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Our Board Members  

Felora Derakhshani: Executive Director 

Felora Derakhshani is the founder and Executive Director 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 on the board of several organizations: she serves as the chair elect of the governing board of Accelerating Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), she is on the board of United Nation Association (UNA), she is the past President of the Board of Directors 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.

Aniela Costello: President

Aniela Costello serves as the 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.
 

Rachel Giani: Secretary

Rachel is a local Board Certified Attorney specializing in Administrative Law. Her passion is to be a positive role model for women.  She works tirelessly to raise awareness on women’s issues and specifically the concept of equality of gender.
 
Sherry Lowry

Sherry Lowry, MCC, is a lifetime serial entrepreneur. For the most recent fourteen years, she has delighted in taking the best learnings forward of six previous business focuses to now include in her services as a full time, professional business mentor and a collaboration and alliance coach. Her clients advantageously and consistently draw from their own and her own backgrounds. In so doing, they identify and expand usage of their own most natural capabilities and interests, plus extend their potential for innovation and new levels of partnership.

Dr. Alison Ziari

Dr. Alison Ziari serves as the Director of the ARC After Hours Clinic for Pediatrics and serves as ARC's Co-Chief for the Pediatric Department. She serves on various committees at ARC including the Pandemic & Public Health committee and the Emergency Management Plan committee. Dr. Ziari also serves on the Seton Health Plan Quality Improvement Committee.
Dr. Ziari expresses her creativity through her writing of poetry and short stories. She enjoys movies and admires the way singer/songwriters command the English language. Dr. Ziari especially loves being silly with her youngest child, artsy with her middle one, and listening to music with her eldest. Dedicated to the positive role women can play in all societies.  She is an active member of the Austin Baha'i community.