Austin Iranian Professionals Association (AustinIPA ) is the first Iranian nonprofit (501C) organization in Austin, Texas run by volunteers. AustinIPA is a cultural organization that respects the freedom of speech and ideology of every individual and is not affiliated with any political or religious groups.
Our Vision
Build a community of professionals to educate, promote and preserve the Persian culture and traditions in the greater Austin area.
Our Mission
- Host events to celebrate traditional Persian national holidays.
- Offer Persian language and arts programs.
- Build a community for Iranian-American professionals in Austin to network, connect, and promote their services.
- Support Austinites of Persian descent with career development, scholarships, financial aid and higher education.
Meet Our Advisors
Art Advisor, Zari Etemadi
Zari’s artistic journey began in architectural engineering where she excelled as the University of Tennessee’s first female and international valedictorian. A self-taught artist, she masterfully creates art in any style, size, or medium, tailored to her clients’ visions. She was an art teacher for 14 years and has been a commercial artist for the past 25 years. Now residing in Austin, Texas, Zari channels her nostalgia for her heritage into her work, striving to revive Iran’s beauty and poetry.
Music Advisor, Alireza He
Multi-talented musician with over 20 years of experience and memorable live performances. Successfully performed in over 50 gigs , including popular festivals. Received the “Best Performance” award at the 2000 in my country.
During the course of my career, I have had the opportunity to be associated with multiple orchestras in various permanent and freelancing roles. Working as a Drum , Sitar and DAF player. I have honed my performance, technical and conducting skills and gained competency in combining my musical skills with peers.
Youth Advocate, Lena Mani
Lena during her undergraduate tenure built a supportive community for Iranian students as President of the Iranian Students’ Academic and Cultural Organization at UT Austin. Upon graduation, she continued her commitment to the Persian population in the greater Austin area. Lena applies her experience in teaching and mentoring youth by providing valuable perspective into AustinIPA’s programs. Her mission is to create the supportive community she wished she had growing up in Austin.
Meet Our Board of Directors
Mahnaz Varasteh
Mahnaz (May), who immigrated from Iran to the United States almost 25 years ago, is the Principal Officer of AustinIPA. She has devoted her time since 2016 to fostering connections and preserving cultural heritage.
Recognizing the importance of community for her two children—a daughter and a son—she passionately committed herself to the Austin Iranian Professionals Association. Her mission is clear: to create a vibrant community where not only the current population but future generations can thrive, remembering and cherishing their cultural roots.
Bijan Afkhami
Bijan, an Iranian-American, is the founder and president of Bijan International, a corporate training and coaching firm dedicated to creating extraordinary performance improvement in individuals and organizations.
Bijan has enhanced the productivity of many organizations. His “Coaching for Greatness” program is attended by leaders of Fortune 100 companies. More than 3,000 “Motorolans” and 5000 “IBMers” have benefited from his training.
Bijan is author of the book : “The 1% Solution: Leadership Through Action”.
Farideh Babazadeh
Farideh, after migrating to the United States obtained her BA and BS degrees in Business Administration and Chemistry, respectively. In addition to working in multiple managerial positions, she retired from the Texas Department of State Health Services after 25 years. She has previously been a member of past Iranian-American cultural organizations in Austin. She has also served as a volunteer on a multiple presidential campaigns.
Her mission is to promote Persian culture and arts for the American born generations of Persian descent and the entire Austin Community.
Our Business Sponsors
