Our Mentors

A Committed Community

Recognizing that many foster care students "age out of the system" without a dependable network of family or community support, we acknowledge that financial assistance alone is insufficient. The Rezvan Foundation Mentorship Program is the heart and soul of our organization, offering dedicated one-on-one mentorship to each Rezvan Scholar throughout their entire four-year college journey. This program ensures that every scholar receives personalized support tailored to their unique needs and aspirations.

Mentors play a pivotal role in our scholars' success. Each Rezvan Scholar is thoughtfully paired with a high-level Mentor based on various factors, including educational pathways, career & industry interests, learning styles, and personality traits. This careful matching process fosters meaningful and impactful relationships that significantly enhance the scholars' college experience and future opportunities.

Rezvan Mentor Spotlights

Ruchi Agrawal

Rezvan Foundation mentor Ruchi Agrawal has worked both as a management consultant and as an internal corporate strategist, with a focus on developing new products and bringing them to market. She has an undergraduate degree from Northwestern University, with a double major in Economics and Sociology, and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Ruchi is a devoted mother of two daughters and currently serves on the board of their K-12 school, as well as on the board of a large fine arts non-profit. She is excited to be working with the Rezvan Foundation and to build a lasting relationship with her mentee that provides support in all aspects of life.

Meredeth Costello

Meredeth Costello is a Louisiana girl through & through, which is where she lives with her husband & two active boys. She is passionate about serving others, empowering people to be their best, & showing off all the food & culture that Louisiana has to offer. Meredeth works both in corporate America & as CEO of her own global skincare business. She is honored to partner with the Rezvan Foundation & support their great vision.

Vishal Bakshi

Vishal Bakshi is currently a Data Analyst at the City of Portland Bureau of Planning & Sustainability. He studied engineering at Iowa State University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign before pursuing a career in education teaching high school and community college STEM courses. He transitioned into a career of data science in 2016 and hasn't looked back since! "My goal in life is to build relationships and community on shared values, interests and goals. Other work will get done as a byproduct of these bonds because we’re committed to improving each others’ lives."

Baleen Shemiran

Paired with Rezvan Scholar Corryn B.

A proud first-generation Iranian American, Rezvan Foundation mentor Baleen Shemirani is a credentialed school psychologist, and as the co-founder of Boostan Kids Persian Immersion Preschool is committed to passing along her Iranian heritage and Persian language to young students in the San Francisco Bay Area.
“As the daughter of two Iranian immigrants who were totally unfamiliar with the US education system, I relied a lot on school counselors, as well as the older kids around me who were doing well in school," Baleen shares. "I was the first in my family to go to a four-year University and then on to graduate school, and while I was extremely fortunate to have a loving and strong support system in my family, I myself could have used a mentor during those crazy, confusing and formative college years. I am so honored to be working with The Rezvan Foundation, and feel lucky to have my mentee; she motivates me to crush obstacles in my own life and push forward!”

Iman Jeddi

Iman Jeddi is the Senior Vice President & General Manager for the Single Port business unit at Intuitive Surgical. She has been with Intuitive since 2013 and has held multiple leadership roles in Engineering, Operations, and Quality during her tenure. Iman has over 15 years of experience in the medical device industry, including five years at Abbott Laboratories, where she held multiple engineering and operations roles. Iman holds a B.A.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of British Columbia, M.S. in Medical Engineering from the University of Washington, and a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of California Davis.

Bernadette Doerr

Paired with Rezvan Scholar E.G.

Rezvan Foundation mentor Bernadette Doerr is an independent consultant who helps companies diagnose and manage culture. A recipient of the Frank H. Buck Scholarship, she studied at Georgetown University and the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley. Bernadette serves on the board of two education-related non-profits (Buck Scholars Association and SchoolForce), and shares that she feels honored to serve as a Rezvan Foundation mentor.

Roja Gashtili

Paired with Rezvan Scholar J.H.

Born in Iran and brought to the U.S. as a baby, Rezvan Foundation mentor Roja Gashtili is a writer, director and producer. “Navigating the college system was at times complicated as a first-generation American,” she recalls, “but with the help of family and a strong support system at school, I graduated and moved to NYC to pursue my career.” She shares that she is honored to be working with The Rezvan Foundation, and is immensely grateful for the opportunity to pay it forward and advocate on the behalf of students like her.

Majenta Strongheart

Paired with Rezvan Scholar L.D.

Rezvan Foundation mentor and emerging artist Majenta Strongheart is the Staff Designer and Community Coordinator at Supplyframe DesignLab, where she works at the intersection of design, social innovation, science and fine arts. In addition to organizing over 100 exhibits and events, her work has been featured at DeYoung Museum in SF and Spazio Rosanna Orlandi in Milan. Majenta thrives to be a positive contributing member to her community, and we are so grateful to call her a Rezvan Foundation mentor!

Cassandra Bodzak

Paired with Rezvan Scholar E.M.

Rezvan Foundation mentor Cassandra Bodzak is a certified Holistic Health Coach specializing in practical lifestyle management for women, with particular emphasis on both nutrition and meditation. The author of Eat With Intention: Recipes and Meditations for a Life That Lights You Up, she has been featured in Forbes for the popular online community she created at aprecity.com, as well as a featured competitor on NBC’s “The Taste” for her healthy, vegan dessert creations.