In June 2019, Ariana came back from a service trip in Bekaa Valley, Lebanon working with refugees through the non-profit organization Project Turquoise, with a curiosity to learn about the resettled refugees in the United States. She received a fellowship from her high school, National Cathedral School in Washington, D.C. to learn and study about the DMV area refugees and their journey’s to the U.S. and to understand their needs now and what they are lacking. Through dozens of in-person interviews with the newest immigrants, she learned that their needs were not met. Thus, in the summer of August 2019, she formed the non-profit organization, IROC. The highlight of her work through IROC is the free summer camps held in Riverdale, Maryland! Ariana's a freshman at Stanford University and plans to major in Public Policy and Management Science & Engineering.

A daughter of first generation immigrants from Iran, Bita saw first hand the obstacles faced in resettling in the United States. After her daughter, Ariana founded IROC, Bita began working to address the needs of her newest neighbors’ and found that support services were lacking after the initial three month arrival period. Bita is passionate about welcoming refugees and immigrants to the DMV and believes that their cultures and contributions enrich the melting pot we all live in. Bita earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Dayton in 1998 and her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and French from Wittenberg University in 1995. Bita is a member of the Bar Association in the states of Illinois and District of Columbia, and is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). She worked for over a decade with the corporation immigration law firm, Fragomen in Chicago, Tysons Corner and Washington, D.C. and she is currently a business immigration consultant. Bita serves on the board of the Iranian-American Community Center in Vienna, Virginia and is committed to preserving and sharing the rich and ancient Iranian culture.

As the granddaughter of immigrants, Megan has always had an appreciation and admiration for the strength and tenacity required by immigrants coming to the United States. She currently serves as the Executive Director for IROC and is passionate about helping families by connecting them with the resources they need to thrive in their new communities. She has previously served as Education Director for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington - Silver Spring and has volunteered with various animal rescue nonprofits in the Washington Metro area. Megan earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2006 and is currently a Project Manager at Freddie Mac.

Rangena fled the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan in 1980 at age 18 months, waited for asylum in West Germany for 2 years and arrived in the US in 1983, part of a family of 6. Through poverty and cultural shock, her family persevered resulting in 4 college graduates and a beautiful home in Fairfax County, VA. Rangena’s experiences have compelled her to give back to the refugee community in order to support their journey in becoming prosperous citizens of the United States. Experienced in strategy, IT and management consulting, Rangena has been employed by firms large and small with a focus on the various private and public sector industries. Passionate about global community service, Rangena provides pro-bono management consulting to nonprofit organizations and business expertise to women’s entrepreneurship and advocacy institutions. She earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and Spanish from the University of Virginia and is an MBA graduate of Harvard Business School.

Manizha and her family fled Afghanistan during the Cold War in the 1980's when she was only 5 years old. Being a refugee herself, she knows all too well what these newly arrived families have endured and the obstacles that they may face being in a completely new environment. Manizha leads with compassion and wants to empower refugees, particularly the women and children, by example. She began volunteering with IROC as a result of her deep desire to support and empower those in need. Manizha is a mother of four beautiful children and her husband served in the US Army Special Forces. Manizha earned her Associates in Science from Farmingdale State College, NY. She is also a successful franchisee and most recently accepted a position as a Family Service Manager at Homes Not Borders.

Maheen grew up in Pakistan, Myanmar, the Philippines and Indonesia before immigrating to the U.S. for college, later making the Washington, DC area her home. She has traveled to Afghanistan and Pakistan for humanitarian assistance and has a background in financial inclusion, sustainability and innovative partnerships. Maheen works at Freddie Mac, leading national initiatives in the financial empowerment and housing outreach space. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the Kelly School of Business at Indiana University and her MBA from American University.