-winning global affairs journalist, host, and author. She has reported for NBC-LA, CNN, CNN International, and Al Jazeera America, and her work has been featured in TIME, Vanity Fair, The Huffington Post, and Al Monitor. Tara has interviewed high-ranking government officials and covered the rise and fall of ISIS, conflicts in Syria and Iraq, and humanitarian issues worldwide. In 2016, she founded Art Of Hope, a nonprofit focused on supporting the mental health of war-torn refugees. Tara is a speaker and advocate on mental health for refugees and the author of the critically acclaimed book, The Heartbeat of Iran. She is bilingual in English and Farsi, resides in London, and teaches at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service.

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Building on his experience as Director of the Middle East Center at the University of Utah, Bahman Baktiari is currently Executive Director of the Salt Lake City-based International Foundation for Civil Society: The Middle East and North Africa, an organization that explores fundamental social and political shifts now underway throughout the region. An underlying premise of foundation research is that a complex mix of external and internal factors is responsible for these transformative changes.

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Today we will be interviewing Sahar Razavi. With a profound passion for exploring the multifaceted dynamics of the region, Sahar Razavi has dedicated her academic career to conducting in-depth research on various aspects of the politics, society, and culture of Iran and the broader Middle East. In her role as Director, she takes on the responsibility of overseeing and coordinating research initiatives, academic programs, and events that contribute to a rich intellectual environment within the center. Sahar Razavi's expertise in Political Science, combined with her commitment to promoting cross-cultural understanding, enables her to provide valuable insights and analysis on a wide range of topics, including geopolitics, international relations, social movements, and democratization processes in the region.

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Farahmand holds the prestigious position of President, overseeing the operations in the dynamic Middle East region. With a remarkable career spanning over 25 years, he has amassed extensive expertise and knowledge in navigating the intricacies of the diverse markets within the region. Notably, Farahmand's linguistic versatility sets him apart, as he is not only fluent in English, but also possesses a remarkable command of Farsi and French, enabling effective communication and fostering relationships with stakeholders from various backgrounds. His multifaceted language skills contribute significantly to his ability to bridge cultural gaps and ensure seamless collaboration across international borders.

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He co-hosts the Fandor Video Podcast alongside Chris Kelly and Bryn Nguyen. He has a background as a former morning show radio personality on Alice Radio 97.3 FM in San Francisco for over 20 years. He has been involved in the film industry, including lending his voice to Pixar's "Cars" in 2006 and creating a widely viewed video to encourage youth voting in the Presidential election. One of his proud accomplishments is "Olive," a groundbreaking full-length feature shot entirely on a cell phone in 2011, starring Gena Rowlands and featuring involvement from Chris Kelly, Randi Zuckerberg, and Dolly Parton. He is passionate about mission-driven film production that resonates with audiences, and he is currently working on various projects, including an exciting one.

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Shahmahmood Miakhel served as the government advisor and head of the governance unit for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan from 2005 to 2009. He gained recognition as the Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Interior and later became the governor of Nangarhar province. Miakhel made history by banning and sanctioning foreign currencies, including Pakistani rupees, in Nangarhar. He later served as the acting Minister of Defense before resigning due to internal issues. Miakhel was also scheduled to participate in the Taliban peace talks as an ambassador to Qatar.

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Alireza Nader is a renowned expert on Iran and U.S. policy in the Middle East, recognized for his extensive research and analysis. With a background as a former senior researcher at the RAND Corporation and a senior fellow at FDD, he has authored numerous reports and studies on Iran, the Middle East, and U.S. strategy. Alireza has provided advisory services to the U.S. government on Iran, offering insights to senior policymakers. He is frequently sought after by the media for his expertise. Additionally, he has lectured at George Washington University and conducted research and analytical courses for U.S. Special Forces and Department of Defense analysts. He holds a BA in political science from UC Santa Barbara and an MA in International Relations from George Washington University.

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He has honed his skills in implementing data analytics tools tailored specifically for healthcare, and he possesses a deep understanding of cellular and molecular biology. He has worked in various environments, including academia, hospitals, start-ups, and mid-size and large companies. His technical expertise is merged with communication, interpersonal, problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership skills. He is a people person, and he loves listening to people, empathizing with them, and building solid relations to have immense positive impacts on them and society. He is always delighted to communicate with and support others.

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He is a British-Iranian national. He was born in Shiraz, Iran, where he received his primary and secondary education and his BA Degree in English and Persian literature. He obtained additional degrees in English literature, American Studies, and Oriental Studies from various universities in the UK. He taught at Cambridge University before returning to Iran to be an associate professor and chairman of the Department of Languages at the University of Isfahan. He founded the first Faculty of Foreign Languages and the first Department of American Studies in Iran. After the Islamic Revolution in 1979, he returned to England and worked at the BBC Monitoring

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Marjan Keypour (Greenblatt) is a human rights activist and founder of the Alliance for Rights of All Minorities (ARAM) and StopFemicideIran. She advocates for equal rights in Iran, focusing on women and minorities. Marjan is involved in various organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League's Task Force on Middle East Minorities and the Atlantic Council's Iran Strategy Project. She also produces HOMANITY, a compilation album featuring banned and underground Iranian artists. Her work has been featured in notable publications like Ms. Magazine and Rolling Stone.

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