Thando Zwane, Consultant

Born and raised in South Africa, Thando developed a deep passion for education, psychology, and early childhood development early in life. She studied Education and Psychology at Bath Spa University, specializing in early years education, fetal development, and primary education. Her experience spans various early childhood settings, including volunteering at an orphanage in Soweto, where she witnessed firsthand the profound impact of nurturing care on young lives. This deepened her interest in the earliest stages of human development and led her to her true calling as a birthkeeper, commonly known as a doula. In this role, she supports and educates pregnant women and their partners, helping them connect with their babies during the perinatal period. She focuses on fostering secure attachments, laying the foundation for lifelong emotional well-being. Now based in London, she is a sought-after birthkeeper, trainer, mentor, facilitator, and speaker.

Randolph Dobbs, Consultant

Randolph, born in Oakland, California, and raised in Salinas near Monterey, pursued his education at Hartnell College. A member of the Regional Bahá’í Council of the State of California, Mr. Dobbs is actively involved in the Interfaith Collective in the Mayor’s Office for the City of Los Angeles. Since the mid-90s, he has held the position of secretary for the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Los Angeles. In addition to these responsibilities, Randolph serves as the director of the Association of Bahá’í Studies and the Office of Religious Life at the University of Southern California (USC). He also sits on the Board of Directors of the University Religious Conference at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Renowned for his extensive articles and op-eds on the vision of a harmonious global community, freedom of belief, and the preservation of cultural diversity, his work has been featured on various websites and in numerous publications. Currently residing in Southern California, Randolph Dobbs frequently travels in various capacities. Furthermore, he is a sought-after speaker at conferences and forums, both within the United States and globally.

Tahirih T. Danesh, Ph.D. , Consultant

Tahirih is dedicated to enhancing the enjoyment of socioeconomic rights and development within private and third-sector entities. Particularly passionate about young, marginalized, and minority communities, she is a serial civic entrepreneur, an advocate of the United Nations Global Compact Principles, and a member of the 30% Club, promoting gender diversity in leadership. Raised and inspired by some of the most impactful figures who helped shape the rise of her native Iran, she escaped to the West and has since lived and worked with a third of the world's cultures. She serves as the Executive Director of a niche educational foundation for students of Iranian descent in the West, the Chief Executive Officer of the foremost South African foundation in the UK, and an advisor to numerous charities and startups. She seeks and welcomes opportunities to promote learning and earning through spoken and written words but remains most passionate about elevating shared consciousness through practical approaches to complex processes. Tahirih Danesh holds a PhD in law and has contributed to a range of publications on human rights, policy, and education.

Tony Parker Danso, Consultant

Tony has more than 30 years of experience with international organizations in child welfare, education, community development, policy planning, migration and integration as well as program development.

He is a trained English & Math teacher, and he has studied Management and Administration. In the field of social and humanitarian work, he worked for 17 years in Cape Verde as Sponsorship Manager for BORNE Fonden, the Danish Children's Foundation. In the field of international relations, he functioned as Honorary Consul of the Republic of Ghana in Cape Verde from 2011 to 2016. Tony is currently the Project Manager for the research and development of the Guinea-Bissau Food Bank in collaboration with the Global Food Banking Network (GFN), based in the United States. He is the focal point for sourcing projects for Invest Bank Corporation, an American Investment Institution. He is also a consultant for Astrophysics Inc., an American Company that manufactures scanners for security in Western and Central Africa. Originally from Ghana, Tony served for many years on the National Baha'i institutions in Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde promoting the vision of global unity. He currently lives in Guinea-Bissau.

Susanna Sutton, Consultant

Originally from Amesbury, Massachusetts, Susanna has dedicated her life to education and cross-cultural engagement. Alongside her husband, John, she has lived and worked in diverse communities worldwide, including the Zuni Reservation in New Mexico in the 1980s, as a teacher in Iringa, Tanzania (1988–1990), and in multiple cities across China (1992–2016), where she taught in colleges and schools. As an English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor, she embraced innovative and creative teaching methods, adapting to diverse learning styles to make education more engaging and meaningful for her students.