-
Birth
Born in Tehran, Iran to Nazik and Nouredin Ahangarzadeh. There's been a bit of confusion about my exact birthday. My family celebrates one birthday but I go by official birthday. I don't have many memories of my young life in Iran. I remember living in the second floor of an apartment, I remember going to a school named Kooshesh and one named Alik. I remember a couple of friends named Artin and Armond. And I remember this cute girl I had a crush on who lived upstairs from us. -
First School in Iran
I was enrolled in a primary school named Gulbenkian. It was an Armenian school in the tenth or eleventh district of Tehran. My main memories of the time were these two boys--Armond and Artin--that were my friends. -
Emigrated to America
In early April of 1979, the nation of Iran voted to become an Islamic republic. As my mother's side of the family is Christian and father's side are Bahai's, we decided to to emigrate to Ameirca where my uncle had just moved to. Imagine the cultural differences between the city of Tehran and Hollywood, CA. -
Enrolled in 1st American school
This was my first school in America. Mostly Africa-American population in the late 70s. I got into just a few too many fights. I didn't speak English and looked very different from the rest of the folks on campus. 3rd grade... -
Moved to Glendale, CA
Hollywood was just too foreign a place for my mother and father and so we decided to move to Glendale, CA. Outside of Armenia, Glendale has the largest population of Armenians and Iranian-Armenians. -
Mark Keppel Elementary School & Toll Jr. High School
My parents enolled me in Mark Keppel ES mid-year. They tested me and determined that I actually belonged in the 4th grade (despite my age). -
Joined Boy Scouts
One of the best experience I had as a young boy was to be part of the HMTM boy scouts--an Armenian affiliate of the BSA. It's through the boy scouts that I learned to become a leader, made many of my closest friends (to this day), and stayed out of trouble (for the most part. I was a boy scout in Iran (1978) and continued along the same path in America al the way through 1986 -
5th Grade
I matriculated up to the 5th grade in September of 1980. Then, in the fall of 1981, moved up to Toll Jr. High School (right next to my elementary school) as a fresh new 6th grader... -
Persian TV + Theater
My parents got me started in America-based Iranian TV and plays by introducing me to Parviz Sayyad--a well known Iraninan artist who was exiled from Iran and now lived in LA. I had a weekly segment on Pars TV (cable) where I played Sadeghe Sedaghat--a kid who would write inordinately insightful and funny essays and then read them in class. The segments were designed to be a comical way of criticizing the politics of Iran throughout its tumultuous years. -
Elenor J. Toll Jr. High School
The 6th and seventh grade were important years for me. It was at this point that I slowly began to feel like an American. Still uncomfortable. Joined the football team. -
Boy Scout Days
I loved being a boy scout. We would go on field trips all of the time. Really developed many of my leadership skills during that period. -
Samad Goes to War (Samad beh Jang Miravad)
One of the best acting experience I ever had was touring the USA with my dad and a theater troupe playing the role of a young boy who gets recruited into martyrdom during the Iran/Iraq war. The play was a political comedy written by a great Iranian artist name Parviz Sayyad. We did the play in a newly built theater in Hollywood for several years and, in 1984, took it on the road around America. -
Boy Scout Camping Days
One of the best memories of my teen years was going camping with the boy scouts every summer just above Santa Barbara at a camp site named Rancho Allegre. We would sing and dance and put on shows. We would take turns at night standing guard, play capture the flag, and stand inspection of our tents. -
High school freshman
Started out at Hoover High School in Glendale, CA. Made a name for myself as the class funny man... -
First High School Play
For whatever reason, the drama teacher at Hoover High saw that I was a bit of a ham and cast me in my first high school play--"See How The Run". I played an old pastor who was a bit absent minded. -
Glendale Community College
Even though I was a senior in high school, I had already completed all of my required classes to graduate (sans one Economics class which I took duirng zero period--7am). So, I got a kick start in college and enrolled in Glendale Community College. It seems the next three years were almost exclusively spent producing plays, writing plays, acting in plays, and learning to direct plays. I wrote a couple of plays during that period including "Just a Second" and Geopetto's Dream". -
Graduated High School
I graduated a year ahead of my three best friends (Iven, Andre, and Ara). High school was a great period for me. -
Hosting The Star Trek Adventure, Backdraft, and Backstage Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood
Started working at Universal Studios Hollywood--first as a show controller (usher), then as an assistant director for the Star Trek Adventure (a live-action show where we'd "cast" folks from the audience to star in their own episode of Start Trek). I was also a back-lot tour guide, as well as a host for a smaller show called Backdraft (based on the movie). That's me and my college friend Erin right in front of the Star Trek Theater. -
Hosting Show at Six Flags Magic Mountain, CA
Met a guy name Paul Schrier (who ended up a big star in the TV show Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) at an event. I recognized him as the host of this awesome high diving show at Six Flags. He needed someone to cover for him so I got the job. Eventurally, I became the full-time host. Loved working at Magic Mountain... -
Summer Reperatory Theatre
For the first time, I moved out of my parents home and up to Santa Rosa, CA to work as a stage manager for SRT. A production manager I used to work with at Universal Studios, Peter, thought I'd do a good job so, on his recommendation, they hired me and the next thing I knew, I was driving across the Golden Gate Bridge in into Sonoma County. I rented out a room with this old lady. It was the time of my life. Met some incredible people like Celeste Bazan and Jodi. -
Canada's Wonderland
Moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada to work on a show named Barnacle Bill's Sailing Circus. I was the master of ceremonies for the stunt show which was just a way to feature the talents of some incredible gymnists and divers. Made some really great friends including Vern! -
Las Vegas
I moved to Las Vegas after spending about 4 months in rehearsal out in Valencia, to open a stunt show at the soon-to-open MGM Grand Hotel. The show was named Dueling Pirates Stunt Spectacular and it was a rompy piece of vaudville style humor and some stage combat/stunts mixed in. I rented an apartment on Koval (just a block or two east of the Strip behind the Imperial Palace) and got the show prepared for opening. -
SIx Flags Great America
Moved to a little town just south of the Wisconsin border (Gurnee) in Illinois where I directed the first professional show I had written and sold. It was produced at Six Flags Great America. The show was named Air Circus Sports Spectacular. About two weeks toward the end of our contract, I decided to go back to college. -
CSU, Los Angeles
After having, Great America, I decided to move back home with my parents and complete my Bachelor's Degree. I enrolled in California State University, Los Angeles as a theater arts major and started knocking out the classes (that I should've been taking at Glendale Community College). I directed more plays at the university including "Zoo Story" by Edward Albee, one of the more artistic expereinces of my life. I decided to cast two women (instead of the perscribed men) to play the roles. -
CSULA to UCLA
My performance in some play got me nominated for an ACTF acting scholarship and, while competing in the finals in Utah, a professor from UCLA some me and said "You're coming to UCLA". So, the next three years of my life were spent as a full-time MFA students in the School of Theater Arts and Televsion. What a gorgeous campus... -
Graduated from UCLA with MFA
Completed a rigorous, full-time Master of Fine Arts program at UCLA's School of Theater, Film, and Television. Probably one of the best periods of my life. Met some of the best people I've ever known--including myself! -
North Hollywood
Right after grad school, I moved into a decent and cheap apartment of Fulton Ave. in North Hollywood. First floor one-bedroom pad with a nice pool just outside my front door... -
Began work as a teacher
After a bit of substitute teaching, an administrator noted my skills and encouraged me to apply for a full time position as an English teacher in Los Angeles Unified School District. Started me down a career path that I have loved... -
Began work for University of California
After a few years of conducting teacher trainings for Los Angeles Unified School District, I got picked up as a research consultant and curriculum developer by the University of California's Professional Development Institute. -
Joined Legba
I've jammed with several "bands" throughout my life. I certainly wouldn't say I'm much good but I did have fun. I met a plumber who came to my North Hollywood apartment who saw my bass guitars strewn out and wondered if I'd be interested in playing around with his band, Legba. I went down to their studio and played a few tunes and, for whatever reason, they liked me! We played for about 6 months around LA until I quit. They kept at it but disbanded sometime about a year later. Hard rock. -
Got married to Olga Ahangarzadeh
Everything in my life changed when I met Olga. I met the love of my life at a professional development institute I was facilitating for Los Angeles Unified School District. A few years later, we got hitched. She's a brilliant teacher and an amazing cook. Not bad to look at either... -
Fresno, CA
After working a bit for UCSD, I got an offer to work as an English Learner Programs Coordinator at the Fresno County Office of Education. Olga and I moved up there and, after about a year, bought our first house. I loved working with the team at the county (especially with my boss, Kitty). -
Moved to San Diego, CA to work as Language Arts Coordinator
After two years at Fresno County Office of Education, Olga and I decided that we'd like to live somewhere other than Fresno. My friends at UCSD told me about an opening at the San Diego County Office of Education as a Secondary Language Arts Coordinator and so I went for it. The move was costly but we've been living in SD ever since... -
Bought 2nd house
After a few months at a rental house, Olga and I took a gamble and applied for a loan to buy our dream house. I'll never forget the day we got the call telling us that we were approved. We bought a house in a new development named Sky Ranch and love every square foot of it... -
New Job as Director of TechSETS
After a decade in curriculum and instruction, I finally realized that my real passion was in education technology. Fortunatley, I had been building up my tech credentials all along and in early 2011, I moved from one San Diego County Office of Educaiton builidng to another in my new role as director of California's Technical Statewide Education Technology Service. -
Completed my doctoral journey
The University of Phoenix School of Advanced Studies conferred a doctorate to me in education leadership. My doctoral research and dissertation was centered on a case study of how three school districts went about incorporating an enterprise-level video conferencing systems into their services to teach Mandarin to students across San Diego county. -
Promoted to Director
Promoted to Director of the newly formed Digital Solutions Unit at San Diego County Office of Education. Unified three units into one servicing school districts and universities with online course development, digital design and animation services, and professional learning seminars. -
Started Working at Santa Ana Unified School District
Began service as a Coordinator. Responsible for providing leadership in the planning, development, implementation, and administration of technology services to support instructional programs district wide, including educational computing systems, technical support services, software and hardware acquisition, and system design and installation. Provide support for planning, assessment and data collection of innovative projects and faculty professional development.
