Young Professionals Network (YPN) is an organization of the Society of Iranian-American Women for Education, formed in 2021, to engage and inspire the next generation of Iranian-American professionals to serve by improving lives through education and culture. Members participate in networking activities, social events, and fundraising events which support academic scholarships. YPN provides leadership opportunities and encourages community volunteerism. In addition, YPN facilitates the discovery, preservation, and joy of learning of Persian/Iranian art, history, and culture among Iranian-American youth, serving as a support system as young professionals begin their adult lives, gain valuable personal and professional skills, and ultimately contribute to society.
We invite you to join in our mission to support education, open doors of possibility, serve others, and live a meaningful life.
Shiva Tavakoli, co-founder of Joon Haircare, was raised in the salon world. Her father had a chain of over 150 salons and took her under his wing. Shiva spent summers under the gentle guidance of her Persian grandparents, learning about various Persian spices. After finishing her degree in International Nutrition, Shiva had a vision of applying her passion for ingredients to haircare products, merging ancient Persian traditions with modern chemistry, and Joon Haircare was born. Since its launch, Joon Haircare has amassed a loyal Instagram following of over 31K, been featured in publications such as Allure, PopSugar, Refinery29, Houston Chronicle, is carried by salons/stores throughout the world, and has inspired a following of “Joonies” who love the cultural, educational, and inspirational messages of the brand.
Kayvon Tavakoli grew up surrounded by two things: haircare and family. After finishing his degree in Psychology, Kayvon made the decision to return to his roots, assuming a place in the family business, and then forging his own path by co-founding Joon Haircare with his sister/best friend Shiva Tavakoli. Wearing the mantle of “Co-Founder of Joon Haircare” as well as “Director of Sales/Marketing for Salon Wholesaler”, one of the largest salon distributors in Texas, Kayvon has utilized his experience to lead both companies into international beauty markets and growth, while creating an award-winning global brand of his own.
Narguess Arjomand has had a successful career in sales and account management in the travel, hospitality, food, and logistics industries. A graduate of Ithaca College in New York with a B.S. in Business Administration, concentrating in International Business & International Marketing, she is a Houstonian who has brought her skills and experience back home. As a former captain of her conference winning collegiate tennis team, she has taken her athleticism to the golf course where she can mix business and sport seamlessly, and competes in tournaments statewide.
Ayda Delpassand is the Director of Quality and Regulatory Assurance at RadioMedix, a Biotechnology focused on radiopharmaceuticals for diagnosis and therapy of cancer. She has extensive experience in drug development project management and leading highly effective teams with regard to filings with the FDA i.e Drug Master Files, Investigational New Drug applications (INDs) and drug commercialization. Ayda acquired her B.S in Biology from San Diego State University and M.S. from the University of Southern California in Global Medicine and M.S. in Regulatory Affairs.
Ariana Razavi graduated from Trinity University in 2019 with a B.S. in Business Administration concentrated in marketing. Ariana is trilingual in English, Farsi and Spanish and has an altruistic, outgoing, and creative character. In her free time, she enjoys photography, singing, yoga, and cooking-especially Persian food!
To become a member of the SIAWE Young Professionals Network, please fill out the form below, and we will keep you updated with networking opportunities, leadership seminars, and upcoming events.
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