Newly appointed ANCA Government Affairs Director will spearhead Armenian American advocacy with Congress and the Administration

WASHINGTON—The Armenian National Committee of America announced Tuesday that Tereza Yerimyan will serve as Government Affairs Director, leading federal level advocacy on Armenian American policy priorities on Capitol Hill, at the White House, and with the State Department.

“Armenian Americans are blessed to be represented in Washington, DC by a professional powerhouse – with the skills, commitment, and command of public policy needed to advance our community’s priorities with Congress and the Administration,” said ANCA Chairman Raffi Hamparian. “Her formidable political background and deep understanding of our community developed over her many years working on the ANCA team – locally, regionally, and nationally – will serve her well in this new post.”

Prior to her appointment as ANCA Government Relations Director, Yerimyan served as the Program Director for the Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program (ANCA CGP), a job placement program that helps young professionals realize their public policy career aspirations in Washington, D.C. In that position, the ANCA CGP saw historic gains in the number of young Armenian American professionals finding employment on Capitol Hill and across the nation’s capital.

“I’m honored and excited to take on this new role as ANCA Government Affairs Director,” said Yerimyan. “I look forward to expanding our relationships on Capitol Hill and with the Executive Branch – working with our close allies and engaging new ones. I also look forward to working with the newly formed Congressional Armenian Staffers Association (CASA) to help grow the Armenian American presence in Congress and throughout our nation’s capital.”

Yerimyan came to Washington, DC in 2017, following her tenure as the ANCA Western Region’s Government Affairs Director. In that capacity, she worked with a distinguished team of volunteers and staff to successfully advocate for the recognition of Artsakh by the State of California, expand Armenian Genocide education resources for Los Angeles Unified School District, and expand ANCA’s federal and state level advocacy across the western United States.

A graduate of the ANCA Western Region and ANCA Leo Sarkisian internships in 2010 and 2011, respectively, she has been an outspoken proponent of Armenian American student and young professional involvement in civic activism and done extensive outreach to universities and youth groups, encouraging participation in the wide array of national, regional, and local ANCA public policy internship and career opportunities. Tereza has been an equally passionate advocate for her local community, serving as president of the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council for 5 years, where she and her board addressed a variety of municipal issues on behalf of the over 80,000 residents in the council’s jurisdiction.

Born in Armenia and raised in Hollywood, California’s “Little Armenia” neighborhood, Tereza holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Among the ANCA’s priorities are upgrading the U.S.-Armenia strategic partnership, protecting Artsakh, and securing justice for the Armenian Genocide.