HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIF. (September 16, 2009) - A prominent Orange County businesswoman and community leader has joined the KOCE-TV Community Advisory Board. Mariam Khosravani, Executive Director of the Coastline Community College Foundation prominent leader in Orange County's very vital and engaged Iranian American community, has become a member of the advisory board that provides community input to the programming and production decisions by the Orange County based PBS station.

"Mariam is a good example of the high level community leaders who see KOCE as the local institution that can create a stronger sense of community in Orange County and a more accurate and defined public image for our county," said KOCE-TV President Mel Rogers. "She is enthusiastic and very savvy. We are thrilled that she will be advising us as KOCE moves forward in service to education and community building locally."

Mariam Khosravani has an MBA and Certificate in Fundraising and Managing for nonprofit organizations. She is the Executive Director of Coastline Community College Foundation in Orange County, CA. She manages the College's Foundation, its assets, and raises funds for this college of 18,000 students. She has been active in the field of fundraising as a consultant, speaker, and trainer for the last ten years and assisted in the expansion of several non-profit organizations in Southern California. She also serves on the board of the Network of California Community College Foundations.

Ms. Khosravani is a prominent leader of the Persian community in California and has served as an unofficial ambassador for the community at large in developing and enhancing the Persian image and presence among the key business and political figures in the area. She has been active in the Network of Iranian Professionals of Orange County (NIPOC), for the past 14 years, serving as the President, board member, and advisory member since she joined the organization. She was also Coordinator for the Mehregan Celebration in Orange County, which hosted more than 15,000 visitors at a two-day event.

Passionate about humanitarian aid, Ms. Khosravani has raised over millions of dollars for various local, national and international organizations. She has been active in the field of philanthropy as a consultant, speaker, and trainer for the last ten years. She is on the board of The Africa Project, raising awareness about the plight of AIDS orphans and children in Africa to assist with food, clothing, school fees, medical care and other basic necessities and create an enduring improvement in the community.

About KOCE-TV:  KOCE-TV one of the most watched PBS stations in America with an estimated 5.8 million viewers monthly. KOCE's award-winning programming offers the fifth-largest county in the nation a long-standing community hub for local news, culture and features, and broadcasts the best available national PBS programs to the entire Southern California five-county region. Known for its outstanding dedication to education, KOCE Classroom serves more than a half million K-12 students. A national Roper poll recently ranked PBS as number one in public trust for the fourth consecutive year.* The winner of hundreds of awards including Emmys and Community Service Awards, KOCE continues to be a vital community resource and connector for Southern California. For more information, please visit www.koce.org.