Our Board of Directors

Younes Nazarian and his wife Soraya founded the Los Angeles-based Y&S Nazarian Family Foundation, with a regional office in Israel named the Ima Foundation. Younes is well-known today as a philanthropist, industrialist, businessman, and a leader in the Persian Jewish community in Los Angeles as well as Tel Aviv.

Soraya Nazarian and her husband Younes founded the Los Angeles-based Y&S Nazarian Family Foundation, with a regional office in Israel named the Ima Foundation. Soraya is an Iranian-born, Los Angeles-based artist who, in her 25-year-career, has become a master in the medium of direct carving in stone. Her work carries themes of motherhood, family, spirituality and Iranian culture.

Dr. Sharon S. Nazarian is the President of the Y&S Nazarian Family Foundation, with a regional office in Israel named Ima Foundation.  The focus on education and public policy is core to Sharon’s philanthropic perspective. She currently teaches as an adjunct professor at the University of California Los Angeles in the Department of Political Science.

David Nazarian is the Chief Financial Officer of the Y&S Nazarian Family Foundation and the Chief Executive Officer and Founder Nimes Capital (www.nimescapital.com). In his 30-year career, David has established a consistent track record of identifying opportunities ahead of the pack, actively managing those investments and executing effective monetization strategies across a diverse range of investment classes and underlying industries.

Angella M. Nazarian earned her graduate degree (Summa Cum Laude) in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from California State University, Long Beach. Over the next 11 years, Angella was a professor of Psychology and faculty member at Mount Saint Mary's College, California State University, Long Beach, and Los Angeles Valley College.

Shulamit Nazarian has an extensive background in arts, architecture and philanthropy. She currently owns and operates Shulamit Gallery, an art gallery dedicated to emerging and mid-career artists. She first conceived of the gallery in 2006 and recently expanded to her new Venice location.

With an uncompromising entrepreneurial instinct and personal style, sbe Founder and CEO Sam Nazarian has immeasurable redefined contemporary hospitality in Los Angeles and beyond. Under his leadership, sbe has become the creative wellspring for the world's most sought-after luxury lifestyle brands in North America.