in cooperation with Babak Matinpour of NIAC-Atlanta DEMYSTIFYING DEMOCRACY
What makes certain individuals more influential than others? What makes certain communities more influential than others? How can the Iranian-American community translate its vast resources into influence, in order to defend its civil rights?
Also: Case study of NIAC's recent victory against Monster.com's discriminatory policy against Iranian-Americans
Program:
Part I: The Seven Ingredients of Influence -- Individual Level
Part II: The Seven Ingredients of Influence -- Community Level
Part III: Demonstration of NIAC’s interactive website
Part IV: Effective communication with lawmakers and decision makers Part V: Case study of Monster.com
Date: Saturday July 12, 2003
Time: 2:00 p.m. - 5 p.m. (The workshop will begin at 2:15 p.m. sharp) Where: Restaurant Mirage
6631 Roswell Road - Suite ABC, Atlanta Tel: 404-843-8300
Tickets: $30 (NIAC member / student: $20)
Refreshments and Hors D'oeuvres will be served Space is limited so reserve your seat as soon as possible Please RSVP before July 11, 2003
Presented by Trita Parsi (NIAC President) & Marjan Ehsassi (NIAC Executive Director) For more information, please call 202- 518-6187
See video clips from the workshop in New Jersey (Real Video): Why NIAC is teaching Iranian-Americans about political participation? (Trita Parsi) Is money alone the key to influence? (Trita Parsi) How you can use the NIAC website to communicate with lawmakers (Marjan Ehsassi)
Read article from workshop in California
This event is sponsored by the Tides Foundation and the Open Society Institute
PRESENTER’S BIOGRAPHIES
TRITA PARSI, PRESIDENT
With a background as director for two U.S.-based Iranian organizations, Trita Parsi possesses a rich set of leadership skills and vision that will guide NIAC towards its goals. Trita Parsi has worked for the Swedish Permanent Mission to the UN in New York where he served in the Security Council handling affairs for Afghanistan, Iraq, Tajikistan and Western Sahara, and the General Assembly's Third Committee addressing human rights in Iran, Afghanistan, Myanmar and Iraq.
Mr. Parsi is currently pursuing his Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies under Professor Francis Fukuyama, while working part-time as a policy advisor to Chairman Robert Ney (R-OH) on the Middle East and Iran.
Mr. Parsi was born in Iran and grew up in Sweden. He earned a Master's degree in international relations at Uppsala University and a second Master's degree in economics at Stockholm School of Economics. tparsi@niacouncil.org
MARJAN H. EHSASSI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Marjan Ehsassi brings a perfect blend of not-for-profit and small business management experience to her role as Executive Director of NIAC. As Executive Director, Marjan oversees the Washington, DC headquarters office and is charged with realizing NIAC’s vision of engaging and empowering the Iranian-American community. Over her career, she has served in various capacities at the Canadian International Development Agency, the International Center for Human Rights and Human Rights Watch. She was awarded the Richard M. Gollick Leadership Award for outstanding contribution to the political life at McGill University.
A member of the New York Bar and the Law Society of Upper Canada, Marjan worked at Blake, Cassels & Graydon in Toronto before moving to Shearman & Sterling in New York as litigation associate. Most recently, she served as Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel for Jaffe Associates, a leading legal consulting firm. Marjan is a fluent speaker of Farsi, French and English and is a graduate of the University of Toronto and McGill University Law School.
Mehsassi@niacouncil.org