Our Board

Anthony Agnello

Founder and President

Anthony founded AIU to bridge divides in America and improve communication across borders. He also serves as president of Friends of Afghanistan, supporting veterans' organizations and US-based NGOs working in Afghanistan. Over a long career as an educator and community advocate he served as a school board trustee and union president, managing multimillion-dollar budgets on both sides of the negotiating table.

He was named Buffalo Bills/M&T Bank Teacher of the Year for his international work during Operation Enduring Freedom, which included the construction of six schools for Afghan girls, and received the Dr. Clifford Harkins Distinguished Citizen Award from Northern Arizona University for a lifetime of humanitarian service.

Terry Dougherty

Co-Founder, Vice President and Treasurer

Terry brings more than 40 years of experience in teaching, sales, and technology management across higher education and consulting. He has served as Chairman of the Board of the Indiana Center for Middle East Peace and Treasurer of Friends of Afghanistan, Inc.

He was a founding board member of SOLA, the School of Leadership Afghanistan, and volunteers with Afghan refugee resettlement through Catholic Charities in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Elia Ahadi

Vice President and International Consultant

Elia is an AI product and program manager who has delivered large-scale systems across government, healthcare, and technology, with leadership roles at the USDA, Bayer Pharmaceuticals, and Moov Fitness. He brings a global perspective from working in the United States, China, Japan, and Afghanistan.

He holds advanced degrees in engineering from Stanford and Johns Hopkins.

Baktash Ahadi

Founder, The Taleem Project

Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and project partner for AIU's documentary work.