Invites Community to ANCA WR Meet and Greet Open House on September 4th

Early this week, the Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region (ANCA-WR) announced the appointment of its Board of Directors and Advisory Board for the 2014-2016 term.

The re-appointed board members are:

• Nora Hovsepian, Esq., Chair
• Steve Artinian, Treasurer
• Arpie Jivalagian, Esq., Secretary
• Pattyl Aposhian-Kasparian
• Raffi Kassabian, Esq

The newly appointed board members are:

• Nareg Kitsinian, Esq.
• Haik Petrosian
• Pierre Yenokian
• Souzi Zerounian-Khanzadian

ANCA-WR’s Advisory Board members are:

• Steven Dadaian, Esq., ANCA National Board Member
• Raffi Hamparian, ANCA National Board Member
• Aida Dimejian
• Karo Khanjian
• Levon Kirakosian, Esq.
• Michael Mahdesian
• Garo Madenlian, Esq.
• Artin Manoukian
• Harut Sassounian
• Mourad Topalian

ANCA-WR staff members are:

• Elen Asatryan, Executive Director
• Tereza Yerimyan, Government Affairs Director
• Haig Baghdassarian, Esq., Legislative Affairs Director

“We have a wonderful, dynamic and committed team of Board members, Advisory Board members, Committee members, staff, local chapters, grassroots volunteers and interns at the ANCA-WR, all of whom work tirelessly and passionately to achieve our collective goals. I am extremely proud of our team, the work we have accomplished, and the ongoing initiatives we continue to promote in advancing the Armenian Cause in all its facets. As we continue to serve our Nation and our community as a well-organized and passionate Diasporan army fighting against the Goliath of well-funded enemy onslaughts in government, politics, media and other arenas, our quest for justice grows increasingly attainable,” stated Nora Hovsepian, who was reinstated as ANCA WR Chair.

The Board of Directors will be tasked with setting the policies, procedures, and goals of the largest and most influential Armenian-American advocacy organization in the western United States.

Hovsepian has proudly served on the ANCA Western Region Board since 2011. In addition to volunteering her time advocating for the Armenian Cause, Nora has been an attorney at law for 25 years and is in private practice in Encino, California, where she specializes in representing plaintiffs in their claims for medical malpractice and personal injury. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from UCLA in 1984, then graduated as valedictorian from the University of La Verne School of Law in 1989 with a Juris Doctorate cum laude. Married to Dr. Viken Hovsepian, Nora is the mother of their daughter Arev, and lives with her family in Santa Monica, California.

Steve Artinian, reappointed as Treasurer of the Board, is Vice President of Marketing for a national home improvement company with locations throughout the US and Canada. Steve served 4 years as chairman of Homenetmen Western USA and became chairman of the 2014 ANCA Telethon Committee. In addition, he also served as Co-Chair of the Western Prelacy PR Committee for the visit by His Holiness Aram I and sits in several committees for Homenetmen, ARS, ANCA-WR, the ACF and the Armenian Bone Marrow Registry.

As a proud member of the ANCA Western Region Board since 2013, Arpie Jivalagian will now serve as Secretary of this Board. Arpie will continue to serve on the Government Affairs committee, organizing the annual Advocacy Day in Sacramento and is also on ANCA-WR’s America We Thank You: An Armenian Tribute to Near East Relief committee. Arpie received her B.A. in Criminology Law and Society and Political Science from the University of California Irvine and her Juris Doctorate from Southwestern Law School. Arpie now works as an in house defense attorney for Travelers Insurance.

Pattyl Aposhian Kasparian serves as the Vice President of Marketing and Development for the Caltech Employees Federal Credit Union. She oversees two departments-Marketing and Business Development in conjunction with relationship management with the extended California Institute of Technology community. She earned a Bachelor of Journalism degree from CSUN in 2000 followed by an Executive MBA with an emphasis in Marketing and Corporate Communications from Pepperdine University School of Business. As a part of the ANCA family since 1999, Pattyl will be serving her fourth term as a Board Member for the ANCA Western Region Board. She also serves as a Board Member of the Caltech Y and the Los Angeles Armenian Mexican Task Force.

Serving his fifth term on the Board of Directors for the ANCA-Western Region, Raffi Kassabian has been active with the ANCA for over 12 years. Raffi is an attorney at one of the twenty largest global law firms in the world where he practices commercial and business litigation and represents the leading financial services institutions in the United States. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Communication Studies from UCLA in 2005 and earned his Juris Doctorate degree from UCLA in 2008. In addition to practicing law, Raffi has been a lecturer and educator at UCLA since 2010 where he teaches First Amendment law. Raffi currently lives in Pasadena, California.

Nareg S. Kitsinian, Esq. the immediate past Chair of the ANCA San Fernando Valley West Chapter, is a native of Los Angeles, and founder of the Kitsinian Law Firm. He is a graduate of Loyola Law School in Los Angeles where he received his Juris Doctor Degree in 2004. Outside of his practice, Nareg is an active participant in his community. In 2012, Nareg was honored by the Los Angeles City Council for his dedication to human rights education and in bringing a wider awareness to the Armenian Genocide.

Haik Petrosian currently operates a family owned waste and recycling company located in Montebello, CA; one of the oldest historic Armenian Diaspora regions in Southern California. His grandfather began the company with a strong connection to the Armenian community. Today, Haik continues his predecessors’ dedication to the Armenian culture as a graduate of the local Armenian Mesrobian School and his most recent commitment to the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). Participating in meetings regularly and ensuring that the youth continue the hard work of their elders who paved the way for them is a mission he is proud to see through is a sentiment he will proudly pass on to the Armenian youth for years to come.

For the past 20 years, Pierre Yenokian, president of ONYX, has successfully led a variety of international business ventures. As president and CEO of LaSalle International, Inc., a construction and engineering consulting firm, Yenokian has forged strong familial-based and mainstream business relationships with numerous development entities around the Middle East and Eastern Europe. With bachelors and masters degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California his early career helped him to produce several successful technology companies. Yenokian is also the immediate past chair of the ANCA WR San Fernando Valley North Chapter.

Souzi Zerounian-Khanzadian is a graduate of CSULA with a degree in Finance. Souzi started her career as a financial analyst for Transamerica. Since then, she has developed, expanded and manages a multi-location franchise operation in the oil industry. A staunch supporter of the Armenian community, Souzi has held numerous positions in various organizations, including the Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region, ANCA Telethon Committee, Armenian Youth Federation and the Armenian Relief Society. Souzi was also a co-founder of the Los Angeles Yerevan Sister City Association (LAYSCA), an organization that promotes friendly ties between Los Angeles and Yerevan.

On Thursday, September 4, 2014, 6pm-9pm at the ANCA WR Headquarters (104 N. Belmont St., 2nd Floor Glendale, CA), the ANCA WR will host its first official Open House, in an effort to provide community organizations and members as well as elected officials an opportunity to meet the ANCA WR Board of Directors, Advisory Board, Committee Members, and Staff.  The event also serves as an avenue for community members to learn about the organization’s upcoming initiatives and how they can become more involved.

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.