About Me
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I am a proud resident of Coquitlam, with deep roots in the community, having spent most of my life in the Tri-Cities and completing my K-12 education in the Coquitlam School District. I also had the pleasure of serving on the City of Coquitlam's Accessibility and Inclusion Advisory Committee and currently serve on the Culture Services Advisory Committee.
I serve as a high school science teacher, and I am also one of the SOGI sponsors and the Equity Lead at my current school. In addition, I have five years of experience as a special education teacher, where I worked closely with students with diverse learning needs and developed strategies to support their success in school. Additionally, on April 25th, 2026, I had the great honor of being knighted into the Order of St. George, which aims to support members of the Canadian Armed Forces and their families. |
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My Platform
I believe in a few key areas that I have developed based on my experiences as a teacher and conversations with school staff, not only from my own school district but from Coquitlam and other school districts in Metro Vancouver as well.
Increasing per-student funding: The per-student funding that the provincial government provides to school districts has not been increasing quickly enough to meet the growing needs of schools. This shortfall makes it difficult for school districts including Coquitlam to provide the services their students require. I would work with parents, staff, community members and other districts to pressure the provincial government to increase the funding allocated to education so we can get more resources into the classroom and helping students learn.
Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence is transforming education, and our school district must take a proactive approach to preparing students for future with AI. I believe we need clear policies that teach students to use AI as a powerful learning tool while still focusing on strengthening critical thinking, creativity, and independent problem-solving. We must also invest in the professional development of educators and provide appropriate tools that enhance learning in the classroom. These investments must be done in collaboration with educators, parents, and industry experts to ensure AI use is implemented responsibly and effectively.
An inclusive model of education: I believe that all students, regardless of their abilities, have the right to a quality education. To achieve this, we must improve the services provided to students to ensure their success. This can be done by hiring more Education Assistants and other support staff, reducing class sizes, and providing school staff with the necessary teaching resources. Unfortunately, I have seen and heard of many cases where students were left behind due to the lack of these essential supports. As such I will work with all trustees to provide an educator's perspective when creating budges and policies to help maximize the services we can provide to students.
Faster building and upgrading of schools: Currently it takes years from the time a school district begins discussing the construction of a new school or the upgrading of a school with additional classrooms or seismic improvements. A major part of this delay is the difficulty in securing funding from the provincial government for these essential projects, especially in rapidly growing areas. I would work with the other trustees to increase pressure on the provincial government to allocate more funding each year for capital projects that school districts desperately need so students can be in learning environments that are not over crowded or requiring long commutes to get to school.
Climate Action: During the summer months, it is becoming increasingly common for classrooms to become unbearably hot due to climate change. I believe we need to start adapting to this new reality by installing air conditioning in our schools to ensure that all students can learn more comfortably and safely. At the same time, I will commit to reducing our climate footprint by investing in energy efficient solutions, such as heat pumps and designing and upgrading our schools to be more sustainable overall.
Increasing per-student funding: The per-student funding that the provincial government provides to school districts has not been increasing quickly enough to meet the growing needs of schools. This shortfall makes it difficult for school districts including Coquitlam to provide the services their students require. I would work with parents, staff, community members and other districts to pressure the provincial government to increase the funding allocated to education so we can get more resources into the classroom and helping students learn.
Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence is transforming education, and our school district must take a proactive approach to preparing students for future with AI. I believe we need clear policies that teach students to use AI as a powerful learning tool while still focusing on strengthening critical thinking, creativity, and independent problem-solving. We must also invest in the professional development of educators and provide appropriate tools that enhance learning in the classroom. These investments must be done in collaboration with educators, parents, and industry experts to ensure AI use is implemented responsibly and effectively.
An inclusive model of education: I believe that all students, regardless of their abilities, have the right to a quality education. To achieve this, we must improve the services provided to students to ensure their success. This can be done by hiring more Education Assistants and other support staff, reducing class sizes, and providing school staff with the necessary teaching resources. Unfortunately, I have seen and heard of many cases where students were left behind due to the lack of these essential supports. As such I will work with all trustees to provide an educator's perspective when creating budges and policies to help maximize the services we can provide to students.
Faster building and upgrading of schools: Currently it takes years from the time a school district begins discussing the construction of a new school or the upgrading of a school with additional classrooms or seismic improvements. A major part of this delay is the difficulty in securing funding from the provincial government for these essential projects, especially in rapidly growing areas. I would work with the other trustees to increase pressure on the provincial government to allocate more funding each year for capital projects that school districts desperately need so students can be in learning environments that are not over crowded or requiring long commutes to get to school.
Climate Action: During the summer months, it is becoming increasingly common for classrooms to become unbearably hot due to climate change. I believe we need to start adapting to this new reality by installing air conditioning in our schools to ensure that all students can learn more comfortably and safely. At the same time, I will commit to reducing our climate footprint by investing in energy efficient solutions, such as heat pumps and designing and upgrading our schools to be more sustainable overall.
My Pledge To Cut My Salary In Half
Trustees in School District 43 are among the highest paid in the province, despite the district being smaller then both the Surrey and Vancouver School Districts. In those districts, trustees are managing more students, staff and schools while receiving lower compensation. I believe we should be accountable in how public funds are used. As such if elected, I will cut my trustee salary in half to better align with other districts in the province and redirect those funds towards resources our classrooms urgently need and ultimately helping ensure every student has the supports and opportunities they deserve.
Why Am I Running For Trustee
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As someone whose family immigrated to Canada when I was around the age of 2, I have spent my life receiving countless opportunities in Canada, specifically in the Lower Mainland, that I would not have had access to in Iran. As a result, I feel a strong desire to give back to the community that has provided me with so much. I believe the best way to do that is by ensuring that our youth has everything they need to succeed, and that everyone has access to a high-quality education.
Additionally, during a time when many school districts are facing new challenges, I believe that having the perspective of an educator on the School Board would offer valuable insight into how proposed policies can impact our classrooms. |
