Sahba Rohani, Executive Director
Sahba Rohani serves as the Executive Director of Roots ConnectED (RC). RC is an initiative she co-founded and launched in 2017, after over a decade of experience and learning at Community Roots Charter School, a pioneer in the diverse by design movement, located in Brooklyn, NY. She was the Director of Community Development at Community Roots for nine years, where she began as a founding teacher in 2006. Her work focused on engaging staff, students, and families in the community building processes necessary to create intentionally integrated anti-bias school communities through staff development, curriculum support, and innovative family and community programming. This work is further expounded on in the 2014 book: A Smarter Charter. Sahba has been working with young people and in the field of community development since 1996. As the Executive Director, Sahba supports the development of Roots ConnectED in all areas of its growth including project development and management, curriculum design, fundraising, outreach, and organizational alignment to core values and beliefs. She believes in collaborative decision making and feels grateful for a team of brilliant, dedicated, supportive, and mission centered humans to work alongside.
Sahba holds a MA from Teachers College, Columbia University. She presents at convenings and conferences at the local and national level alongside thought leaders in education and racial justice. She serves on the Thirteen/WNET Educational Services Advisory Committee advising the educational interests and needs of the area served by the public television station Thirteen (PBS). Sahba has lived and worked in the Middle East , as well as supported the national offices at Teach for America.
Sahba's passion for her work stems from her foundational belief in the oneness of humanity due in part to the guidance and love of her Persian-American family and her upbringing as a member of the Baha'i Faith. She believes firmly in the nobility of each human being and works hard to bring that to the forefront of her work. Her background and experiences are a big part of her belief in the work that Roots ConnectED is doing to ensure that each child see the humanity in one another.