Nai was born in San Francisco, California to very proud parents, Carelle and Mahmood Karimimanesh on May 17, 1979. As a child, everyone knew how determined Nai was.  When asked what she wanted to be in kindergarten, she stood up and said she wanted to be the President.  She loved playing backgammon and Monopoly with her dad and admired her mom’s strength and ambition. First Nai attended Sunnybrae Elementary School, graduating in 1990.  She continued at Borel Middle School as a proud bobcat and graduated in 1993.   From a young age, Nai was committed to her strong values and immersed in serving the Baha’i Faith.  She attended junior youth sessions at Bosch Baha’i School. 

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Nai was socially skilled and mature beyond her years.  She never took herself too seriously and gracefully handled each challenge that came her way.  Her love of life led her to explore the world by traveling to Sri Lanka, India, Israel, Jordan, Turkey, and numerous trips to Europe and her second home of Iran.  Throughout her travels, she made many friends and continued to remain in touch with those individuals. Nai graduated from San Mateo High School in 1997 and was known for the joy she brought to everyone around her. 

 

She boldly spoke her mind, courageously stuck with the basketball team, loudly chanted school cheers, creatively loved people, laughed, studied against all odds, and embraced the diversity of her classmates.  Nai played the saxophone vigorously in the marching band.  She regularly volunteered at Mills Hospital, visiting patients and families.  Nai was voted by her senior class as the student who “Contributed the Most” and was one of the invited speakers at her graduation ceremony, delivering part of her speech in Spanish.

 

After a year at Tulane University in New Orleans, Nai transferred to Emory University in Atlanta where she graduated with a BA in History and minors in Religion and Persian (Farsi) in 2001.  Her life and education were enhanced by summer study in Israel and Jordan.  Nai was also an active member of the Emory Baha’i Club.  While at Emory, Nai was a Jimmy Carter Presidential Center Intern, a University Senator, and a Senior Resident Advisor.  She was a leader in the Residence Life Community and was respected and admired by all of her residents and the administration at Emory University. Nai earned her Juris Doctorate from Georgia State University in 2005. 

 

While pursuing her law degree, Nai received Honor’s Designation in Litigation, was a finalist in the Lonestar Classic Mock Trial Tournament in Texas, active in the Student Trial Lawyers Association, involved in the Jessup International Moot Court, and was President of the International and Comparative Law Society. During law school Nai worked with The Honorable John J. Goger in Fulton County Superior Court, clerked with King & Spalding LLP, and interned with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia Civil Division, the Southern Center for Human Rights, and the Fulton County Public Defender’s Office.

 

After graduating from law school, Nai worked as a Research Assistant and Staff Attorney with the Prosecuting Attorney’s Council of Georgia.  Most recently, Nai was an Associate with Sharon Ware & Associates.  Nai loved being a lawyer and was a natural in the courtroom. Nai was as passionate about life as about the law.  She was dedicated to her family, her friends, and the Baha’i community.  She demonstrated her devotion to Baha’u’llah through her application of the principles of the unity of humankind and the essential oneness of all religions.  She had recently attended the Baha’i Legal Convention in Toronto.

 

Nai was willing to help at any hour of the day, and she went out of her way to befriend, encourage, and inspire people from all walks of life.  Her final act of generosity was as an organ donor. Nai was a very strong and determined woman with a positive attitude.  She was a devoted, supportive, compassionate, and generous friend to all.  She will always be remembered as an exceptional individual with a great passion for justice and caring for loved ones.  She will also be known for her kind character, belief in world peace, and the oneness of humanity.  It was impossible not to be attracted to her disarming smile and sharp with. 

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She will be truly missed by all those who loved her including her family, many friends, and dog Jaxon. Nai is survived by her parents, maternal grandmother Elcyne, sister Alexis (“Safura”), nephews Vincent and Chase, and many aunts, uncles and cousins in the United States, Italy, and Iran. Nai was buried in Atlanta according to Baha’i law on May 2, 2007.