Email Address
info@refugeepeer.org
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+1 (425) 523 5135
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King County, Washington
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info@refugeepeer.org
+1 (425) 523 5135
King County, Washington
Follow Us :
Meet the dedicated volunteers behind our mission—empowering refugees with compassion, commitment, and community spirit.
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has 30 years of experience protecting local communities and small businesses from harmful exposures to toxic chemicals. With his background in toxicology, Dr. Whittaker is passionate about helping to prevent chemical exposures in communities that do not enjoy the power and privileges that many of us take for granted.
Dr. Whittaker also has a great deal of experience protecting workers and communities from lead exposure. He managed the Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology System for Washington state, which identified workers who suffered lead poisoning on the job and directed interventions to prevent those exposures. He has also led projects that use both an analytical approach and community-based participatory research methods to identify sources of exposure to lead and PFAS chemicals in local communities. Working closely with CBOs and community members, Dr. Whittaker has empowered the affected populations by providing funding and ceding decision-making to local communities. One recent example of this successful approach is the collaboration with the local Afghan community to identify lead-containing cookware and cosmetics. This resulted in community-led intervention strategies that helped provide culturally acceptable safer products for their use.
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Reza is the co-founder and program advisor of Refugee Peer Northwest. He is a U.S. citizen with lived experience of being both a refugee and an immigrant. He has a master’s degree in psychology from India and is currently doing his second master’s in public health ( MPH) at Eastern Washington University. He has over 10 years of experience working with USAID and United Nations programs in Afghanistan and 9 years of direct experience working with the vulnerable BIPOC communities in King County. Besides English, he speaks Dari, Farsi, along with a working knowledge of Pashto. He is a program person who has managed home and community service programs in Public Health- Seattle & King County, Neighborhood House, and Afghan Health Initiative. He is a trusted community leader and represented the Afghan community, testifying in front of the Washington Senate in 2024 and 2025 in support of HOUSE BILL HB 1551(Reducing lead in cookware). He loves serving BIPOC communities to R.I.S.E, considering equity and social justice standards.
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Nilu is the founder and program director at Refugee Peer Northwest. She is a U.S. citizen with lived experience of being both a refugee and an immigrant. She has a well-established rapport with the Afghan community, understands the culture, and speaks Dari, Farsi, Pashto, and English. Nilu is a health & wellness program person who has served the BIPOC community of King County through different home and community service programs with King County, Afghan Health Initiative, Neighborhood House, and Mother Africa. She was a midwife in Afghanistan with ten years of clinical experience serving diverse families. She got her MA in Psychology in 2015 from India and an AA in Medical Assistance from Highline College, Des Moines, WA, in 2019. She represented the Afghan community and testified in front of the Washington Senate twice in 2023 and 2024 in support of HOUSE BILL HB 1551(Reducing lead in cookware). She is passionate about advocating and serving the BIPOC community for equitable health access.
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has a background in Public Health and for 22 years, she was a Health & Environmental Investigator for Public Health, Seattle & King County in Washington State. During Sharon’s final five years of working for Public Health, Seattle & King County, she managed the Elevated Blood Lead Program, which provided individual case management and in-home assessments to families of children with elevated blood lead levels. Sharon’s work also involved using a community-centered approach to help plan, implement and evaluate projects designed to reduce hazardous materials in the home. Sharon also worked in partnership with the WA Department of Health, other local health agencies, pediatricians and clinics to provide public education, outreach and awareness on hazardous materials found in the home. In addition, Sharon educated residents on ways to reduce exposure and evaluated community adoption of any recommended actions. After Sharon retired in 2022, she continued to assist staff and community members on challenging cases statewide because of her breadth of knowledge regarding lead poisoning.
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Pooya is an energetic youth who is at the end of his academic journey in Business at Central Washington University. As a co-founder and Executive Director of Refugee Peer Northwest, he is a U.S. citizen who has experienced firsthand the challenges of adapting to a new culture and navigating the system in America. He is familiar with both Middle Eastern and American cultures and speaks Dari and English fluently. This unique perspective drives his passion to serve the BIPOC community in King County, particularly through youth resiliency and family support programs. He is deeply committed to empowering the next generation and fostering smooth and healthy integration, helping families navigate the complexities of life in a new country, and being a role model for youth to exemplify self-sufficiency and success.
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Bashir, a skilled professional from Afghanistan, evacuated the country after the government’s collapse in 2021. Holding a BA in Computer Science and a Leadership diploma from Morning Star in Afghanistan, he has contributed to various community empowerment programs, including NRC and Help. He is dedicated to supporting vulnerable populations and ensuring their access to essential services and community resources, driven by his personal experience as a refugee.
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Elham’s journey from Afghanistan to beautiful Seattle, Washington state, has been filled with challenges, but her positive spirit and unwavering determination have always shone through. With an academic education in Computer Administration and Leadership, she has effectively contributed to various community empowerment programs. Her work with organizations like NRC, DRC, and FHI 360 highlights her commitment to supporting vulnerable populations, ensuring they receive the care and services they need. Elham’s personal experience as a refugee has fueled her passion for helping others, and her kind heart and dedication are evident in everything she does. She is truly a beacon of hope for her fellow refugees.
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Pariya is a young adult who is pursuing college classes through the Running Start Program, aiming to get her BA in Business Administration. She’s a part of the DECA team at KentLake High School, taking part in state and national competitions in 2024 and 2025, sharpening her skills and business knowledge, and, most importantly, boosting her creativity. Pariya was born in Afghanistan but raised in the United States, making her bilingual in Dari and English. She understands both cultures well and is committed to helping youth and young adults of the Afghan community successfully integrate and thrive socially, emotionally, and academically.
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Dr. Razia Norouzbakhsh, an esteemed immigrant from Iran, holds a PhD in psychology and boasts over a decade of academic experience lecturing at various prestigious universities. She is a highly skilled mental health therapist, specializing in providing professional counseling to youth, couples, and families. Dr. Norouzbakhsh is deeply committed to fostering the well-being and success of newcomers in the United States. Drawing from her profound personal journey as a refugee and her extensive professional background, she is dedicated to facilitating seamless integration for individuals as they transition into their new lives
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Shirzad, a dedicated and hard-working professional from Afghanistan, had to leave his country and reside in Washington state in January of 2025. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and has worked with various social work and community empowerment programs like Merci Corps, DACCAR, MSF, DAAR, and RSDO. Through these roles, he provided support to vulnerable communities in Afghanistan. Shirzad, who is fluent in both Dari and Pashto, assists newly arrived Afghan communities in accessing essential services and resources. Driven by his own experiences as a refugee, he is passionate about making a positive impact in his new community.
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