Meet The Team

 

Dilkhwaz Ahmed

Executive Director

Dilkhwaz Ahmed is an immigrant women rights’ activist from the Kurdistan region of Iraq. In Iraq, she served as the Executive Director of the Nawa Center, a shelter for abused women in Sulaimanya. At the Nawa Center she provided counseling and support to victims of domestic violence. She engaged in community outreach by participating in television programs produced for women and youth. She coordinated a program in the women’s jail, helping women transition to life in jail and learning skills necessary to survival in the context of prison life, including how to protect against rape and other abuse.

In 2002, Ms. Ahmed was granted asylum in the United States, resettling in San Diego. Her three children joined her in the United States three years later. In 2003, Ms. Ahmed cofounded License to Freedom, helping more than 5,000 refugee and immigrant adult survivors and child victims of domestic violence.

Ms. Ahmed has provided counseling, support, transportation, direct services (i.e., escorting victims to court), and acted as an interpreter.
​​Ms. Ahmed is the voice of immigrant women. She walked in their shoes and she knows what it means to be an immigrant. In October 2009, she received a Community Hero Award from the San Diego Domestic Violence Council, an award given to an individual who is making a difference in the field of violence prevention. In March 2010, she received the Ruby Award from Soroptimist International of San Diego, for being a woman that helps other women. In September 2010, she also received Women Changing the World Award from the Women Leadership Institute. In January 2011, she received the Living Legacy Award ​​from San Diego International Center. In January 2012, Ms. Ahmed received the Community Champion Award from Molina Healthcare. Finally, in October 2012, she received Champion of Hope Award from San Diego Domestic Violence Council.

 

Nadia Zamani

Director of Clinical Services

My name is Nadia Zamani and I am a Licensed Marriage and Family therapist. I am an Iranian-American woman who was born and raised in the Los Angeles and Orange county areas. I moved to LA to get my undergraduate degree from UCLA then moved to San Diego to attend their MFT graduate program. I have been living in San Diego for 7 years and have grown to love the culture, atmosphere, food, and people. My career has allowed me to work with a wide array of individuals, though my heart lies with the Middle Eastern community and it has been a passion of mine to serve this community. I am grateful to be a part of such an amazing team of individuals who are passionate about helping people and fostering connections. In my free time, I enjoy going to the beach with my dog, spending quality time with friends and family, and being out in nature. 

License #: 134040

 

Portia Seautelle

Operations Manager & Grant Writer

Portia grew up in London, England, before immigrating to America, and settling in San Diego. After receiving her undergraduate degree from UCLA, she spent the majority of her twenties traveling the world. After earning her Masters’ in Education and Counseling, Portia began volunteering with License to Freedom as a grant writing helper. She was offered a full-time position as Program Coordinator, and discovered she couldn’t say no to working for an organization and people that she deeply respects and loves. Portia feels honoured to be working for such an incredible cause.

When not working, Portia loves anything ocean related, creative writing, and being outdoors!

 

Shatha Dahash

Lead Domestic Violence Advocate

Hello everyone, my name is Shatha Dahash. A previous lawyer in Iraq that absolutely loved helping those who are in need of court assistance and spread the feeling of safety with law. When I came to the United States, I had a very good experience with family law. I wanted to continue helping the victims of domestic violence that are in need of help and make sure they always have a safe feeling as they leave License to Freedom. As an organization, we always seek the best service for our clients.

 

Navid Zamani, PhD

Head of Clinical Training and Research

I am an Iranian-American man who was born and raised in Southern California. I was raised in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas, until I moved to Davis, CA to continue my studies. After acquiring my BA in Psychology and minor in Music from UC Davis, I moved to San Diego to continue my studies at San Diego State University in Marriage and Family Therapy. I have resided in San Diego since 2010 and have fallen in love with the culture, geography, food, and music.

I'm a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist who has been seeing clients at License to Freedom since April of 2018. Cultivating connections is the work I do in every realm of my life. Whether this cultivation is with my family in our backyard growing fruit or with clients who are looking to grow in their relationships, working together to build connections bring me a deep sense of joy. I love the people I get to work with every day: our staff, our clients, and the community we serve. Each client is treated with respect as there is a spirit of collaboration and care that permeates all we do at LTF. I'm grateful to be a part of it.

My work at License to Freedom consists of providing counseling to members of the community, providing clinical supervision for our team of therapists, and engaging in outreach and training efforts throughout the county for our partner agencies. I am actively involved with the San Diego Domestic Violence Council, the chair of the Men’s Advocacy Committee, and a lecturer at San Diego State University in the Counseling and School Psychology department. I enjoy teaching and writing at SDSU, and practicing and advocating at License to Freedom.

License#: #98297
For more information: www.navidzamani.com.

 

Jenny Leverman

Community Therapist

I'm a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist who has been seeing clients at License to Freedom since April of 2018. Cultivating connections is the work I do in every realm of my life. Whether this cultivation is with my family in our backyard growing fruit or with clients who are looking to grow in their relationships, working together to build connections bring me a deep sense of joy. I love the people I get to work with every day: our staff, our clients, and the community we serve. Each client is treated with respect as we seek to There is a spirit of collaboration and care that permeates all we do at LTF and I'm grateful to be a part of it.

 

Ava Saheli

Associate Therapist

Hi everyone! My name is Ava Saheli and I am a therapist trainee here at License to Freedom. A little about me : I am an Iranian-American woman who was born and raised in Los Angeles. I graduated from UC Davis to earn my undergraduate degree in psychology, then moved to San Diego to earn my masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Alliant International University. As a child of immigrant parents, I grew up learning about the experiences my parents encountered and continue to encounter as immigrants here in America. As a result, I am very passionate about being an advocate for immigrant experiences, human rights, women’s rights, children, and empowering individuals to feel in charge of their own lives. In therapy, I like to work with clients as a team because my philosophy is that true healing can blossom from having supportive, synergetic conversations. With that said, I enjoy doing therapy wherever is most comfortable for the client, whether that be in the office, their home, going on a walk, or at the beach. Every person has a unique life story, and it brings me joy to listen and be of support in any way I can.

Supervised by Navid Zamani, License #98297

 

Lily Mojdehi

Therapist Trainee

Lily Mojdehi (she/hers) was born and raised on Kumeyaay land, San Diego, CA. Lily is a daughter of two immigrants from Iran and grew up Persian dancing at San Diego’s Persian Cultural Center.  She loves connecting with her rich cultural ancestry, learning about herbs, drinking tea, and spending time with her beautiful family and friends. She studied sociology at Bard College and has a background working with youth and peer to peer crisis counseling. She works as a SWANA mental health educator and outreach coordinator for a program called Breaking Down Barriers and is a Marriage and Family Trainee at San Diego State University. 

Supervised by Navid Zamani, License #98297

 

Kelsey Jones

Therapist Trainee

Hello! My name is Kelsey Jones (she/hers) and I am the daughter of Jamaican immigrants; they taught me what it means to leave home and have your heart in many places. I am fairly new to San Diego, CA and lived in central New Jersey, western Massachusetts, Brooklyn, NY, and Philadelphia, PA before moving to southern California. Here, I have found peace in sitting with the ocean and wildflowers, joy in the opportunity to have year-round warm walks/runs/hikes with my partner, and love long conversations over delicious meals.

Prior to joining License to Freedom, I received my doctorate in Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Development from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, where I completed a postdoctoral fellowship with the Racial Empowerment Collaborative and the Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methods. I also hold bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and English from Williams College, and a master’s degree in Childhood Special Education from Long Island University. Now, I am a Marriage and Family Therapist trainee at San Diego State University. I really love to learn! I have spent the last fifteen years deeply focused on healing in the classroom, and am now so grateful to have the opportunity to be in healing and learning conversations—in broad and rich community—at License to Freedom.

Supervised by Navid Zamani, License #98297

 

Isabella Mena

Therapist Trainee

Isabella (“Bella”) Mena (she/hers) was born in raised in San Diego, CA. Bella studied Psychology and Critical Race and Ethnic Studies at UC Santa Cruz before moving back to her hometown to continue her studies with the SDSU MFT Program. She is second generation to a mixed family of immigrants from Mexico, the Philippines, and the island of Guam. Bella loves connecting with her culture through cooking food from recipes that have been passed down through generations and by spending time and sharing stories with her loved ones. Not only is she a Marriage and Family Therapist trainee, but she has a background working with Regional Center clients (crisis and behavioral support), counseling high school aged youth and within various peer support programs. She is incredibly grateful to continue to share and hold stories with love and care alongside every person and family at LTF.

Supervised by Navid Zamani, License #98297

 

Nilufer Akman

Therapist Trainee

Merhaba! I'm delighted to introduce myself as Nilüfer Akman (she/her), originally from Turkey but now happily settled in the United States for the past eight years. Initially, my passion for becoming a therapist thrived in Istanbul, my beloved city. However, life had a delightful twist in store for me, and I decided to continue my path under the sunny skies of California, surrounded by palm trees.

I pursued my education at the University of California, Irvine, where I earned my BA in Psychological Sciences and minored in Anthropology. Those years were truly special as I had the incredible opportunity to serve my Turkish community as a youth mentor. This experience deeply touched my heart and opened my eyes to the profound importance of community building.

As I witnessed the challenges individuals and families face, I developed a profound appreciation for the power of support and care in all aspects of our lives. It was through these meaningful connections and my unwavering desire to explore the vast field of psychology that I discovered the Marriage and Family Program at SDSU. This remarkable journey led me to meet extraordinary people and blessed me with the privilege of working at Licenese to Freedom.

My purpose in working with clients is to create a collaborative and nurturing environment while fostering a strong sense of community. My ultimate goal is to create a beautiful ripple effect, extending far beyond our sessions and positively impacting the larger community.

Supervised by Navid Zamani, License #98297

 

Fenan Kifleyesus

Therapist Trainee

Fenan Kifleyesus was born and raised in San Diego, California. She attended California State University, Northridge for her bachelor's in Psychology with a minor in Africana Studies. She is currently a graduate student at San Diego State University in the Marriage & Family Therapy Program. Her previous experience includes working with children, families, and individuals with disabilities. Fenan is the daughter of 2 immigrant parents. Her family is from a country located in East Africa called Eritrea. Besides embracing her special heritage & culture, Fenan enjoys traveling and exploring new ways to assist those in her community. She appreciates connecting with clients and strongly advocates for mental health. She’s looking forward to growing at LTF.


Supervised by Navid Zamani, License #98297

 

Zamzama Said

Afghan Business Coach/Case Manager

Hello, my name is Zamzama Said. I am from Tashkent, Uzbekistan. My family is originally from Afghanistan and my native language is Dari. I received my bachelor degree in Public Administration from SDSU. Coming from an immigrant family myself I have the ability to connect and share my experience with my clients, so it can give them a sense of encouragement and strength. Working at License to Freedom has given me the opportunity to help the community in any way possible, it truly has been a pleasure. During my free time I enjoy cooking, watching netflix, and spending time with my family. I am beyond happy to be a part of such a great team!

 

Ghada Allous

Business Coach

Ghada Allous is a graduate from Cuyamaca College with Associate degree in social work. She worked 10 years as an administrator on several managerial projects including running her own humanitarian organization in Iraq advocating for human rights and minorities before arriving to the United States. She has 3 years of experience as a fair-housing counselor advocating for tenants’ and landlords’ rights, and settling housing issues. As a Case Manager on the SEED Program with License to Freedom organization, Ghada finds fulfillment in working with other members of the team to provide the best services and boost the capability of people who want to enhance their quality of life. She has service -minded skills, Problem- solving abilities and teamwork. When she isn’t glued to a computer screen, she spends time working in the garden. Some of her other hobbies include hand crafting, sewing, reading and traveling.

 

Sosan Mohammed

Domestic Violence Program Coordinator

I was born and raised in Moscow, Russia but I am a proud Afghan-American. I moved to America in 2009, but I have visited my homeland enough to miss it every day! I have earned two associates degrees in Business Administration and Economics and will earn my bachelors degree in Business Management (Entrepreneurship) in Spring 2023. I am a proud DV advocate at License to Freedom since September 2021 and my work here is something that I am passionate about. It was a privilege to help my community members in their initial difficulties when arriving to this country or simply getting to know their rights as now Afghan-Americans. Having seen my beautiful homeland and met the kind people there, I see it as my duty to help out fellow Afghans, especially Afghan women. I am thankful for being able to provide legal assistance to Farsi and Russian speaking clients with restraining orders and divorce. I hope that with my work, I provide relief and right to a better life for my clients.

 

Nahid Majek

Afghan Crisis Counselor

Nahid Makaj brings experience to License to Freedom having worked with Catholic Charities assisting new immigrants and Afghan refugees to become acclimated with American systems as they re-establish themselves. She also brings medical knowledge from experience with health screenings, phlebotomy and vocational nursing.

 

Sayed Bahman Sultani

Afghan Community Case Manager

My name is Sayed Bahman Sultani and I am from Afghanistan. I was born in Kabul, Afghanistan and raised in Quetta, Pakistan.

Because of the war in our country, my family decided to move to Pakistan. I completed my school in Pakistan and worked at an Afghan refuge primary school as an English teacher.

In 2013 we moved back to Afghanistan where I continued my university and I got my degree in Bachelor in Business Administration (BBA) from Dunay University.

I am happy for my opportunity to work at License to Freedom. Everyone is helpful and friendly. I am glad that we are a family and we always take care of each other and support each other.

Also, I am glad that I have have the opportunity to help people and that is what I am looking for.  

I am a calm, friendly and positive person. I love to travel, meet new people and see new cultures. My goal is to support my family, friends and help people.

 

Qamar Almwali

Case Manager & Community Health Worker

My name is Qamar. I am an Iraqi immigrant and I have been living in San Diego for the past seven years. I earned my Bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in counseling and social change from San Diego State University and plan on getting a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. I mainly want to work with the Middle Eastern community and be able to provide services that are culturally sensitive. I am passionate about the work I do and want to be able to empower women and uplift our community as much as I can. In my free time, I like spending time with my family and friends, reading books, and painting. 

 

Wahida Hamdard

Afghan Youth Program Coach and Domestic Violence Advocate

Hello, my name is Wahida Hamdard and I am from Paktika, Afghanistan. At the age of seven, my family immigrated from Afghanistan to India, where I lived as a refugee for 6 years. In India, my family encountered countless obstacles with language barriers, culture unfamiliarity, financial difficulties, but our only hope was UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. During my time in India, I decided that one day I will be working in an environment where I can assist refugees, immigrants, and advocate for women rights. 

In September 2016, my family immigrated to the USA and resettled in San Diego. I am currently attending San Diego State University studying International Security and Conflict Resolution and emphasizing on Global Justice. 

I work as a Afghan Youth Program Coach and Domestic Violence Advocate at License to Freedom. I am fortunate to guide young Afghan girls in their new journeys here in the United States by providing academic assistance, personal guidance, and always being there for them as a friend. I love my job as I always wanted to work with Young Afghan girls and empower them to excel academically, achieve financial independence, learn about their rights, and advocate for women rights. 

I am happy to begin working as a Domestic Violence Advocate and assist my fellow community members in the complex legal system and help them discover a safe and violence-free home.

 

Rewan Dizayi

Youth Coordinator

Hi, my name is Rewan Dizayi. I was born in Kentucky and my family moved to California when I was one. I have lived in San Diego, California for my entire life or as long as I can remember. My parents are originally  from Kurdistan. Therefore, I represent Kurdistan often and speak the Kurdish language. I have many hobbies, like cars, football, and I recently started mixed martial arts. I am currently working towards a degree in Criminology in hopes of becoming a Detective for a long-term career. Thank you for learning about me and I cant wait to meet and learn about the amazing people in my community. 

Zina Youssef

Behavioral Health Specialist

Hello, my name is Zina Youssef . I am a wife and a mom to. my six year old son.

Before taking my current position as a Behavioral Health Specialist, I was a rental assistant associate for License to Freedom.

I like to travel and discover new cultures. I’ve been in India and China. I love taking opportunities to learn about how different cultures live their lives.

I’m interested in photography and possessed by fashion.  I can’t wait to meet you all!

Ehsan Behazdi

Crisis Counselor/Case Manager

Ehsan Behazdi is an Afghan-American man who was born and raised in Kabul, Afghanistan.
As a child, Ehsan moved to Pakistan with his family to live and study. In 2002, he returned to his homeland to continue his studies. After graduating from Kabul University with a degree in Political Science, Ehsan started working in the US military forces and went to America in 2009.
Ehsan works at License to Freedom as a Crisis Counselor and he loves his job.