Team
Team
- Jahanshah Josh NazmiyalFounder & President
- Cyrus NazmiyalVice President
- Nikita NagpalLead Designer
- Andy YoonE-Commerce Director
- David VegaAccounts Manager
- Michael E. SciandraEditor
- Wilson OjedaLogistics Department
Founder & President
Email: josh@rugandkilim.comGrowing up in Tehran and coming to the United States in 1978 as a student at Washington D.C.’s American University, Jahanshah Josh Nazmiyal soon after opened his first atelier showroom in Short Hills, NJ, enjoying one of the most widely regarded collections of Oriental rugs with a passion for their history of inspiring European and 18th-Century counterparts. After opening his first trade-only showroom in New York City — following a prosperous career in wholesale antique carpets — 2020 marks Josh’s 40th anniversary with Rug & Kilim and the long-anticipated opening of his new showroom in Long Island City, home to a treasury of antique, vintage, mid-century-modern, Scandinavian, Moroccan, European, and custom rug collections complemented by the largest international archive of diverse Kilim.
Vice President
Email: cyrus@rugandkilim.comOperating out of Rug & Kilim’s New York showroom, Vice President Cyrus Nazmiyal oversees sales and operations while continuing to expand the award-winning team with phenomenal success. An honors cum laude graduate from the School of Hospitality Administration at Boston University and an alumnus of Brant Lake Camp, Cyrus embodies the standard for a service-oriented approach in his business philosophy, proven by the essential, admirable relationships he’s cultivated with his clients. A honed student of his craft with a passion for private label opportunities, Cyrus is driven to provide a family experience to our partners, valuing relationships above everything.
Lead Designer
Email: artdept@rugandkilim.comA neo-New Yorker from New Delhi, India, Nikita Nagpal serves Rug & Kilim as Lead Designer for both our in-house art department and our design department in India, utilizing an extensive background and an equally impressive passion for the industry. An honors bachelor of arts in Fashion Design with an MFA in Fibers from the Savannah College of Art and Design, 2019 marked Nikita as the recipient of the prestigious Red Dot Award for Design Concepts in Material Innovation, the IDA Design Awards, Gold, and a published Finalist in the Dorothy Waxman Textile Design Prize. With multiple bold, pioneering projects under her belt, Nikita believes in the beauty and necessity of Process Art, a builder with a deep love of all things tactile now working directly with Josh Nazmiyal in their common passion for material innovation and creation.
E-Commerce Director
Email: andy@rugandkilim.comMoving from Cleveland, Ohio, to New York City following his master’s degree in 2016, Andy Yoon joined the Rug & Kilim family in 2018 continuing an impressive and consistent career in e-commerce. A cum laude graduate of Andrews University with an honors MBA in Marketing from La Sierra University, Andy has become a pivotal voice for our team’s online partnerships while maintaining the same standard of courtesy and accommodation Josh Nazmiyal prides himself on offering our trade partners. Key to developing our website and sum digital presence, Andy supports multiple departments while spearheading innovation, mindful expansion, and communication with new clientele to keep pace with the digital future of our industry with the standard we’re known for internationally.
Accounts Manager
Email: david@rugandkilim.comCelebrating an exciting first year with our team, David Vega represents Rug & Kilim as Accounts Manager to new and established partners in the Caribbean, Florida, and South America, proving rapidly successful in his efforts to develop exciting relationships and growth in the region. An honors bachelor of science in Finance from Nova Southeastern University and former Vice President of Finance for the American Marketing Association, David has since enjoyed several years as a reliable broker in the design and textile industry. Backed by his belief in mutual respect and courtesy, David shares Josh Nazmiyal’s love for design and building relationships as a reliable and knowledgeable representative of our collections; always seeking collaboration with creative designers from all backgrounds.
Editor
Email: michael@rugandkilim.comA proud son of Buffalo, New York, Michael E. Sciandra originally joined Rug & Kilim as Copywriter and quickly rose to the role of Editorial & Media Relations Manager, supported by a diverse background in multi-media writing, a studious passion for our field and a natural affinity for leadership. An honors cum laudebachelor of Journalism and Creative Writing from SUNY Purchase, Michael’s experience as an award-winning reporter, published author, and multidisciplinary editor in news, publishing and education were linked by a common love of art and creation that brought him to our team. Now working with Josh Nazmiyal to put a voice to the beauty of our collection and explore editorial opportunities, Michael believes in the immutable value of research, communication and education in sharing the beauty and history of every piece with our discerning clientele; essential tools to tell its story.
Logistics Department
Email: logistics@rugandkilim.comCelebrating 20 years with Rug & Kilim as the senior member of our team under Josh Nazmiyal, Wilson Ojeda has played a vital role as the head of our Logistics Department since the founding of our New York showroom. A native from Peru with an extensive background in security and communications, Wilson has become the right hand of each of our departments and one of the essential first points of communication for shipping, white glove handling, maintenance, spot cleaning, and our full catalogue of services requiring his technical and managerial expertise. Sharing Josh’s experience in exotic materials and inventory management, Wilson has been pivotal in honing our team’s industry standard for maintaining several collections and ensuring the success of our international trade show presence to an award-winning standard.