Afzal Rashid

Board Chairman

Law degree Kabul University,
M.A.Macroeconomics, Sacramento State University, UC Davis
Strategic planning consultant, Office of Technology Services, State of California, Chief, Quality Assurance Mental Health Unit, State of California, Professor of Macroeconomics, Westland College, Senior public relations and policy advisor to the minister of finance (Afghanistan), Country director, International Development Law Organization, Country director, International Foundation of Hope, Senior policy advisor, Independent Directorate for Local Governance, president's office (Afghanistan)
Major publications :
Co-author, Speaking Afghan Pashto, Co-author, Securing Afghanistan’s Future(publication)
Co-author, Assessment of Afghanistan’s Environment

Ghulam M Feda

Founding Member

A graduate of the University of Cincinnati with a master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering, Ghulam M Feda has more than 35 years of leadership experience in industrial R&D projects including but not limited to organizational efficiency. He has also served on the advisory boards of several state colleges and universities, he is co-founder and the president/CEO of Afghan Education for a Better Tomorrow, an organization at the forefront of developing and delivering educational resources to war-torn Afghanistan. He has written several articles on the architectural techniques of ancient civilizations and about Afghan history and culture.

Sohaila Murtaza

Rishad Bahramand SulaimanKhel

Abdul Izmarai

Founding Member

Dr. Omar Qaem

Aziz Karimi

Abdul Rahim Saeedi

Molly Bell

A lifelong student of sociolinguistics, Molly speaks fluent Spanish, conversational Dari/Farsi, Pashto, Italian, and French, and elementary Arabic, German, and Russian. Her formal education includes an undergraduate degree from Goddard College, a masters degree from the University of Alabama, and a paralegal studies certificate from American River College. In addition to II&E, she works with NorCal Resist, Starting Point for Refugee Children, and related nonprofits to support refugees as they resettle in their new homes, and advocates for resettlement-specific services to surrounding agencies.

Mike Whiple

Mike Whipple received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering from California State University, Long Beach and a Masters of Business Administration from UCLA. Mike was elected to Laguna Niguel City Council in 2000 & 2004 and served as Laguna Niguel Mayor in 2003. He has worked as an engineer, financial consultant and investment banker. He is currently the President to a municipal financial advisory firm. He is a member of Chi Epsilon-National Civil Engineering Honor Society,Tau Beta Pi – National Engineering Honor Society, American Society of Civil Engineers and American Water Works Association. Since 2004 he has been the President of International Orphan Care (IOC) which provides education, health care, nutrition and vocational training to children in Afghanistan

Qasim Tarin

Chairman and founder of Afghan Business Network, Inc US, (501 C3),Chairman and founder of Q Tarin foundation, (501 C3)
President of Afghan American Chamber of commerce California (AACC West)(501, C3), CEO and founder of Electro Imaging Systems, Inc. President of Thermasteel Inc. west.
Cofounder of True renewable energy Inc. (Solar Company)

Qasim quickly built his own successful consulting business and
Technology business. He has now focused on helping other entrepreneurs develop their businesses worldwide. As an Afghan American, Qasim understands the culture and desires of the Afghan people and can reach out and relate to them. Acting as a business developer to help restore businesses.

Tamana Ansari

Tamana Yari Ansari is a Farsi/Dari television host with Afghan-American media and a successful Master of Ceremonies (MC) in the San Francisco-Bay Area. Tamana is bi-lingual. She knows the intricacies of both American and Afghan and Farsi speaking people. Tamana earned a degree on Liberal and Science and completed courses on Mass Communication Journalism.
Tamana’s goal and objective is to promote and empower the Afghan community in diaspora. She works hard for women rights and gender equality within the Afghan community as well as youth success and achievements.
Currently, she is an active business associate for a commercial Real Estate (Liberty Business Advisors) and works on to edit her first book, Afghan Women Achievers which is going to be published in the form of a coffee table book soon.

Farida Shaghasi

IIE Founding Member, IIE CEO 6/2020 - 6/2022

Farida Shaghasi is the Afghanistan Relief Alliance's founding member and Chief Executive Officer. Before devoting her time to philanthropic work, Farida worked in information technology (IT), focusing on Systems Engineering, Business Process Re-engineering, extensive Business Intelligence, and IT leadership. She’s experienced in building information technology infrastructure, IT business development, vendor management, and system integration across multiple industries. Her experiences include working in the education, banking, and government sectors for global technology companies like Sun Microsystems, Silicon Graphics, NPA West, and the public sector for the State of California Department of General Services.
Farida Shaghasi is also A founding member and the previous Chief Executive Officer of Immigrant Integration and Empowerment, a nonprofit organization integrating new immigrants/refugees into American society.
Her favorite quote to live by is: “You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.”-Winston Churchill.