Conversation with Iranian-American Leaders in Technology
January 22, 2026 @ 6:00PM — 8:00PM Eastern Time (US & Canada) Add to Calendar
Pars Place : 8150 Leesburg Pike Suite 210 Vienna, VA 22182 Get Directions
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Please join young professional Iranian Network for an evening of meaningful conversation as three accomplished Iranian American technology leaders share their journeys, insights, and perspectives on leadership in the tech industry. This panel discussion will explore deeper questions from leadership mindsets and industry transformation to extending your impact. After the discussion, stay for a short Q&A session and light refreshments to connect with fellow attendees and our panelists.
We'll explore:
- The intersection of identity and professional growth in technology
- Leadership mindsets that drive meaningful impact
- Navigating industry transformation and change
- Lessons learned from unique career paths and experiences
Meet the Panelists:
Elham Tabassi:
She is the director of the Brookings Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology (AIET) Initiative and a senior fellow in the Global Economy and Development program, where her research focuses on preparing people and society for the AI-driven future. She joined Brookings following more than 25 years in civil service at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where she most recently served as Chief AI Advisor and led the AI Innovation Lab. Among her notable achievements at NIST, she was the lead author of the widely adopted AI Risk Management Framework, invented a fingerprint image quality algorithm that became a global standard, and served as the first U.S. federal AI standards coordinator. In 2023, TIME named her one of the 100 most influential people in AI.
Farzin Arsanjani:
He is a veteran technology entrepreneur and the Co-Founder & CEO of the newly launched venture, Simuland.ai, where he is leading the development of Zurvan—an open-source simulation and digital-twin platform transforming how organizations model complex systems. With more than three decades of experience across SaaS, Cloud, AI, and simulation technologies, he has founded multiple companies, led successful exits, and built products adopted by millions worldwide. Farzin also advises several U.S. and Japan-based technology ventures, including an AI-enabled edtech initiative redefining how learning content is created, delivered, and assessed. He is widely recognized for his ability to identify emerging market inflection points and translate breakthrough ideas into scalable businesses, high-value ecosystems, and sustained competitive advantage.
Taher Behbehani:
He is the Co-Founder and CEO of Confidential Core AI, pioneering sovereign AI infrastructure and confidential computing to secure enterprise and government systems worldwide. An accomplished technology executive and strategist, Taher has built and led large-scale global organizations, driving engineering innovation, complex operations, and multi-billion-dollar business growth across sectors. His career includes senior leadership roles at Samsung Electronics, Time Warner Cable, and American Express, where he spearheaded break-out product launches, high-impact partnerships, and successful M&A initiatives that created significant shareholder value. As a strategic advisor to Greece’s national power and utility company, Taher helped architect the foundational program to build sovereign data centers and launch national AI services, aligning industrial policy, infrastructure, and technology vision.
Kiana Padash (moderator):
She works in Healthcare Analytics, where she leads the development of data-driven platforms that transform how health systems deliver care. Her work spans population health management, predictive analytics, and AI-enabled decision support tools that help organizations shift from reactive to proactive care models. She specializes in unifying fragmented healthcare data, integrating EHR systems, claims databases, and quality metrics, to surface actionable insights for clinical and operational leaders. Passionate about professional development and community connection, Kiana is excited to bring this conversation to Pars Place.
Advance ticket purchase is required. Tickets are non-refundable.