Nazli Parvizi

President 

Nazli Parvizi's work and passion often resides at the intersection of government, food & hospitality, and the arts. As President of MOFAD, Nazli joins a team of incredibly dedicated culinary historians, chefs, writers, food and museum professionals joined together under the mission of using food as a lens to explore and learn more about the world we live in.

Nazli Parvizi started working a small tea shop in central Massachusetts when she was 14 years old. Through 8 years of weekends, summers and college breaks working with amazing women, she received an education on cooking, hospitality and human behavior that ignited a life-long passion for all aspects of the culinary arts. She graduated with a degree in Food Anthropology and a minor in Biology from Barnard College, Columbia University, co-founding a catering company, Night Kitchen Brooklyn, shortly after graduation.

Following the events of 9/11, Nazli pivoted from food towards public service. She joined the administration of former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg as the youngest agency head in NYC history, heading up the City's Volunteer Center (now NYC Service) before becoming Commissioner of the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit (CAU). After leaving government, Nazli consulted across various sectors, including Hurricane Sandy recovery work, the nonprofit food sector and California water infrastructure, focusing on government and public affairs, nonprofit governance, and community outreach and engagement.

A proud immigrant, Nazli and her family escaped from Iran in 1981 following the Iranian revolution, eventually settling in Massachusetts. Her last meal would include nachos, Caesar salad, French onion soup and her mama's sour cherry rice; Tums for dessert. She is the mother of a delicious 9-year old boy who obviously hates food and would prefer to never eat.