The Foundation for Democracy in Iran is a private, non-profit organization established in 1995 with grants from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), to promote democracy and internationally-recognized standards of human rights in Iran. The IRS approved the Foundation’s application for non-profit status under Section 501(c)(3) in 1996.
Nader Afshar (Chairman)
Mr. Afshar is President of Middle East Consulting Associates, and has a Master of Science in development planning from London University, and a Master of Philosophy from the City of London Polytechnic’s School of Business Studies. Mr. Afshar has worked extensively with the United States Information Agency and the Voice of America Farsi Service.
Hon. David M. Beasley
Gov. Beasley first ran for political office as a 21-year old student at Clemson University and became the youngest member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. He rose to become House Majority Leader and Speaker Pro Tempore, before mounting a successful campaign for governor in 1994. As Governor of South Carolina, David Beasley was best known for combining Christian ethics with conservative economics. Since leaving office, Gov. Beasley has been a senior advisor to Merrill Lynch, managed a family-owned bank, and incorporated the Center for Global Strategies, Ltd., an investment group that promotes ethnical development in the Third World. In 2003, he received the prestigious Profile in Courage award from the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.
William Nojay
An attorney with Hiscock & Barclay LLP, in Rochester, New York, and
previously with Coudert Brothers in Manhattan, Bill Nojay brings legal
and compliance expertise to FDI. During a long career of civic
activism, Mr. Nojay has served as a volunteer election monitor with the
International Republican Institute in Ukraine (2004) and Afghanistan
(2005), and has provided pro bono assistance to pro-democracy and
freedom movements in Cambodia and elsewhere. He has a JD and a
Certificate in International Law from Columbia University Law School
and an MBA from Columbia’s Business school.
Kenneth R. Timmerman (President and CEO)
The Foundation's activities are coordinated by Kenneth R. Timmerman, a journalist and author who also served in the 103rd Congress as an aide to Congressman Tom Lantos (D, Ca). Mr. Timmerman published The Iran Brief, a monthly investigative newsletter on strategy, policy, and trade, between 1994 and 2000, and is currently a contributing editor for Newsmax. com. His most recent book on Middle Eastern affairs is Countdown to Crisis: The Coming Nuclear Showdown with Iran (Crown Forum, New York 2005). In January 2006, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 2006 by former Swedish deputy premier, Per Ahlmark. He is also the author of Shadow Warriors: Traitors, Saboteurs and the Party of Surrender, and a novel about Iran, Honor Killing,Prior Board members:
Joshua
Muravchik (founding member)
Dr. Muravchik has been a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute since 1987. Prior to that, he was a Fellow in Residence at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and Executive Director of the Coalition for a Democratic Majority. AEI Press published his 1991 study, Exporting Democracy, and The Imperative of American Leadership, in April 1996. His latest work, Heaven on Earth: The Rise and Fall of Socialism, was published by Encounter Books in 2002.
Peter
W. Rodman (founding member)
Mr.
Rodman was director of National Security Programs at the Nixon Center
for Peace & Freedom until July 2001. His most recent book,
America Adrift: A Strategic Assessment, was published by the
Nixon Center with a forward by Henry Kissinger. From 1984-1986, Mr.
Rodman served as Director of the State Department Policy Planning
Staff, and was Deputy Assistant to the President for National
Security Affairs from 1986-1990 under Presidents Reagan and Bush. Mr.
Rodman also served at the NSC during the Nixon and Ford
administrations. Since July 2001, he has been serving as Assistant
Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs.
Dr.
Mehdi Rouhani (founding member)
As the spiritual leader of the Shiite community in Europe, Dr. Rouhani worked for many years to promote understanding among the world’s great religion. The brother of Grand Ayatollah Sadegh Rouhani, who has been under house arrest in Qom since 1985, Dr. Rouhani became a tireless advocate for ending absolute clerical rule until his death in Paris in January 2000. Dr. Rouhani studied in Qom and Nadjaf (Iraq), and was awarded the title of Mujtahed, one of the highest achievements of Islamic scholars, at the age of 28 in 1958.
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