Ahmad Ahmadian

Ahmad Ahmadian is President and CEO of Holistic Resilience, a U.S.-based nonprofit that develops technologies to deliver uncensored information and counter state surveillance, with a primary focus on Iran. He holds a graduate degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley. An Iranian national, Ahmadian began as a student activist inside Iran, joining movements for civil and political freedoms. His activism led to detention, imprisonment, and periods of solitary confinement. These experiences deepened his resolve to defend human rights. After the 2009 Green Movement crackdown forced his exile, he continued his work from abroad, documenting abuses by the Iranian regime.

Recognizing the central role of connectivity, Ahmadian shifted to internet freedom. For more than a decade he has led projects that circumvent censorship and secure communications in Iran and other closed environments, including North Korea, Russia, China, and Afghanistan. At Holistic Resilience he oversees the design and deployment of secure tools, strategies to bypass firewalls, and support to grassroots groups. His team has advanced independent internet access in Iran, including helping expand Starlink availability and building community-based infrastructure that keeps people connected during shutdowns. Ahmadian combines technical understanding with lived experience under repression. He is a practical voice in global efforts for open information, privacy, and democratic participation. and standalone infrastructure.

Ahmadian’s technical expertise and direct experience position him as a key contributor to global efforts for open information and democratic change.