Meet the panelists!
The Importance of Networking
Kim Bardakian
Kim is the Sr. Director of Partnerships for the Kapor Center, a non-profit which aims to make the technology ecosystem and entrepreneurship more diverse and inclusive. Her career has primarily been focused in media and public relations-- highlighting and promoting important stories to the masses. Kim’s superpower is building and making connections. Whether in the form of mentorship or making impactful connections and introductions, she firmly believes in opening the door for those behind her.
A native New Yorker, Bardakian holds both a Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Arts from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI where she was actively involved in the Armenian Students’ Cultural Association (ASCA). She proudly resides in Oakland, CA where she is an avid tennis player.
Business & Entrepreneurship
Carolyn Philip
Carolyn graduated from the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross School of Business in 2015. During undergrad she traveled to Kenya with M-Powered Entrepreneurship, completed coursework in Rwanda, and was an active member of ASCA. After graduation she started her career at J.P. Morgan in New York and joined their San Francisco office in 2018. She is currently a Business Operations Manager at Eco, an early-stage startup building a cryptocurrency designed for payments. Outside of work, Carolyn loves to ski, Peloton, and explore new national parks.
Christine Amirian
Christine Amirian is a Marketing and Media executive with 25+ years of experience working in the U.S. and internationally, and has won multiple industry awards for both creativity and business results. Her career has spanned multiple industries including Consumer Packaged Goods (Kraft Foods), Consumer Electronics (Panasonic), Technology (Samsung), and Media and Entertainment (Disney). She holds an MBA in Marketing and Strategy from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a BA in Economics from Columbia University. She currently lives in NJ with her husband, daughter, and two rescue dogs.
Jake DerHagopian
Jake graduated from the University of Michigan in 2015. After graduation, he started his career in sales at Oracle and also volunteered in Yerevan through the Birthright Armenia program. He is currently a 2nd year full-time MBA student at UCLA Anderson (but will always be a Wolverine at heart!), and will be joining PwC's Advisory group in NYC after graduation. In his free time, Jake likes to stay active, play tavloo, and travel.
Monica Avakian
Monica is a second year MBA student at Wharton, completing degrees in Finance, Marketing & Ops, and Entrepreneurship. Prior to business school, Monica worked as a data scientist and consultant across the defense and healthcare sectors in SF and DC. She was born in Fresno, CA, is a proud alum of UCLA (go bruins!), and spent two summers with AGBU's Yerevan Summer Internship Program. Monica is currently working on an entrepreneurial venture in the personal care industry; if that doesn't work out, she will be joining McKinsey's San Francisco office after graduation.
Art & Media
Jared White and Lilit Pilikian
Jared White is a writer and director from Los Angeles who makes films with a focus on empathy and the fight for justice. He started the production company Squared Pictures with his wife and frequent collaborator Lilit Pilikian. His work has premiered at highly regarded film festivals, been featured on top web platforms and received national television exposure. "100 Years from Home," the documentary he directed about the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, is airing on PBS stations across the U.S.
Lilit Pilikian is an Armenian-American born and raised in Los Angeles. As an Industrial Designer, she's primarily worked in consumer electronics, most recently on high-tech toys at Mattel. She's also worked in User Experience as part of the Innovation team at Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, and as a production designer on a host of film sets. In making "100 Years from Home," the husband and wife team had to balance their roles as a couple and filmmakers while they captured the intimate story that resonates with immigrant communities. Find more info at 100YearsFromHome.com.
Karine Eurdekian
Parev tsez! I'm Karine Eurdekian and I'm the Founder and Executive Director of Kooyrigs Inc. As a young professional, I'm making my mark on the world by combining my passion for human rights with media to create impact through a culturally conscious lens. In 2018, while a senior at Michigan State University, I founded Kooyrigs- an Instagram page that sparked a digital renaissance and revolutionized accessibility to community and conversation between Armenians around the globe.
During the 2020 Artsakh War, Kooyrigs Inc. 501(c)(3) and Kooyrigs NGO took a massive leadership role in providing essential aid (such as: medication, medical supplies, fresh food, and more) to soldiers and civilians in Artsakh and Armenia. By utilizing media to promote transparency and share accurate information about the war, Kooyrigs was able to deliver mass amounts aid quickly and effectively.
While aid efforts boldly continue, I am also pursuing my MS in Nonprofit Management at Columbia University. I currently live in a COVID-ridden New York City, where I spend a majority of my time cooped up in my apartment transforming digital interaction into tangible impact for marginalized Armenians.
Aris Mardirossian
Aris Mardirossian is the founder and admin of Lavash Life, an outlet for Armenian culture through memes and humor. What started as a simple blog documenting his journey through Armenia with the Birthright Armenia program has grown into a following of more than 80,000 people operating on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. All content is tailored to be understood by English speakers, with the hopes of sharing the unique Armenian people and culture with both Armenians and the broader world. Aris is based out of Washington DC and works as an Analyst for the U.S. Navy. He received his Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Delaware. When not working or making new content for Lavash Life, he likes to cook new Armenian dishes in his spare time.
Ani Karibian
Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Ani is a writer and editor currently based in the Los Angeles area. Ani received her B.A. in International Relations from Michigan State University, James Madison College in 2016. Following graduation, Ani moved to Armenia with Birthright Armenia. During her time as a Birthright volunteer, she interned in Vanadzor at Helsinki Citizens' Assembly and at various childrens' centers. After spending three months in Vanadzor, Ani moved to Yerevan and interned at the Armenian President's Public Relations Office, Luys Foundation, and other NGOs.
The country captured her heart and Ani stayed in Yerevan until January 2021. Prior to her position as a Senior Content Manager for California.com, Ani served as the Content and Community Manager at PicsArt. When she's not busy writing, Ani's discovering the world's hidden gems. Exploring the great outdoors, snacking on hummus, and soaking up the sunshine with a great book in hand...it doesn't get better than this.
Law & Politics
Mari Manoogian
State Rep. Mari Manoogian was born and raised in Birmingham, Michigan, and is serving her second term representing the 40th District, which includes Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, and a portion of West Bloomfield Township. She currently serves as the Minority Vice Chair for the House Energy Committee. At 28, Manoogian is the youngest woman serving in the 101st Legislature, and the first Armenian-American woman to serve in the Michigan House of Representatives. Prior to joining the Legislature, she served in various capacities of public service at the federal level, including interning for then-Congressman John D. Dingell, working with the Council on Foreign Relations, and assisting Ambassador Samantha Power at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. Manoogian also worked in the Office of English Language Programs and eDiplomancy at the U.S. Department of State where she served with foreign and civil service officers. Manoogian is a third-generation Armenian-American whose great-grandparents came to America in the 1920s to escape the Armenian Genocide. She earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University. She is an avid Detroit sports and Team USA fan and enjoys figure skating, reading, traveling, and spending time with her family. Manoogian is a member of Saint Sarkis Armenian Church in Dearborn and lives in Birmingham.
Mihran Toumajan
Mihran Toumajan is a proud Michigander, who spent his formative years in Southfield where he attended the AGBU Alex and Marie Manoogian School, and St. John Armenian Church and Sunday School. Toumajan graduated, summa cum laude, from Wayne State University where he majored in History. Having interned with (1996) and coordinated (1997) the flagship Terjenian-Thomas Internship Program of the Armenian Assembly of America in Washington, DC, Toumajan is back with the Assembly since January 2016 and serves as the organization's Los Angeles-based Western Region Director after working in the enterprise software and automotive communications industries for nearly two decades. Toumajan's focus at the Armenian Assembly is on mobilizing grassroots advocacy -- especially among Generation X, Millennials and Generation Z activists -- community outreach and coalition-building, and development work. Mihran and his lovely wife, Talin, are the proud parents of 3rd grader Nishan Vartan.
Karoun Tcholakian
Karoun Tcholakian is a community organizer, AYFer, and ARS member. During the 2018 midterm elections, Karoun began her work in community organizing for the Fayrouz Saad for Congress campaign. Shortly after, she traveled to Kansas City, Kansas where she organized for the Sharice Davids for Congress campaign. Karoun’s passion for community organizing stems from her time volunteering in Lebanon, Armenia, and the Republic of Georgia. She has interned in the Office of Congressman Andy Levin (MI-09) and was an ANCA Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program Fellow. Most recently, Karoun worked for the Biden for President campaign in Iowa, South Carolina, Florida, and Michigan, helping to deliver decisive victories for the President by working as a Regional Organizing Director and Special Projects Coordinator.
A proud Michigander, Karoun graduated from Grand Valley State University with a BA in International Relations and minors in Arabic and Human Rights. When not working, Karoun enjoys going for long walks, reading books and venturing to bookstores, eating new foods, and spending time with family.
Shant Sagherian
Shant's robust Armenian upbringing has been a major influencing factor in his life. He took part in Wayne State's Divided Societies undergraduate program in 2007, a study abroad program which focused on ethnic conflict and international legal issues culminating in a thesis he authored regarding recognition of the Armenian genocide. That experience cemented his decision to attend Wayne State University Law School in 2009 to further his legal studies.
Shant was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 2012. He focuses his practice on the defense of liability lawsuits on behalf of insurance companies, self-insured corporations and businesses in a wide variety of civil litigation, including Michigan No-Fault, premises liability, retail and restaurant, transportation, and workers’ compensation.
Engineering & Technology
Sevag Nadjarian
Sevag Nadjarian is a Software Engineer in Ann Arbor, Michigan at Thomson Reuters where he builds web applications in the Tax & Accounting sector. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in computer science. Sevag works with technologies such as C#, JavaScript, TypeScript, Angular/AngularJS, NodeJS, SQL, Git, and VS Code with focuses on clean coding practices, front-end development, and software architecture. In his free time Sevag enjoys traveling, playing the drums, trying new craft beers, hiking, going to music festivals, and educating others about Armenia's rich history. Find Sevag on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sevag-nadjarian
Ari Sagherian
I'm Ari Sagherian, a proud graduate of U of M and a previous social chair of the ASCA. My educational background consists of studying Neuroscience in undergrad and Data Science & Artificial Intelligence (AI) for my masters. The combination of these led to my current career at General Motors where I work as an AI Scientist researching autonomous vehicles. Furthermore, I have worked as an MCAT Biology teacher and have helped prepare many students for medical school. If any of you are interested in careers related to any of these fields or have any general questions please feel free to reach out to me and I'd be more than happy to talk!
John Haytaian
John is 77 years old and retired from his work in Aerospace, MRI and computer sales. John was extremely fortunate in that his first job after graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in1966 was at the Grumman Aerospace Corporation working on
the Lunar Module Program which was part of the Apollo Program. After the Lunar Module Program John worked on the A-6 Intruder Navy aircraft program. He left Grumman to work at the Fonar Corporation to be with Raymond Damadian MD in the development of MRI. John was the VP of Operations and Government Interface (with the FDA) and then later as VP of Sales. His final job in technology was in computer sales at Sun Microsystems selling to companies.
the Lunar Module Program which was part of the Apollo Program. After the Lunar Module Program John worked on the A-6 Intruder Navy aircraft program. He left Grumman to work at the Fonar Corporation to be with Raymond Damadian MD in the development of MRI. John was the VP of Operations and Government Interface (with the FDA) and then later as VP of Sales. His final job in technology was in computer sales at Sun Microsystems selling to companies.
John has been married to Marie, his wife for 52 years who is also an Armenian American and a retired teacher and the best Armenian cook in the Northeast. They have two children Peter and Jennifer (Kozak) who they are very proud of as people and parents. They are both very successful in their working lives. They have given great 5 grandchildren, Peter 2 and Jennifer 3, one is Ryan Kozak your fellow student.
Vicken Asadourian
I am currently a software engineer for a medical technology company. In my role, I develop software, project manage installations at new sites, and liaise with medical research groups who use our software by offering support in data processing and statistical analysis. My previous roles involved data analysis, predictive modeling, and geospatial analysis. My educational background is in mathematics, linguistics, and anthropology.
Healthcare
John Zaven Ayanian, MD, MPP
Dr. John Ayanian is the inaugural Director of the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation which includes over 650 faculty members from 15 schools and colleges at the University of Michigan, where he is also the Alice Hamilton Distinguished University Professor of Medicine and Healthcare Policy, Professor of Health Management and Policy, Professor of Public Policy, and a practicing general internist. He leads a team of 15 faculty members conducting the federally-authorized evaluation of the Healthy Michigan Plan, which has expanded Medicaid coverage to more than 800,000 adults in Michigan. He previously served as an Associate Editor of the New England Journal of Medicine and currently serves as founding Editor of JAMA Health Forum. Dr. Ayanian is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and a Master of the American College of Physicians and. He has received the John Eisenberg National Award for Career Achievement in Research from the Society of General Internal Medicine and the Distinguished Investigator Award from AcademyHealth. He earned his bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Duke University, medical degree from Harvard Medical School, and master’s degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. He completed residency and fellowship training in primary care internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a post-doctoral fellowship in health services research at the Harvard School of Public Health.
Anahit Movsesyan
Anahit is a physician assistant currently working in Hospital Medicine in the Metro-Detroit area for the last year. Anahit got her Bachelor's degree in Nutritional Sciences with a Pre-PA track from Michigan State University in 2015. From 2015-2017 she took off two gap years to work and gain more hands-on work and volunteer experience. Anahit was accepted into Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine PA Program in 2017 and graduated in 2019. The CWRU PA program put great emphasis on primary care, community service, and PA leadership opportunities. Some of Anahit's interests include health equity, working with underserved populations, and being an active member of the Armenian community.
Kim Hekimian
Kim Hekimian, PhD is Assistant Professor of Nutrition in Pediatrics (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition) and the Institute of Human Nutrition at Columbia University. She is also the Associate Director of Education for the VP&S Program in Education in Global and Population Health. Previously, she taught at the American University of Armenia’s School of Public Health and served as the Associate Director of the MPH Program and Director of the Center for Health Services Research.
After completing her undergraduate education at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Hekimian received her PhD in Health Policy from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health with a concentration in Behavioral Science and Health Education. Her research has focused on maternal and child nutrition. Dr. Hekimian teaches courses in public health nutrition, global health, and research methods at VP&S and the IHN.
Kim Hekimian serves on the executive boards of the Armenian American Health Professionals Organization (AAHPO), the Armenian Medical Fund (AMF), the Columbia University Armenian Center, and is active in the Washington DC-based advocacy group, Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). In March 2020, she founded the Armenian American Public Health Task Force during the time of COVID 19. This group of epidemiologists, biostatisticians, public health policy makers and risk communication experts from academic centers around the US, including from Columbia University, meets regularly with counterparts at the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia and the School of Public Health at the American University of Armenia for health system strengthening collaborations.
Roy Misirliyan
Cardiologist at Michigan Heart for 25 years. Current Vice President at Michigan Heart. Chief of Cardiology at St Mary Mercy. Board certified in Cardiology, Nuclear Cardiology and Echocardiography.
Professional School Admissions
Sevan Misirliyan
Sevan is a University of Michigan alumnus and former ASCA president. After graduating from Michigan in 2015, Sevan took two gap years prior to starting medical school. During that time, Sevan volunteered in Gyumri with Birthright Armenia and then went on to work for a non-profit, MEDLIFE, in Lima, Peru. In 2017, Sevan began medical school at Wayne State University. She is currently in her final year and is applying to emergency medicine residencies and will begin her residency this July. In her free time, Sevan loves traveling, hiking, reading, and binging new TV shows.
Arsen Melkonyan
My name is Arsen Melkonyan and I am a 2015 graduate from the University of Michigan with a degree in Biopsychology Cognition & Neuroscience (BCN). Post undergrad, I attended University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry and completed my studies in May of 2020. Currently, I am a General Practice Resident (GPR) at The Ohio State University. In June of 2021, I will be moving to Seattle, WA for my combined Masters and Advanced Education in Pediatric Dentistry degree from the University of Washington & Seattle Children’s Hospital. Working with kids has always been a passion of mine and I’m excited to be an advocate for early childhood dental caries.
Sona Movsisyan
Sona received her bachelor's degree from Michigan State University, James Madison College in 2015. During her time at MSU, Sona was the president of the Armenian Student Association. After graduating, Sona took a gap year, during which time she participated in Birthright Armenia, interning for two human rights organizations. She then worked at SafeHouse Center in Ann Arbor as a legal advocate and counselor for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault before attending law school at Michigan State. While in law school, Sona spent a semester in The Hague, Netherlands, interning at the Office of the Prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. Sona graduated law school in 2019 and was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan. She now works for the Department of Justice as an Attorney Advisor at the Sacramento, California Immigration Court, adjudicating primarily asylum cases. In her free time, Sona loves to bike, travel, read crime novels, and binge new TV shows.
Lilit Kazazian
Lilit is a Presidential Management Fellow currently working at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as a Global Health Officer. She received a bachelor’s degree in microbiology and international studies from the University of Michigan in 2017. After graduating, Lilit pursued a Master of Science in Global Health and Population from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She focused her graduate studies on the epidemiology of infectious diseases, which led her to intern at the municipal health department of Fortaleza, Brazil. Lilit was selected as a Presidential Management Fellow with the Division of Global Health Protection at the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2019. In her first year at CDC, she was detailed to the World Health Organization to support the response to the 2018-20 Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and later deployed to Minnesota in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She is now advancing U.S. policy on global health security through a six-month rotation at the HHS Office of Global Affairs and is set to complete her fellowship in July 2021.
Rita Shehirian
Rita is a second year medical school at the University of Michigan Medical School who was born and raised in San Diego, California. Although she is unsure what she wants to specialize in after graduation quite yet, she strives to serve underserved and underrepresented populations as an academic physician, likely either as an emergency medicine physician or a surgeon. Her research prioritizes health equity, and she is currently working on a project to set up family planning education and clinics for women in Armenia who lack control over their reproductive health. When she's not studying or in the hospital, she enjoys working out, watching sports, hitting the beach, and laughing with loved ones.
John Balavitch
John Balavitch is a Contract Consultant with a history of work drafting and negotiating commercial contracts and data protection agreements. Prior to his current role, John was a HIPAA privacy professional for the largest health insurance provider in Michigan, a data privacy professional for a global leader in workforce management solutions, and a law clerk at a boutique cybersecurity and data privacy law firm. In his career before law school, John led privacy incident risk assessments, reviewed IT contract language, and served on a special task force aimed at implementing GDPR and CCPA controls across a global organization. John is currently in his final semester at Wayne State University Law School, where he is focusing on transactional and corporate law. John graduated with a B.A. from the University of Michigan in 2016 where he was also the co-President of the Armenian Students’ Cultural Association.
Overcoming Obstacles
Sona Dagley
Sona’s journey to become a motivational speaker is a result of the facts that she has faced some of life’s hardest challenges at a very young age. At merely 9 years old, Sona lost her father suddenly from a fatal blood clot. A few short years later, she watched her mother battle and succumbed to cancer when Sona was just 15 years old. During the time of her mother’s illness, Sona experienced the life-altering tendencies of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, a common, chronic, and long-lasting disorder in which a person has uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts and/or behaviors that they feel the urge to repeat over and over. These incredibly challenging circumstances, combined with being an overweight and insecure adolescent girl, became what could have been a recipe for disaster. Yet, due to Sona’s resilient strength and positive outlook, she has overcome these obstacles in her life and turn them into powerful triumphs! Learning from her life experiences one of Sona’s biggest missions is to inspire and motivate all those around her to conquer the challenges they are facing and to unleash the strength within!