Maryam Zar was born in Iran and came to the US in 1979. She grew up in New Jersey and went to Boston University for a BS in Mass Communication and Pepperdine Law School.

In 1992 she returned to Iran. She became an advertising executive as well as a correspondent at a time when the nation was emerging from war. She made her mark as a fiercely capable woman in a patriarchal land, and was named Editor for an English language newspaper called Iran News. She eventually produced and edited Page 7, dedicated to socio-economic developments. Before leaving Iran, she became a correspondent for publications based in London and Dubai, with a cover story in Gulf Marketing Review (1994). She returned to the States to pursue a law degree and become involved in the work of empowering women.

In 2010 she founded Womenfound, an organization focused on raising awareness for the plight of women around the world and advocating for their empowerment. She was appointed to the LA City Commission on the Status of Women by Mayor Garcetti (2017), and currently chairs the Westside Regional Alliance of Councils (an alliance of 14 Neighborhood and Community Councils on LA’s Westside). She was the first VP of Communications of USNC UN Women LA, the founding Chair of the Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness and the former Chair of the Pacific Palisades Community Council. She was an elected Delegate for Assembly District 50 and has served on the Executive Board of the Business & Professional Caucus. She is also a mother to three children and served as President of PTSA at Paul Revere Middle School, which matriculates students from 99 zip codes across LA.

Maryam was recognized for her work on homelessness by LA County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, and named Honorary Fire Chief by LAFD. She has been appointed to the Boards of Pacific Palisades Park Advisory Board, Pacific Palisades YMCA and Pacific Palisades Design Review Board by Councilmember Mike Bonin.