Background:

Contacts between IAMA and medical community of Massachusetts go back to 1995 or 1996 when Dr. Amir Ganchi and Dr. Salimi visited the representatives of the medical community under the auspices of Iranian Association of Boston. In late 2000, Dr. Mohammad Farivar, a member of the Board of Trustees of IAMA, initiated steps leading to the formation of a Massachusetts Chapter. For this purpose, a letter was sent on January 8, 2001 to members of the medical community of Massachusetts inviting them to a meeting on January 28, 2001. At this meeting, the goals of IAMA and its constitution were reviewed. After several sessions, a constitution, modeled after the Central IAMA constitution and by-laws of the State of Texas was ratified. On July 11, 2001 at a meeting held at the house of Dr. Nasser Karamouz, the following members were chosen as “provisional’ members of the Board of Directors of MA chapter:

• President: Amir A. Zamani, M.D.
• Vice president: Bahram Ghassemi, D.M.D.
• Treasurer: Esmail Behboodi, D.V.M., Ph.D.
• Secretary: Hamid Esbah, D.M.D.
• Drs. Amini, Karamouz, Ghaffari, Hooshmand and Mrs. Shahnaz Zamani were elected as members-at-large.

On August 15, 2001, Massachusetts Chapter was registered with the State of Massachusetts as a non-profit tax-exempt organization.

During 2001, the number of members of Massachusetts Chapter constantly increased. A letter from Dr. Morteza Elyaderani (president of Board of Directors of IAMA at that time) dated November 19, 2001 informed MA chapter that because MA had achieved the highest numbers of members among State Chapters, future members of the central IAMA Board of Directors would be from Massachusetts. Thus, from July 2002 to the end of June 2004, the leaders of Massachusetts’s chapter were in charge of everyday affairs of the central IAMA also. The history of MA chapter during these two years is almost inseparable from that of the Central IAMA Board of Directors.

On March 2, 2005, the new Board of Directors for the Chapter were elected by the members.

IAMA/MA current board members:

Board officers:

• President: Hamid Esbah, D.M.D.
• Vice president: Reza Madani, D.M.D.*
• Secretary: Sara Ghassemi, D.M.D.
• Treasurer: Hossein Bayat, Ph.D.

*Dr. Reza Mada occupied the Vice presidency position after Dr. Negahban resigned from Board membership in 2006.

Member At Large of the Board Of Trustees

• Amir Zamani, M.D.

Advisor

• Bahram Ghassemi, D.M.D.

Members At Large

• Negin Behazin, M.D., M.S.
• Mehra Golshan, M.D.
• Jaleh Hami, D.M.D.
• Minoo Hosseinzadeh, M.D.
• Kambiz Negahban, M.D.
• Maryam Yazdi, M.D.
• Morteza Yazdi, D.M.D.

Administrator

• Minoo Ghoreishi, M.S.

The goals of MA chapter have been articulated in its Constitution and leadership of the MA chapter has been diligent in discharging their duties. The Board members have met regularly every month and educational activities, including lectures, have been conducted on a regular basis. The Chapter has strived to foster friendship and cohesiveness among its members and to educate the medical community and Iranian community at large.