Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans
Encyclopedia
The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans, PAAIA, Inc., is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, nonreligious 501(c)(4) membership organization that aims to "serve the domestic interests of Iranian Americans
and represent the community before U.S. policymakers and the American public at large." PAAIA Inc. and its affiliated 501(c)(3) organization, PAAIA Fund, were founded by a group of Iranian-Americans including many notable individuals such as Goli Ameri
, Rudi Bakhtiar
, Firouz Naderi
and Omid Kordestani
. The term PAAIA, however, is used to refer to both entities without distinction.
PAAIA also has a connected Political Action Committee, IAPAC, that promotes and contributes to the election of Iranian-American
and American candidates for political office.
.
In 2008, PAAIA commissioned Zogby International
to survey the Iranian-American community's
attitudes on important issues. A follow-up survey was also conducted in 2009. These surveys were the first of their kind and have been presented to the United States Congress, the media, and the general public.
Iranian-American
Iranian-Americans are Americans of Iranian ancestry or people possessing Iranian and American dual citizenship.Iranian-Americans are amongst the most highly educated groups in the United States...
and represent the community before U.S. policymakers and the American public at large." PAAIA Inc. and its affiliated 501(c)(3) organization, PAAIA Fund, were founded by a group of Iranian-Americans including many notable individuals such as Goli Ameri
Goli Ameri
Goli Ameri is an Iranian-American diplomat, politician and businesswoman from the U.S. state of Oregon. She is the current Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Values and Diplomacy for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. She is also the former U.S...
, Rudi Bakhtiar
Rudi Bakhtiar
Rudi Bakhtiar is an Iranian American journalist who has over a decade's experience working for major international news outlets CNN and Fox News Channel. Bakhtiar is currently the Director of Communications for the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran...
, Firouz Naderi
Firouz Naderi
Firouz Naderi is an Iranian-American scientist and currently the Director for Solar System Exploration at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory...
and Omid Kordestani
Omid Kordestani
Omid R. Kordestani is an Iranian-American businessman who works as Senior Advisor to Office of the CEO and Founders at Google. Kordestani was the Senior Vice President for Worldwide Sales and Field Operations of Google until he stepped down on April 16, 2009....
. The term PAAIA, however, is used to refer to both entities without distinction.
PAAIA also has a connected Political Action Committee, IAPAC, that promotes and contributes to the election of Iranian-American
Iranian-American
Iranian-Americans are Americans of Iranian ancestry or people possessing Iranian and American dual citizenship.Iranian-Americans are amongst the most highly educated groups in the United States...
and American candidates for political office.
History
Approximately 70 Iranian-Americans participated in the founding of this organization. As a result, PAAIA was born in August 2007 as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit bipartisan, non-sectarian, national membership organization together with an affiliated 501(c)(3), PAAIA Fund, with the goal of "representing and advancing the interests of the Iranian American community." PAAIA publicly launched in April 2008.Activities
PAAIA's activities range from promoting legislations such as Nowruz Resolution to holding seminars featuring keynote speakers such as Senator Shucmer and Congresswoman Nancy PelosiNancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
.
In 2008, PAAIA commissioned Zogby International
Zogby International
IBOPE Zogby International is an international market research, opinion polling firm founded in 1984 by John Zogby. The company polls and consults for a wide spectrum of business media, government, and political groups, and conducts public opinion research in more than 70 countries...
to survey the Iranian-American community's
Iranian-American
Iranian-Americans are Americans of Iranian ancestry or people possessing Iranian and American dual citizenship.Iranian-Americans are amongst the most highly educated groups in the United States...
attitudes on important issues. A follow-up survey was also conducted in 2009. These surveys were the first of their kind and have been presented to the United States Congress, the media, and the general public.