Leila Zand Email & Phone Number

Washington Dc-Baltimore Area

• Furthering the organization’s mission and embracing feminist principles of cooperation and collaborations• Focus on building bridges of understanding among adversarial groups and nations• Plan, organize and execute peace and justice delegations • Participate in public speaking • Represent the organization in conferences and media programs • Plan and execute teach-ins and building knowledge among stakeholders• Organize, develop and facilitate dialogue among stakeholders and their adversaries

• Collaborated with national, and international coalitions of peace and justice • Worked to change public policy focused on equity, human rights, and restorative, racial and economic justice • Supported community-building initiatives • Trained and prepared members for congregational advocacy visits• Supported taskforces with volunteer members interested in advocating peace in the Middle East, as well as individuals who travelled to the Middle East to identify areas for grassroot change in USA public policy• Designed, launched and taught a month-long online course on the Middle East & Citizen Diplomacy (Track II) Program, from budgeting to curricular design and delivery• Promoted the Demilitarization of ‘Land and Life’ in the Middle East • Wrote up-eds, and represented the organization at public engagements (public speaking) and in interview by media outlets• Led chapters and interns, and hired new employees

• Lectured on women and their social status in Islam, women in the Middle Eastern culture and history, activism in Muslim societies, and non-violence in Islam

• Taught social science in Schenectady School Districts

• Organized and planned small budget programs for the American Iranian Association• Coordinated conferences, seminars, lectures and receptions

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Interdisciplinary Studies, Public Policy & Social Change

Dissertation: The Role of Track II Diplomacy in the Iran-US Relations

Master Of Arts - Ma, Middle Eastern Studies

Thesis: Family Planning in Iran after the Islamic Revolution: with an Emphasis on the Women’s role