Nazli Parvizi

President, Museum of Food and Drink

Nazli Parvizi is a leader at the intersections of government, food, hospitality, and the arts. As the President of the Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD) in Brooklyn, New York, she leads a team of culinary historians, chefs, writers, and museum professionals in using food as a lens to explore and understand the world.

Parvizi's personal history adds depth to her professional expertise. As a proud immigrant, she and her family escaped from Iran in 1981 following the Iranian revolution. Post-9/11, Nazli became NYC's youngest agency head, doing public service under Mayor Bloomberg. She led the City's Volunteer Center and later served as Commissioner of the Mayor's Community Affairs Unit. After government, she consulted on diverse projects, including Hurricane Sandy recovery and California water infrastructure, focusing on public affairs and community engagement. 

At MOFAD, Parvizi continues to explore the cultural significance of food, taking on the philosophy of Brillat-Savarin: "Tell me what you eat and I will tell you who you are".