David Hoffman, Founder / Executive Producer

Myrtle Beach oceanfront developer and marketer who made a significant mark in driving new and innovative development all along the Myrtle Beach coastline. A member of the Baha’i Faith, himself, and married to an Iranian for nearly thirty years, Hoffman has long been concerned with the systematic attack of the Iranian government on Baha’is.

In January, 2011, Hoffman formed Single Arrow Productions and began documenting on film individual accounts of human rights abuses in Iran, producing a series of short documentaries - Angels of Iran - featuring Baha’is, Kurds, student activists and others who are targets of the Iranian regime.

In response to the May 2011 attack on the Baha'i Institute for Higher Education (BIHE), Hoffman quickly assembled resources to launch a new campaign and documentary under the same name, 'Education Under Fire.' Hoffman is also executive producer of Savoy King, a feature documentary written and directed by Kaufman about Swing-era drummer-bandleader Chick Webb, Ella Fitzgerald, and Harlem’s Savoy Ballroom.

Jeff Kaufman / Director

Producer / Director Jeff Kaufman has produced ten short films for Amnesty International, including one that launched a human rights youth mentoring fellowship with New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof. He also donated his services to make a film for the families of Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, the two young Americans who were unjustly imprisoned in Iran in July 2009.

He recently finished the feature documentary The Savoy King: Chick Webb and the Music That Changed America. It features the voices of Bill Cosby, Janet Jackson, John Legend, Andy Garcia, Jeff Goldblum, Danny Glover, Tyne Daly, Ron Perlman, and Billy Crystal, among others. Earlier efforts include several Discovery Channel programs, a documentary on behalf of Iranian-American political prisoner Haleh Esfandiari, a behind-the-scenes history of the series COPS, and the feature documentary, Brush With Life.

KC Porter / Composer

KC Porter is a multi-Grammy Award winning producer/composer for Santana, Ozomatli, Khaled, Ricky Martin, Laura Pausini, La Ley, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Cheng Lin, and Selena. Producer of the Spanish versions for Michael Jackson, Boyz II Men, Brian McKnight, Chaka Khan, Sting, Toni Braxton, Celine Dion, Bon Jovi, and more. His music has been featured in films like “Mr & Mrs Smith”, “The Mexican”, as well as his scores in a number of documentaries and films.

Latin Grammy Producer of the Year in 2001 and former Trustee for LARAS and Governor of NARAS.

Patrick Connelly / Graphic Animator

Patrick Connelly is an animator and motion designer currently living and working in Los Angeles. He has worked in television and film production in many roles, from production assistant to producer, though his work has primarily been in animation and motion graphic design. In that role, he's worked on shows from Family Feud to Jimmy Kimmel Live.

In 2007, he was nominated for an Emmy for his work on the main titles of
Rachael Ray.

Most recently, he's been involved with many documentaries, providing visualizations for shows such as Ancient Aliens, Through the Wormhole, and the upcoming
The Savoy King.

Colin Trenbeath / Director of Photography

Having previously been occupied in commercial cinematography, Colin Trenbeath has been working closely with Amnesty International and other human rights groups for the past two years, developing his interest in documentary film. His work has taken him throughout the U.S. to complete a number of human rights films, featured and promoted by multiple news sources including CNN and The Huffington Post. He is now continuing to do documentary work, while also serving as Director of Cinematography on several narrative films.

Daniel Kaufman / Editor, Sound

Daniel Kaufman split his youth between Vermont and Los Angeles. He now splits his time between film, photography, and music. He works concurrently as an editor, director and cinematographer. In 2010 he edited the feature documentary 'F*** Em: The Maurice Duke Story' as well as the human rights short 'Free Shane and Josh.' And two short films in the 'Angels of Iran series. He is currently in post production on 'Oscar the Grouch,' a short film that he wrote, directed, and produced.

Tim Wood / National Campaign Consultant

Tim Wood is currently serving at the Public Discourse Desk of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá´ís of the United States. His work has included international consulting, research, and training in the US and abroad with organizations such as Saraketha Private Ltd., Opportunities Without Borders, and Justice System Assessment and Training. The central theme of his work is that knowledge enables and constrains behavior; we can learn new ways of thinking that empower us to act toward the betterment of the world and protect us from causing harm.

Donna Hakimian / National Campaign Consultant

Donna Hakimian is a researcher and historian who focuses on modern Iran and human rights. In her work with Education Under Fire, Ms. Hakimian draws upon many years of experience documenting narratives of former prisoners of conscience in Iran. Ms. Hakimian obtained her MA in Women’s Studies from the University of Toronto. She also holds a BA in Religious and Middle Eastern Studies from McGill University. The University of Nottingham and the Foreign Policy Association's blog network are among the institutions to have published Ms. Hakimian's work.

Shameem Moshrefzadeh / National Campaign Consultant

Having recently finished his undergraduate studies with a degree in English, Shameem Moshrefzadeh plans to enter the field of law and pursue a career as an attorney. In his spare time, Shameem enjoys creating music and visual arts, writing original hip-hop music and photoshopping digital images inspired by the writings of the Bahá’í Faith. Shameem currently lives with his family in Minnesota, just outside the Twin Cities area.

Blair Johnson / National Campaign Consultant

Blair Johnson recently graduated from Indiana University Maurer School of Law and is licensed to practice law in the great state of Michigan, his homeland. During the course of his tenure in Bloomington, Indiana, Blair coordinated a public benefits clinic in affiliation with a homeless resource center, which brought together federal and state agencies, multiple university departments, members of the local bar association, IU faculty, and students. His primary interest lies in cultivating cross-sector collaboration and, in particular, nurturing cooperative relationships among nonprofit organizations as they work toward a just and equal society.

Geoffrey Tyson / General Manager

Geoffrey Tyson presently assists the unfoldment of the initiative from his home in Huntsville, Alabama. With academic training in political science and literature, and having served the Baha'i International Community for a number of years in diplomatic and Internet management capacities, his experience lies within the realm of public relations and Web development.