ARMENIAN
ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA

PRESS
RELEASE

FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: December
18, 2017

Contact:
Danielle Saroyan

Telephone:
(202) 393-3434

Web: www.aaainc.org

DIKRANOUHI KRIKORIAN JOINS PETER
AKMAJIAN AS ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY’S ARIZONA STATE CO-CHAIRS

WASHINGTON,
D.C. – The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) welcomes Dikranouhi
"Dede" Krikorian who joins Peter Akmajian as the Assembly's Co-Chair
for the State of Arizona.

"I look forward to working
alongside Peter to serve the Armenian community of Arizona in this new capacity
and continue my activism on issues of importance to Armenian Americans,"
Krikorian said.

A dedicated volunteer for several
Armenian organizations throughout the metropolitan Phoenix area, Krikorian is
an active member of St. Apkar Armenian Apostolic Church of Scottsdale.  Since 2014, she has served on the Executive
Board of the St. Apkar chapter of the Armenian Church Youth Organization
(ACYO). 

Last month, Krikorian and
Akmajian were joined by Armenian Assembly Western Region Director Mihran
Toumajan at St. Apkar's annual "ArmeniaFEST," where the Assembly
highlighted its advocacy initiatives, as well as its summer internship programs
in Washington, D.C. and Yerevan, Armenia. 
The two-day festival attracted hundreds of attendees, including members
of the Armenian community from Tucson and greater Phoenix. Many people attended
St. Apkar's Melikian Hall to "experience the sights, sounds, and flavors
of Armenia," as the church so aptly highlighted. In partnership with St.
Apkar's diligent Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Zacharia Saribekyan, and its lay
leadership, the Assembly endeavors to bolster its grassroots activities
throughout Arizona in 2018.

Krikorian is a recent graduate of
the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University (ASU).  She is currently a law clerk at Price Law
Group, APC, where she practices civil litigation. While in law school,
Krikorian served as President of the Armenian Law Students Association (ALSA),
which provides a platform for community-building among Sandra Day O'Connor
College of Law students of Armenian descent, non-Armenian students, and faculty
interested in exploring Armenian civilization and legal history. Krikorian
completed her Bachelor's Degree in Management and Business Law at ASU's W.P.
Carey School of Business in Tempe, Arizona.

With over 30 years in the legal
arena, Peter Akmajian is a successful trial lawyer and partner at Schmidt,
Sethi & Akmajian, a prominent personal injury law firm based in the greater
Tucson area.  Prior to his service as a
plaintiff’s attorney, Akmajian worked as a civil defense lawyer.  Since 1998, Akmajian has been certified by the
State Bar of Arizona as a Specialist in Personal Injury and Wrongful Death, and
is a long-time member of the State Bar's Commission responsible for vetting
potential specialists. In recognition of his outstanding trial work, Akmajian has
been inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International
Academy of Trial Lawyers, and the International Society of Barristers.  He is also a long-time member of the American
Board of Trial Advocates, a prestigious trial lawyers organization.  From 1984-1985, Akmajian served as a judicial
law clerk for Vice-Chief Justice Frank X. Gordon of the Arizona Supreme Court.

“Peter Akmajian has done an exemplary
job as the Assembly’s Arizona State Chair, and we are excited about the
addition of Dede Krikorian in this capacity.  The Assembly is doubling its efforts in The Grand Canyon State, and we are
confident that both Peter and Dede will increase our advocacy efforts to energize
greater activism among Armenian Americans in Arizona,” stated Assembly Western
Region Director Mihran Toumajan.

Established in 1972, the Armenian
Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization
promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly
is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

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2017-079

Photo Caption 1: Armenian
Assembly Arizona State Co-Chair Dede Krikorian and Assembly Western Region
Director Mihran Toumajan at St. Apkar Armenian Church's annual “ArmeniaFEST” in
Scottsdale, Arizona

Photo Caption 2: Armenian
Assembly Arizona State Co-Chair Peter Akmajian and Assembly Western Region
Director Mihran Toumajan at St. Apkar Armenian Church's annual “ArmeniaFEST” in
Scottsdale, Arizona

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