Banafsheh Akhlaghi is a pioneering civil and human rights attorney, educator and social entrepreneur. She has learned through her work how decisions we make globally affect us locally and has always worked to transform lives at all levels.

Banafsheh has worked as a consultant with the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and was the director of the West Region for Amnesty International. She has won several awards for her work, including the Fred Korematsu Civil Rights Award. Banafsheh was named one of the “Top 100 Leading Lawyers in California” and “Top 100 Most Influential Lawyers in California” by the Daily Journal.