About Niroumand Foundation

Founding story

Mr. Niroumand, was a very kind and compassionate man who faced mental challenges and disorders for many years of his life, which ultimately led to the end of his life. Although he was a very well mannered and sociable man, he kept this mental breakdown a secret even from many of his loved ones. This decision was affected by the taboo of mental illness in Iranian culture, which made many friends and relatives unable to be an effective help to improve his condition.

For many years, Mr Niroumand was under psychiatric treatment, which is very drug-oriented and mostly devoid of holistic treatment methods. This issue, in addition to his sense of love and philanthropy, prompted his children to form the Niromand Foundation with the aim of creating emerging programs and exercises for the growth and promotion of the human psyche in an environment free from social taboos.

Mr. Niroumand is survived by his two sons, one of whom owns a community farm in Vancouver, Canada. Abundance Community Farm offers a space for healing and educational retreats. These retreats are developed and conducted by world class facilitators who are equipped with the knowledge of cutting-edge practices for personal growth and community development. The foundation leverages on this network and expertise to curate programs that can benefit Persian speaking people and beyond.

You can learn more about the philosophy and activities of Abundance Community Farm in this video:

Abundance – Festival Screener

Vision

To be seen as a reliable source for providing non-political and non-religious programs that catapult personal and social healing and growth.

Operation

The foundation is currently run by the Niroumand brothers. An international group of experts support the operation of the foundation.

Mission

To raise awareness around modern mental health challenges and provide practical tools for personal and interpersonal growth and mental well-being.

Funding

Initial funding for the foundation has been secured by Niroumand family assets. Fundraising and donations are expected to pay for the foundation costs, which strives to provide all of its programs free of charge.

People

Dr. Amir M. Niroumand

Dr. Amir M. Niroumand

Founder

Dr. Amir Masoud Niroumand obtained his BSc in Control Systems Engineering from Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, MSc in Signal Processing from Northeastern University in Boston, and PhD in Fuel Cell Diagnostics from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada. Dr. Niroumand is an internationally established subject matter expert on fuel cell diagnostic systems, where he leads cutting edge R&D programs between academia and industry. He currently collaborates with an international group of academic and industrial partners including Greenlight Innovation and Simon Fraser University in Canada, AVL, TU Graz, and TU Wien in Austria, and Julich Research Centre in Germany. Dr. Niroumand has several patents and peer-reviewed publications on fuel cell testing and manufacturing, and is a recognized presenter at scientific conferences and technical workshops.

Amir is recognized as a social entrepreneur with a primary interest in changing cultural values and norms to catalyze transition to a sustainable society. In 2016, he founded Abundance Community Farm in BC, Canada as a social experiment in creating a community culture that thrives to create harmony between people and with the planet. Dr Niroumand leverages on his experience and network in community building and healing arts to produce world class programs for Niroumand Foundation. 

https://www.sfu.ca/people/amir_niroumand.html

Alidad Niroumand

Alidad Niroumand

Founder

Alidad obtained his Industrial Engineering degree in Iran and his graduate degree in Business Administration in Germany, where he focused on finance and operations. For the last 20 years he has worked as a financial services professional in various countries such as England, Germany, Canada and Spain. He also has subject matter expertise across multiple industries including automotive, banking, fintech, insurance, and media. 

Alidad’s passion for mental health comes from growing up in Iran with complex social and cultural issues that can cause or intensify mental health challenges for people with various capacities. He speaks Farsi, English, Spanish, and German fluently and has traveled to over 50 countries. He brings an international perspective on cultural nuances to the Niroumand Foundation and oversees its financial activities. 

Dr. Sadaf Lotfalian

Dr. Sadaf Lotfalian

Director of Education

Sadaf Lotfalian, PhD, is a Clinical Psychologist, Educator, and Social Innovator. Her clinical focus rests on the integration of psychology, neuroscience, and mysticism for recovery. Dr. Lotfalian has published peer-reviewed research validating mindfulness-based yogic breathwork as an efficacious tool for addiction cessation such as smoking. She has advanced training in a range of specialties including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Compassion- and Mindfulness-Based Therapies, and is a certified Qigong and pranayama practitioner. She has also trained in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and has provided education about the therapeutic use of psychedelics at institutions such as the UCLA Counseling and Psychological Services. Sadaf is an activist facilitating discussions about the importance of accessibility and inclusivity of mental health resources to serve the needs of the global community.

Sadaf was born and raised in Tehran. Her hope is for Iranians to have access to psychoeducation and a community that centers recovery, resiliency, and regeneration. She comes to the Niroumand Foundation as the Director of Education — one who has felt the profound transformation that comes from bridging the head and the heart and connecting modern and ancient wisdom.

https://www.lotf.cc

Dr. Mory Ghomshei

Dr. Mory Ghomshei

Guiding Elder

Dr. Mory Ghomshei completed his engineering studies at  the University of Tehran and his doctorate studies in France on “energy producing materials and minerals”.  He was invited to Canada by BC Hydro in 1984, to work as an expert scientist on Geothermal projects. Dr. Ghomshei has also worked as an  international consultant on sustainable development projects and has been a director of the North Pacific Geopower. Dr. Ghomshei has also been a professor and research scientist at UBC and McGill Universities, where he has taught and conducted applied research on sustainable energy systems, environmental risk management and artificial intelligence. He is currently a faculty member at BCIT in Vancouver Canada and has authored or co-authored over 250 reports and 150 publications. 

Mory has also had extensive activities in the field of literature and mysticism. He led a series of literary and mystical workshops called Seven Skies of Persian Literature. He has written several books and articles in English and Persian languages. Mory brings his deep insight into Eastern and Western cultures along with his command over Language to guide programs and activities of the Niroumand Foundation. 

https://www.gologolshan.com