2009-05-01 22:37:04 -

Some of the most accomplished Iranian Americans in the world will gather at UCLA’s Royce Hall this month to share their unique success stories to a sold out student audience of 1,800. Omid Kordestani, Former Vice President of Google’s global sales operations and business development lays out coping strategies in a talk titled, “Life is Messy, Lead the Way.” Harvard’s Dr. Pardis Sabeti, the evolutionary geneticist CNN calls one of the top geniuses of our time, will showcase her musical talent, and discuss the constant struggle between her left and right brain. Dr. Firouz Naderi, Associate Director of NASA’s JPL will relive his journey from his youth in the historic Iranian city of Shiraz to making history at NASA as

Mars Exploration Program Manager, with his instrumental role in consecutive successful Mars landings. Dr.

Hamid Biglari, Vice Chair of Citicorp, will talk about his daring leap from Princeton nuclear physicist to Wall Street executive making strategic decisions about a global business in over 140 countries and $1.5 trillion dollars in assets. Also sharing their success stories will be CNN’s Parisa Khosravi, Senior Vice President of CNN, and Sam Nazarian, Founder and CEO of SBE, entrepreneur and business executive who balances and directs the company's multitude of operating groups, including hotels, restaurants, nightlife and real estate. Popular actor/comedian Maz Jobrani and former CNN anchor, and PAAIA’s Public Relations Director Rudi Bakhtiar and will co-host the event.

“This is truly an exciting moment for our community. Unprecedented, in fact. Never before have such accomplished Iranian Americans traveled from all over the world to give back to our youth like this,” Bakhtiar, says. “This night will not only celebrate our success and contributions to America, but it will also inspire and empower our community’s youth.”


The “Passing the Torch of Success” event will be held at UCLA’s breathtaking Royce Hall on Sunday, May 10, 2009 from 3:00 – 7:30 PM.

For additional information on the “Passing the Torch of Success” event and Press Registration, please contact Farisa Dastvar at farisa@paaia.org : mailto:farisa@paaia.org or 202.510.7853.

*PRESS CHECK IN AT 2:30 P.M.*

*BLACK CARPET ARRIVALS AT 3:00 TO 3:45 P.M.*



ABOUT PAAIA - The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nonsectarian, independent organization that represents the domestic interests of the Iranian American community before U.S. policymakers, opinion makers and the American public at large. PAAIA seeks to achieve its mission by focusing on three major areas of activities: Community Building, Image Building, and Influence Building. Please visit www.paaia.org : for more information.


ABOUT IFL – The Iranian Future Leaders (IFL) is a UCLA student organization. Iranian Future Leaders is a nonreligious and nonpartisan network of Iranian students and successful people that strive to inspire, motivate and empower its members in order to promote the intellectual, educational, and vocational opportunities in the global Iranian community. Visit www.iflo.org : for more information.



The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA)Farisa

Dastvar, 202-510-7853 farisa@paaia.org : mailto:farisa@paaia.org