Board of Directors
Shani Moslehi
Founder/Executive Director
Shani is a determined and passionate businesswoman and often takes on extra burdens to help those around her succeed. Her ability to connect with others meaningfully is a skill taught in her networking workshops.
Her goal with founding OCIACC is to help bring the business community together and help small business owners understand the value of face-to-face negotiation and building lasting relationships.
Besides owning her own business, she has many years of experience in customer service and sales, having worked for several Fortune 500 companies. Shani is a dedicated volunteer and has worked extensively with the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce, the American Cancer Society, Alzheimer’s OC, and Habitat for Humanity. Shani has been the recipient of many business awards in the areas of leadership, mentoring, networking, and service to the community. She is also an alumnus of Leadership Tomorrow, a premier course focused on developing future leaders.
Shirin Behzadi
Shirin Behzadi is a highly successful entrepreneur in the franchising industry. She has been the Chief Executive Officer of Home Franchise Concepts (HFC), one of the largest franchise businesses in the home space. Shirin oversaw the growth of HFC’s sales with more than 1700 franchisees. Under her leadership, the system wide sales of the company grew significantly with double digit top and bottom line growth year over year.
Shirin is a visionary leader, entrepreneur and brand builder. During her twenty-year tenure with HFC, she transformed and professionalized HFC into what is considered today the top-selling family of direct-to-consumer brands.
Today, Shirin is a board member and an advisor to several companies, helping them plan and achieve their desired growth. Shirin has garnered coverage in print and broadcast outlets for her achievements, and has been recognized by EY as Entrepreneur of the Year and a recipient of the Innovation Award by Franchise.com
Shahab Elmi
Shahab is an exceptionally successful entrepreneur. He is the Co-Founder and CEO at Cymbiotika LLC, and Co-Founder and COO at Dash Radio.
Mona Hemmati Bahri
Mona is an outgoing and energetic person who wants to do the best in all that she does. She is currently employed at ADT Commercial, where she designs and sells security systems for businesses. Mona has been a volunteer with OCIACC for more than four years. Her involvement with the various events has helped her grow her network as a new immigrant. In Iran, she founded Mermaid Fashion House, where she had her own line of clothing for ten years. Mona has continued her love for art here, and when she has free time, she designs and makes candles under Mona’s Candles. Mona thrives to always be a better version of herself.
Arash Navi
Arash is a Wealth Manager at BFSG. His responsibilities include analyzing securities and reviewing portfolios with clients. Arash works with clients to help them realize their short and long-term goals by delivering personalized financial plans and retirement analysis.
Arash is also the firm’s controller. He oversees the accounting functions and works closely with the Chief Compliance Officer to meet SEC and Sarbanes-Oxley regulatory requirements.
Arash received a Bachelor of Science in Economics with Distinction from the University of Victoria. He is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, and earned his Accredited Wealth Management Advisor℠ designation from the College for Financial Planning.
Maziar Zamani
Maziar has earned his BS and his MBA in the field of IT management and has over 20 years’ experience in the private sector. He is fluent in English, Farsi, and German. Maziar joined OCIACC in November 2015 to meet new people and learn about new business opportunities. In 2017 he started his own company, KAMPP Technology & Marketing. Maziar is passionate to help new businesses start and grow.
Maryam Zar, JD
Maryam arrived in the United States in 1979 and grew up in New Jersey. She went to Boston University for a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication and to Pepperdine Law School for a Juris Doctorate.
In 1992, Maryam went back to Iran to become an advertising executive at a time when the nation was just emerging from the war, and made her mark as a fiercely capable woman in a patriarchal land where women in the workplace were unwelcome. She became an editor for Iran News, an English language daily newspaper, and a correspondent for publications based in London and Dubai, including MEED and Gulf Marketing Review. In 2010, Maryam founded Womenfound, an organization dedicated to raising awareness for the plight of women around the world and helping empower them. She currently chairs the Westside Regional Alliance of Councils (WRAC), in Los Angeles, and has been appointed to several other local and international boards. Maryam is a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy.
Past Board Members
Ali Bavafa
Rex Behrashi
Alex Arash Eshraghi
Sam Fekrirad
Mike Kazemi, Esq.
Babak Manii
Ali Mansouri
Abbaseh (Abby) Modarres
Alireza Rahimifarid
Samila Sadri
Sussan Saghei
Sohaila Sahami, Esq.
Susan Shahidi
Faran Shaker
Sheila Sharifi
Faranak Shiravi
Maryam Shokrai
Nesa Targhibi, Esq.
Samar Tehrani, ME.d/PSY.LAADC
Farnoosh Tinoosh, MD, FAAO
Sara Vaziri
