Our Team
Our Board
Our board members bring diverse expertise and perspectives, ensuring the Rezvan Foundation fulfills its mission and goals. By offering oversight and support, the board helps to sustain the foundation's impact and effectiveness in serving our scholars and our cause.
Dr. Ehsan Rezvan
Rezvan Foundation President Dr. Ehsan Rezvan grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from The Ohio State University, as well as a certificate in Periodontics and a Master of Science in Dentistry. Dr. Rezvan is immensely grateful for the opportunities that his father’s courageous sacrifices ultimately created for him, as well as the importance he placed on education. He strives to “pay it forward” by creating the same such opportunity for Rezvan Foundation scholars so that they may pass along the Rezvan family legacy of perseverance for generations to follow. Dr. Rezvan lives near San Francisco, California with his wife and three children, and maintains full-time practices in both Gilroy and Monterey.
Elizabeth Naimi-Yazdi
Entrepreneurial business owner Elizabeth Naimi-Yazdi brings more than fifteen years of management experience in a variety of titles to her role as Rezvan Foundation Vice President. Elizabeth has led a career of creating new business development opportunities and forging strong business relationships with companies and individuals throughout North America and Asia. In addition to leveraging her experience to manage the success of the Foundation, she is duly motivated by her personal relationship with the late Dr. Ahmad Rezvan and his inspiring focus on the importance of education and assisting those in need.
Ron Elliott
Rezvan Foundation Board Member Ron Elliott is the former Chairman and CEO of Excelligence Learning Corporation, the largest developer and supplier of early childhood education products in the U.S. Mr. Elliott serves on the Board of The International Theater and Literacy Project, and is a senior advisor to several private equity firms. He received a degree in Broadcast Journalism from New York University. He divides his time between Monterey, California, Manhattan, New York and Auckland, New Zealand.
Suken N. Shah
Rezvan Foundation Board Member Suken N. Shah is a co-founder and Managing Partner of Spotlight Equity Partners, a leading private equity firm. He has been a private equity investor for over 15 years and began his career focusing on mergers and acquisitions in the Investment Banking Division at Goldman, Sachs & Co. Suken graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and with honors from Northwestern University, where he earned BA degrees in both Economics and Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences. He also holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School.
Our Directors
At the Rezvan Foundation, our Directors play crucial roles in driving the organization's mission and impact. Together, these roles ensure the Rezvan Foundation operates smoothly and successfully supports its scholars.
Jessica Smoler
Executive Director
As the Executive Director, Jessica provides overall leadership and strategic vision, ensuring the foundation's goals are met efficiently and effectively. She oversees daily operations, manages staff, cultivates donor relationships, and represents the foundation in the community and beyond.
Tommy Stracke
Director of Mentorship Program
As the Director of the Mentorship Program, Tommy focuses specifically on the heart of the foundation's work: the Mentorship Program. He is responsible for designing, implementing, and evaluating mentorship initiatives, ensuring each Rezvan Scholar is matched with a suitable Mentor. By fostering strong Mentor-Mentee relationships, the Director of the Mentorship Program helps scholars navigate their college journey and achieve their full potential.
