WELL’s Mentorship Program connects women in Iran and Afghanistan with trusted global mentors who provide guidance, encouragement, and practical support. In a secure online environment, women receive personalized coaching on leadership, career development, education pathways, and emotional resilience. Our mentors help participants set goals, build confidence, and navigate challenges—offering not only skills and knowledge but a sense of connection and hope. Through these relationships, women gain the tools to strengthen their independence, support their families, and take meaningful steps toward leading change in their communities.
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Dr. Fariba Parsa is an author, speaker, and researcher based in the USA. Born and raised in Iran, she began advocating for gender equality and democracy during her high school years. Dr. Parsa later lived in Denmark, where she earned a master’s degree in political science from the University of Copenhagen and a Ph.D. in social science, specializing in Iranian politics with a focus on political Islam, democracy, and human rights.
With over 15 years of experience working with Danish national and grassroots organizations, Dr. Parsa has been a prominent voice for human rights and democracy. She has held leadership roles as a board member for organizations such as the Danish National Council for Women, the Danish Council for European Policy, UNA Denmark, and the Danish National Council for Human Rights. Additionally, she has contributed insightful commentary on Iran’s politics to Danish newspapers and national television.
In 2010, Dr. Parsa moved to the United States as a visiting postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies. She continued her research on Iranian women’s leadership challenges and opportunities at the University of Maryland. From 2014 onward, she served as a research assistant at George Mason University’s Center for Women and Gender Studies in Fairfax, Virginia.
Dr. Parsa is the founder of Women’s E-Learning in Leadership (WELL), a nonprofit organization that empowers Iranian and Afghan women through leadership education and training. From 2014 to 2020, she collaborated closely with young female students at George Mason University to advance WELL’s mission.
Dr. Parsa has also worked as a non-resident scholar with the Middle East Institute’s Iran Program in Washington, DC, contributing research articles and presenting on women’s rights and leadership in Iran. Her work continues to inspire and support efforts toward gender equality, democracy, and human rights in Iran and beyond. Her recent book: Fighting for Change in Iran: The Women, Life, Freedom Philosophy against Political Islam is now available on Amazon.
Dr. Rezvan Moghaddam is a distinguished academic, researcher, and activist with a multifaceted career spanning sociology, gender studies, mathematics, and human rights advocacy. She holds a Ph.D. in sociology, specializing in gender studies, along with master’s degrees in educational psychology and pure mathematical statistics. Her interdisciplinary academic background reflects her deep analytical skills and passion for addressing complex societal issues.
As an academic, Dr. Moghaddam has held research positions at renowned institutions, including Freie Universität Berlin, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and Maynooth University in Ireland.
She is one of the founding members of the “One Million Signatures” campaign in Iran, which aimed to collect one million signatures in support of changing discriminatory laws against women in the country.
She is also a prominent activist and spokesperson for the Stop Honor Killings Campaign, focusing on Iran and other Middle Eastern countries. Her advocacy work sheds light on the critical issue of “honor killings” and the systemic misogyny that perpetuates such violence. She works tirelessly to amplify the voices of marginalized women and promote legislative and social reforms to combat gender-based violence.
As a sought-after speaker, Dr. Moghaddam has participated in influential forums such as the SAR (Scholars at Risk) Speaker Series, where she shares her expertise on human rights violations and strategies for societal change.
Her dedication to gender equality and human rights continues to inspire change and empower communities.
Habiba Sarabi is a pharmacist, politician, and reformer of the post-Taliban era in Afghanistan. In 2005, she was appointed as governor of Bamyan Province, becoming the first woman ever to be a provincial governor in the country.
Sarabi served as Minister of Women's Affairs from 2002 to 2004. During the Taliban days in 1990s, she worked as woman rights and education activist and taught girls and women in refugee camps in Pakistan. She joined Dr. Zalmai Rasul’s ticket as vice president in 2014 presidential elections and was the most prominent woman running in that year’s elections. Upon formation of the National Unity Government, Sarabi served as advisor on women and youth to Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, the Chief Executive of Afghanistan. She was later
appointed as Deputy to Afghanistan High Peace Council in 2016.
Habiba Sarabi won the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2013 for her work in good governance and girl’s education. She was awarded the N-Peace prize in 2016 for her unrelenting work to bring peace to Afghanistan, while ensuring attention on gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Habiba Sarabi was a member of the Afghan Government peace negotiation team with the Taliban. Currently, she is a member of the steering committee at Women
Forum on Afghanistan (WFA).
Mehri Barati, CPA, MBA is a seasoned financial executive and the founder of Empowered Financial Services LLC providing tax, accounting, and strategic financial advisory and educational services to individuals and businesses.
With more than 20 years of progressive leadership in governmental finance, she has directed multi-division operations, overseen budgets exceeding half a billion dollars, and delivered award-level financial reporting and audits for large public entities, including the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and Fresno County.
She is passionate about preparing the next generation of finance and business professionals by bridging rigorous theory with strategic insight, critical thinking, and practical mastery.
She loves audiobooks, hiking, and volunteering in her community.
