Bita Golshan Lotfi – Attorney, Private PracticeBita, the daughter of first‑generation Iranian immigrants, has dedicated her career to supporting refugees and immigrants in the Washington, D.C. area. She joined IROC after her daughter Ariana founded the organization in 2019, helping expand its mission and impact.

She holds degrees from Wittenberg University and the University of Dayton School of Law, and is a member of the Illinois and D.C. Bar Associations as well as AILA. Bita spent more than a decade with the immigration law firm Fragomen and now works as a business immigration consultant.

Alison BostromAllison holds an MSc in International Development from the University of Edinburgh and an MS in Astronomy & Astrophysics. She has experience in monitoring & evaluation, specializing in supporting organizations in collecting and using data to understand and improve their programming. Allison oversees most of IROC’s programs while managing the organization’s volunteers and partner relationships.

Cees Roels (LLM Leiden University Netherlands) has spent over four decades working in some of the world’s most challenging places as a diplomat of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His work took him from Afghanistan and Pakistan to the Balkans, the Great Lakes region in Africa and Asia (India, Japan, Indonesia), often right into the heart of conflict and transition.During the surge in Afghanistan in 2010, Cees worked closely with US and UK military leaders on the ground, spending long stretches in frontline areas like Kandahar. He was also in Kabul during its fall in 2021, giving him a rare and very personal view of events as they unfolded. He was dealing with Afghanistan from 2002.Cees is known for his clear, honest insights and his ability to cut through complexity with real-world experience. After retiring late 2021, he continues to share those insights through his writing and public discussions.

Catherine Kapikian is a site-specific liturgical artist. Her scores of commissions reside in churches of diverse denominations; synagogue; university, seminary, and military chapels; retreat centers; and hotel and convention center lobbies for national ecclesial events. Kapikian is founder and Director Emerita of the Henry Luce Center for the Arts and Religion at Wesley Theological Seminary (WTS) in Washington D.C. and currently Distinguished Artist-in-Residence at WTS. She has authored numerous articles, lectured throughout the USA in ecclesial and academic contexts, and authored the authoritative “Art in Service of the Sacred.” Her work can be seen at catherinekapikian.com.

Ahmad Mansoor Ramizy is the Afghanistan Program Director at Ideas Beyond Borders, a New York-based organization working for education, democracy, and enlightenment in the Middle East. Mansoor is also a writer and reporter for the Middle East Uncovered, an independent publication powered by Ideas Beyond Borders. 

Sadiq Amini is an expert in Public Diplomacy and International Security, with over a decade of experience shaping U.S. foreign and security policy in Afghanistan and South Asia. Through his YouTube podcasts, “Afghanistan Impact” and “Herat Talks”, he delivers in-depth analysis of Afghanistan’s challenges, highlighting the consequences of Taliban rule, especially on women, and advocating for the country’s liberation and democratization.

From 2022–2024, Mr. Amini served as a Non-Resident Fellow and Program Manager for Outreach at ORF America, a Washington D.C.-based think tank focused on U.S.-India relations. Prior to that, he spent nearly nine years as a Political Assistant at the U.S. Department of State/U.S. Embassy Kabul, where he performed sensitive roles in policy analysis, outreach, and crisis response, including advising on the U.S.-Afghanistan Bilateral Security Agreement. During Operation Allies Refuge, he played a key role in evacuating American citizens, Green Card holders, and over 3,000 locally employed staff and their families after the Taliban takeover of Kabul. In recognition of his services, the U.S. Department of State presented him with the Heroism Award in June 2022.

Mr. Amini began his career in 2010 with the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan, later joining the Permanent Mission of Afghanistan to the United Nations … Read More »

Our upcoming Club Assembly is a chance for members to come together and review key club business, updates, and plans for the months ahead. This meeting is held exclusively on Zoom, making it easy for everyone to join the discussion, share input, and stay informed about our club’s direction.