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Our Board Members  

• Felora Derakhshani: President 

Felora Derakhshani is the founder and President of ACT Women, Educated in Oxford, England, Felora is an Electro-mechanical Engineer. For over 16 years, she has worked with a number of diverse companies, in varying capacities, such as Project Management and as an Engineering Manager, in the field of Nuclear Instrumentation. Felora left this high profile position to pursue a field of service.  The driving force for her particular area of service, since adolescence, is her passion for highlighting and peacefully bringing to the forefront of social consciousness, the principle of the equality of women and men.  In 1996, while working as an Engineer, she formed a women's group, witnessed firsthand the power that education, encouragement, and empowerment has on women and thus, ACT Women was born from that seed.  By aiding women to look beyond the superficial, Felora's natural talent lies in the ability to accompany women on their particular and very personal journey through the exciting transformation of aligning and harmonizing the mind, heart, and body. 

Felora Derakhshani is the owner of "Felora Image Consulting" www.felora.net, whose values are grounded in the transformative powers of self-knowledge and empowerment. 

She is the past President of the Board of Austin Area Interreligious Ministries (AAIM) and is active in a number of other non-profit organizations. Her new passion is combining the strengths and learning from ACT Women into ACT Girls, creating a vibrant community life for young girls.  Her new book on "Empowering Adolescent Girls" is currently in the works.

  • Aniela Costello: Vice President
Aniela Costello serves as the Vice President of the ACT Women Board.  She is Licensed Homeopathic Practitioner (LPH). She has been a classical homeopath in clinical practice for 16 years specializing in women's issues and the family dynamic. As a certified Life Coach and Virtues Project Facilitator, Aniela has served non-profit Organizations throughout the Southern Region, merging spiritual principles with practical applications into every day living.  Her special areas of interest include facilitating workshops that honor the "teenage spirit" and  "The Spiritual Parent." She has been a Bahá'í for 26 years and serves on administration institutions of the Bahá'í Faith.

 
• Virginia Rogers:  Treasurer
Virginia Rogers serves as the Treasurer of the ACT Women Board. She is a business woman of note in Texas who has developed some of the more successful small business ventures in Central Texas. Virginia was the founder and CEO of Relax the Back Franchising Company and of Ginny’s Copying Service, Inc., and is now the Co-General Partner of a real estate development company. Virginia has served on the board of numerous profit and non-profit organizations.  She is also the recipient of numerous awards such as Texas Business Woman of the Year (Texas State Women’s Chamber of Commerce), Retailer of the Year (Austin Chamber of Commerce), Quick Printing Industry Founders Award (NAQP), and Texas Female Outstanding Franchisor of the Year (Boss V).  She received her B.L.S. degree from St. Edward’s University in Austin, with a business management major. Virginia has lived in England and Uganda and has traveled extensively in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America, frequently involving volunteer work in social and economic development.
 

 
• Lynn Kindler: Secretary
Lynn Kindler is a Professional Career/Life Transition Coach who offers coaching for movers and shakers who want to find more meaning in their lives.  Lynn is a graduate of Coach University and is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) and working towards earning her Master Certified Coach (MCC).  She is also a graduate of the Success Unlimited Network SUN® as well as being a Certified Retreat Coach through the Retreat Coach Network. Offering groups self-care retreats grounded spiritual growth along with career and life exploration is another avenue of service she provides.

 Lynn’s professional experience includes having been the Associate Partner for an IT staffing company (C&T Consulting Services) in Austin for ten years and currently recruits civil engineers, architects and planners from across the country (EEG Recruiting).  Her career experience encompasses a wide-breadth of environments including medical, academia, science and publishing.  Lynn also writes inspirational articles which can be found at www.sacredpathcoaching.com, www.ezinearticles.com and www.businessleadercentral.com.   

Lynn is a CTM with Toastmaster’s International and is a member of the San Marcos Academy Alumni Council.  Lynn attended SMA during her high school years and is very interested in helping all young people to be able to learn and express themselves through the arts and sciences.  Lynn is a new Bahá’í (November 2006) and feels like she has finally found her “home”. 

• Rachel Giani