Who we are
About Desert Rose
A community of learners, servants, and builders — guided by the Bahá'í Faith, open to the world.
Our Purpose
Vision & Mission
Our Vision
Desert Rose is a community-based center of learning, guided by Bahá'í principles, that creates an atmosphere of spirituality which inspires positive human development.
Our Mission
To serve the community at large through phased development of activities and institutions that promote spiritual, artistic, intellectual, agricultural, and other practical education for people of all ages and backgrounds.
Leadership
Board of Directors
Appointed by the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Scottsdale, Arizona.
Taj Sabet
Chairman
Trilingual businessman and entrepreneur, serving as Chairman for six years. Great-grandson of Shu'a'u'lláh 'A'lá'í, one of the two Hands of the Cause to whom the institute is dedicated.
Marguerite Sears
Board Member
Namesake and granddaughter of the founder of DRBI. Specializes in envisioning events and activities that share Desert Rose with the world.
Dwight Cox
Vice-Chair & Interim Treasurer
Joined the board in 2015. Now retired from his Aviation business and devoting his time to DRBI's Agriculture program, reclaiming the desert as viable land.
Chad Jones
Executive Director
Alaskan fisherman and software developer with a deep interest in Bahá'í education. Believes the guidance of the Guardian speaks not only to the past, but to our future.
Pete Smith
Board Member
Vafa Aflatooni
Board Member
Day to Day
Our Core Team
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, DRBI relies on skilled, dedicated individuals to keep the Institute running.
Tim McKenna
Facilities Manager
Robin Springfield
Facilities Assistant
Telahoun Molla
Operations Manager
Brooke Molla
Landscape Redesign
Chris Ruhe
Radio Station Manager
Janet Ruhe-Schoen
In-Residence Scholar and Author
Author of A Love Which Does Not Wait, Rejoice in My Gladness: The Life of Táhirih,Champions of Oneness: Louis Gregory and His Shining Circle, and more. Bahá'í pioneer, journalist, vocalist, visual artist, poet, and editor of DRBI's quarterly newsletter.
The Heart of DRBI
Our Community of Volunteers
You may call them Volunteers. We call them extraordinary. Bonnie Tozer, Nancy Sloman, Doris and Roger Rasmussen, Sandra Parm, Deepali Jones, Marylou Strawway, Jean and Duffy Sheridan, Ladjamaya Gren, Glenn and Nancy Darling, Chris and Janet Ruhe-Schoen, Kitty and Mark Lutness, Mooi Yong Ng Khosraviani, Kelly Hadden — and many more who have given their time and love to this place.
Become a Volunteer