Bita Milanian; A Proud Iranian-American Leader, Connecting the World with Technology, Art & Philanthropy
Published Aug 25, 2017 / Rah — E — Zendegi / Los Angeles, CA
Bita Milanian left Iran 31 years ago, in 1986, as a result of political and social turmoil, made even more tumultuous by the war with Iraq at the time. Seeking refuge in Germany, Bita and her mother had to leave her father, brothers and grandmother behind, settling in Cologne before moving to the US, where Bita lives today. Her family joined her later and now all live in the US.
But living in Los Angeles is just one part of her world. She travels globally for business, using the opportunity to inspire others not only by sharing her own story, but to share the stories of inspiring people as a motivational speaker. Bita is also a popular blogger and social media force, dedicated to spreading messages of diversity, acceptance and love, and building bridges between disparate communities, especially in times of great uncertainty and political unrest.
A wife and grandmother of two small children, Bita also loves to entertain, often in the Persian style. A foodie with many good friends in the culinary world, she opens her home to others and loves to prepare meals from the many countries she has visited such as France, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Mexico, Spain, Turkey and the UK, among others, believing that through food and cultural celebrations, we can build bridges with others, learn about all faiths, and respect the beliefs of others. It just so happens that Bita is also a powerhouse senior executive working in the telecommunications industry, particularly in the world of innovative “real time communications” software and cloud-based solutions, which is impacting the way we connect with family and friends, how we share ideas and information, deliver better services such as healthcare, support humanitarian efforts, and so much more. “I am drawn to many kinds of technologies, and have been fortunate to meet incredible inventors, innovators and entrepreneurs, working in areas from artificial intelligence including IBM’s Watson, to Smart Cities and Smart grid technologies,” Bita said. “Where I see the most powerful intersection in the world of real time communications is when software, applications, machines and people can come together, over the Internet, to help keep us safe and help us live longer, happier lives.”
Her work as head of global marketing for GENBAND, and its subsidiary Kandy.io, where she leads a team of strategic and product marketing, as well as branding, communications, events, public relations and analyst relations is extremely meaningful in this regard — it’s all about connecting the world for good! However, Bita never wears only one hat at a time– she is a non-stop philanthropist, humanitarian, human rights activist and art enthusiast.
In between her roles in the telecom and tech worlds, Bita took several years to help develop the Los Angeles-based Farhang Foundation, dedicated to the promotion and celebration of Iranian art and culture. While executive director at this prestigious and successful non-profit, Bita built the brand, produced a series of dynamic fundraising campaigns, cultural events at some of LA’s finest venues, and fostered ways for people of all ages to participate and contribute.
Bita also established and continues to run Butterfly Buzz, a creative agency that advances the careers of artists, musicians, dancers, actors and creative people who are both Iranian-Americans or people of Iranian descent from elsewhere.
Bita is also proud to call herself a refugee, and is active in supporting efforts to welcome refugees warmly, whether they are from Syria or other war torn countries.
Bita has family in Toronto, Canada, where her role model and first cousin, Neda Moeini, resides. Neda is the co-founder and retired president of Group of Gold Line, and credited with giving Bita her start in the tech industry. Neda and her husband Ata are also the founders of GLWiZ known to many Iranian families in Diaspora, offering millions of worldwide customers, multicultural programming. Together they established the largest international long-distance carrier in Canada, as well as one of the most successful software companies in Canada. The Moeinis innovative contributions in technology in Canada, have been recognized with many accolades from the business and civic realms.
“In 2012, Neda was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal honoring outstanding Canadians, along with several other of Ontario’s brightest and most dedicated entrepreneurs, legal professionals, and civic and community leaders,” Bita wrote in her popular ‘B the Change’ blog. “I am deeply proud of the women in my family who continue to serve as examples for others, now including Neda’s daughter Anissa, who is now helping manage the family business. She is a strong young woman with amazing values, and part of the community of women of Persian descent making positive changes happen around the world.”
Bita’s limitless energy helps carry her through her journey; recently she spoke at two conferences bringing together Persian women in technology. On July 29th, she spoke on a panel on Women in Technology at the First Iranian-Canadian Women Leadership Conference in partnership with Tirgan Festival. The following week, she spoke at a Google-sponsored event, hosted by Persian Women in Tech. This non-profit, founded by Sepideh Nasiri Sazesh, represents successful women of Iranian descent with a background in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, which held its first Los Angeles meet-and-greet at Google‘s offices in Venice Beach, California with an incredible turnout.
While Bita continues to move in many directions all at once, she is gearing up to relaunch her creative agency Butterfly Buzz, starting with the premiere Los Angeles performance of one of the most sought after Israel-based artists, the incomparable Yasmin Levy whom she met in December 2014 at her live show in Tel Aviv. She is super excited to bring this multi-talented artist and special event to her hometown of Los Angeles on November 15th. This show epitomizes Bita’s belief that art knows no boundaries. More details about this event are available at www.bflybuzz.com.
“I am more energized than ever at this point in my life to help others realize their dreams,” Bita said, “in a world that comes together around what we all wish for — understanding, joy, health, fulfillment and ultimately a sense of peace. I carry my Persian heritage and culture with me everywhere I go, and the beauty of it flows throughout my life, whether in my work or in my family life. The Silk Road is the road we all weave with our own desires, including our desires to truly be the change in the world we wish to see.”
Bita’s shared one of her favorite Rumi quotes with us, summing up her philosophy and gratitude: “Love is the bridge between you and everything.” You can follow Bita on her ‘B the Change’ blog www.bitamilanian.com, on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Medium and other channels as she continues to connect through culture and technology.
About Bita Milanian:
Bita Milanian serves as the Senior Vice President of Global Marketing at GENBAND (genband.com) & its Kandy.io division; a global leader in real time communications software solutions for service providers, enterprises, independent software vendors, systems integrators and developers, operating in over 80 countries. With over 20 years of marketing, branding and communications experience, Bita has held senior-level marketing positions at various global and start-up companies. Prior to joining GENBAND, she held the top post of Executive Director for Farhang Foundation (farhang.org) and is also the founder of the creative and consulting agency Butterfly Buzz (bflybuzz.com). A passionate community organizer, Bita actively volunteers her time and expertise in support of numerous causes and organizations, and is a popular speaker at various conferences and programs on the topics of technology, philanthropy, art, culture, social justice and gender equality.
Bita has been a social media influencer and blogger since 2000, leveraging her expertise in online platforms for business to raise the profiles of global entrepreneurs, immigrants and artists alike. Although an Angeleno for nearly 30 years, Bita considers herself a global citizen and focuses her efforts on that scale. She is fluent in Persian and German, and proficient in conversational Spanish, French and Azeri Turkish. As a seasoned traveler, she has had the pleasure of experiencing cuisines from various corners of the world. “Food connects us,” Bita writes, “and when we are connected, we have the power to bring cultures together for positive change.”
Twitter: @bitamilanian
Instagram: @bitamilanian
Blog: bitamilanian.com
Facebook: facebook.com/bitamilanian
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bitamilanian
