Building stronger communities, together.
Communities are strongest when the people closest to the challenge help shape the solution.
Mission
We bring migrants, refugees, and institutions together to build stronger systems for belonging and opportunity.
Vision
A world where everyone has the opportunity to belong, contribute, and lead.
Our Values
Community-Led by Design
Agency Over Charity
Shared Leadership
Truth in Storytelling
Economic Dignity
Radical Inclusion
Built to Last
Creshendo Impact Report
2025 Impact
This report covers a year of programs, partnerships, and people. It's not a celebration of what Creshendo did for communities. It's evidence of what communities built, with Creshendo alongside them.
The work is still early. The need is real. And the people leading the way are already here. This report shows what's possible when organizations get out of the way and follow their lead.
Global Impact Team
Parisa Pirooz
Founder & Executive Director
Leadership
Paula Sanz
Director | Integration
Natalie Hench
Director | Operations
Klara Tomazic
Director | Human Resources
Susan Ferugio
Director | Marketing & Comms
In addition to her consulting practice, Susan serves as a Marketing & Communications lead at Creshendo, where she helps elevate stories of resilience, build visibility for grassroots partners, and strengthen programs that support refugee and migrant communities worldwide. Her work spans communications, marketing systems, and organizational structure to build clear messaging frameworks, streamlined workflows, and cohesive strategies that help mission-driven teams operate with clarity and consistency.
Driven by the belief that communication creates belonging, Susan brings both strategy and heart to the work of amplifying Creshendo’s mission, ensuring refugee voices, journeys, and aspirations are seen and understood.
Board & Governance
Abubakar Said
Board Director
Abubakar Said
Board Director
- Email:abubakar.ksaid@gmail.com
Alexandra Boycheck
Board Director
Alexandra Boycheck
Board Director
Alexandra currently serves as the Senior Program Manager at the Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) in the Washington, DC-Baltimore Area, where she has spent over nine years driving regional growth, managing multimillion-dollar projects, and leading community coalitions. Her professional background also includes serving as the Regional Program Director at Empowered Women International. Known for her expertise in program development, community marketing, and stakeholder engagement, Alexandra is deeply dedicated to creating sustainable, community-focused solutions.
Hossein Hamed, PhD
Board Director
Hossein Hamed, PhD
Board Director
His deep scientific background is highlighted by several prestigious awards and achievements. He earned his PhD in Biochemistry from Virginia Commonwealth University and completed an advanced research fellowship at the National Cancer Institute. An award-winning researcher, Hossein won the AACR Young Scholar in Research Award and his medical imagery was featured on the cover of the prestigious journal Nature Immunology. He is also a passionate educator who has taught university courses and built corporate training programs. Driven by a lifelong commitment to humanitarian service, Hossein blends his strategic leadership skills and problem-solving mindset to make a meaningful global impact.
- Email:HosseinHamed@gmail.com
Dr. Lee Ann De Reus
Board Director
Dr. Lee Ann De Reus
Board Director
As a two-time founder, her career highlights include co-founding the Panzi Foundation USA alongside Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege and serving as Executive Director for major global advocacy organizations including Amplio Network and No Means No Worldwide. Previously, she spent two decades as a professor at Penn State Altoona, pioneering coursework in social entrepreneurship and conducting vital research on sexualized violence in the DRC. An acclaimed thought leader, Dr. De Reus has delivered over 60 invited presentations—including for TEDx and the United Nations—and is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the UNESCO Chair Human Rights Award.
- Email:leeanndereus@gmail.com
Rachna Gurtu
Board Director
Rachna Gurtu
Board Director
Most recently, Rachna served as General Manager of Devices Supply Chain Operations at Microsoft, where she spent over a decade leading global planning and channel operations for the multi-billion dollar Surface and Xbox portfolios. Managing 300+ partners across 100+ markets, she championed innovation by integrating Machine Learning and Agentic AI solutions into SAP to automate forward and reverse product flows.
Prior to Microsoft, Rachna built an 11-year career at Dell, rising to Director of Americas Supply Chain Planning. She oversaw end-to-end regional hardware planning across North and Latin America and established cross-functional S&OP cadences to optimize P&L performance. She is highly regarded for her ability to influence executive decisions, align cross-functional teams, and scale operations in volatile, high-growth environments.
Klara Tomazic
Corporate Officer | Secretary
Klara Tomazic
Corporate Officer | Secretary
Natalie Hench
Corporate Officer | Treasurer
Natalie Hench
Corporate Officer | Treasurer
Navneet Bhullar, MD, MSc
Board Advisor
Navneet Bhullar, MD, MSc
Board Advisor
- Email:apaaremail@gmail.com
Parham Shariatzadeh
Board Advisor
Parham Shariatzadeh
Board Advisor
Drawing on over 20 years of international experience across the US and MENA regions—including 11 years in Dubai's commercial real estate market—Parham operates a consulting practice focused on business strategy and search visibility. Alongside his consulting work, he manages a diverse portfolio of ventures, including Powerful Blueprints, siteoptimization.ai, sitemarketing.ai, and Iranian Citizen Services. He is also the author of five books covering business strategy, digital real estate, and AI search dominance.
- Email:parham@rethinkcnergy.com
Why Our Team Is Different
Our team reflects the communities we work alongside. Bringing together professionals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and disciplines, we believe better solutions emerge when lived experience and technical expertise shape decisions together.
Join Us
Whether you’re looking to volunteer, partner with us, or support our work, there’s a place for you in building stronger communities.