AIWA-SF Instagram Live 12/4 Event Schedule


Time – PST	Guest	Bio
3:30 PM	AIWA-SF WELCOME!	Christine Soussa, AIWA Global Board Member Laura Dirtadian, AIWA-SF President Zela Astarjian, AIWA-New England President Tamar Chamassian, AIWA-New England VP
3:45 PM	Ella Sogomonian Reporter	Ella Sogomonian anchors KRON ON, the first 24/7 local news app she helped launch in the San Francisco-Bay Area. Before the app, Ella covered the entire region reporting and shooting video for the evening newscasts. In addition to local and breaking news, Ella reports on major state-wide issues including the housing, homelessness, and wildfire crises.
4:00 PM	Anna Kachikyan Founder, The Armenia Report	The Armenian Report is a digital news source for young Armenians around the world. All the news reports are published on Instagram and Facebook Stories @thearmenianreport. In addition, I also help small businesses manage their social media platforms by helping them grow their following, build a loyal and engaged audience in order to maximize their sales.
4:15 PM	Emily Mkrtichian Film Producer	Works with major broadcasters like ARTE France & Germany, human rights pieces with international NGO’s, branded content campaigns for brands like the North Face and Arc’teryx, viral pieces for the web, and multi-media installations. My latest short film Motherland, about the bonds formed by a group of women removing landmines in Nagorno-Karabagh, recently premiered at Full Frame film festival.
4:30 PM	Narine Minasyan Storyteller	Story Producer and Author, Barev!
4:45 PM	Larisa Hovannisian CEO, Teach for Armenia	An Armenian American social entrepreneur and founder of Teach For Armenia. In 2013, Hovannisian founded Teach For Armenia, a social impact organization with a mission to catalyze a movement of impact-driven leaders expanding educational opportunity to all children in Armenia. Teach For Armenia is the 36th partner of Teach For All, a global education network dedicated to expanding educational opportunities in countries around the world. An avid, educator, advocate, and singer in 2015 Hovannisian recorded an Armenian lullaby, “Ari Im Sokhag”, with Serj Tankian, the lead vocalist of Grammy Award winning rock band System of A Down.
5:00 PM	Dr Christie Kederian Therapist	Dr. Christie Tcharkhoutian is a nationally-renowned psychologist and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, specializing in the psychology of relationships. With an extensive career as a professional matchmaker and relationship expert for eHarmony and Match.com, Christie has helped hundreds of people find love and improve their relationships. In her private practice, Christie specializes in working with couples and women who struggle with eating disorders. She is a “Triple Trojan” receiving her Bachelor’s, Master’s & doctoral degree at the University of Southern California in Psychology and Marriage and Family Therapy. She is also a radio host, of The Lyrical Therapy Hour at KXSC and has been a featured expert on ABC, KTLA news, the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, NBC News and more.
5:15 PM	Carene Rose Mekertichyan Storyteller, Artist, Advocate	Carene is an actress, writer, singer, educator, and proud Angelena. She received her training from Dartmouth College and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). Selected stage: Pericles, Twelfth Night (Independent Shakespeare Co.), Troy (Hero Theatre), Señor Plummer’s Final Fiesta (Rogue Artists Ensemble), The Three Musketeers (PVPA), and Macbeth (Northern Stage). Film: Ceci, Boys About Town, The Girl in the Red Dress, and I Am Easy to Find (starring Alicia Vikander and directed by Academy Award Nominee Mike Mills). She also stars in the Amazon Prime exclusive web series Just Roommates. Her plays have been produced at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, MeetCute LA, and Sacred Fools’ We the People Theater Action. She serves as the Artistic Associate for Social Justice at Independent Shakespeare Co. and is a Hero Theatre Company Member and Associate Member of Sacred Fools. In addition to performing, she has worked as a teaching artist with the Unusual Suspects, Harlem School of the Arts, Star Education, and Bresee Academy. She is drawn to storytelling that centers marginalized narratives and firmly believes that true art exists to create empathy and social change.
5:30 PM	Patrick Sarkissian CEO, Raleigh & Drake Founder OneArmenia @onearmenia	Founder and strategic lead for an organization dedicated to creating sustainable momentum and establishing a new level of transparency in Armenia.
5:45 PM	Tina Odjaghian Renowned Attorney Founder, The Odjaghian Law Group	Ms. Odjaghian is a renowned Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) litigator who specializes in the complex mechanisms of brain injury, particularly those that occur in the workplace. Her unique combination of medical expertise regarding brain injuries, extensive experience and success in worker’s compensation legislation, and dedication to client rehabilitation make Ms. Odjaghian one of the most highly revered TBI attorneys in Southern California. She has successfully secured multiple record-breaking settlements and awards on behalf of her clients in the past few years alone. On one of her most recent outstanding results, Ms. Odjaghian obtained a $5,700,000.00 settlement on behalf of a 70-year-old worker who suffered a contested stroke on the job.
6:00 PM	Mary Basmadjian – as Vartoush Comedian, Actor, Writer	Mary Basmadjian: Armenian-American stand up comedian, actor, writer and producer. She has been a fixture of the Los Angeles comedy circuit for 10 years and recently rose to fame with her hilariously accurate reflection of the Armenian diaspora subculture. Her nuanced approach articulates the immigrant experience in a way that transcends cultural barriers.
6:15 PM	Armin Hariri aka “R-mean” Hip-Hop Artist, Advocate	Hip hop artist R-Mean, aka Armin Hariri, hails from Los Angeles, but grew up in Amsterdam. After moving to L.A. when he was eighteen, he then graduated college and decided to pursue a career in music. His unique style of music, characterized by explosive freestyles, has vaulted him to the forefront of hip hop
6:30 PM	Maggie and Armen Rostamian Married Advocates, Community Leaders	Married Advocates, Community Leaders
6:45 PM	AIWA-New England	Zela Astarjian, AIWA-New England President Tamar Chamassian, AIWA-New England VP
7:00 PM	Maria Sarkisian SF–>Yerevan Founder Miaseen.org	Maria relocated to Yerevan in October of 2020 to assist in humanitarian aid during the Artsakh war. She is responsible for building connections, identifying families in need, distributing funds and keeping sponsors up to date on how aid is distributed. Each family in this program has been personally visited by her to ensure credibility. Maria holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Toxicology, a Master of Science in Forensic Science, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Forensic Toxicology & Chemistry.
7:15 PM	Armen Karaoghlanian Founder, Armenian Film Society	Armen Karaoghlanian is a filmmaker, entrepreneur, cofounder of the Armenian Film Society, and cofounder and editor-in-chief of the online publication Interiors
7:30 PM	Mariam Pirijanian Content Specialist, Tumo Center	Instructional Content Specialist at TUMO \| Teacher and Translator at ToTalkArmenian
7:45 PM	Dr. Viktoria Ter-Nikoghosyan	Viktoria is an Executive and Performance (Soft Skills) Consultant/Coach and Hypnotherapist who has learned from many of the best in their fields. Before becoming a coach, she had several successful and lucrative careers that have led her from a Ph.D. in Biophysics to being an international consultant on organizational development and serving as a consultant to the United Nations. Her personal and professional experience has enabled her to develop her unique Master Your Mind System. With 15 years of experience as a stress and performance management consultant for organizations like the United Nations, Viktoria has helped high-level leaders in government and business reach their goals at record speed. As an Executive Coach, Viktoria specializes in working with high achievers to boost their resilience and productivity after getting derailed by intense challenges. She has helped over 4,000 people in more than 25 countries to get back on track and up-level their performance FAST.
8:00 PM	Armen Menechyan	A Los Angeles native yoga instructor with deep cultural roots and ties to Armenia. Learning, activism, love, connection, the human mind, ancient eastern practices and our collective capacity for goodness inspires him.
8:15 PM	AIWA-SF Close	Christine Soussa, AIWA Global Board Member Laura Dirtadian, AIWA-SF President