The American University of Armenia is pleased to announce the appointment of two new trustees of the AUA Corporation: Lena Sarkissian and Yervant Demirjian. Both appointees, who are also members of the 100 Pillars of AUA, bring a wealth of experience in the private and non-profit sector and will greatly contribute to advancing AUA’s mission.

Lena Sarkissian has over 20 years of experience as a Board of Director, in the non-profit sector. A resident of Toronto, Ontario, Sarkissian currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Armenian General Benevolent Union and works in Asset Management for Byron Hill Holdings. She received her graduate degree in speech and language pathology and an undergraduate degree in linguistics and French from the University of California, Los Angeles.

“AUA has played a pivotal role in the higher education ecosystem of Armenia by introducing a new set of standards and approaches to education. The exponential complexity of the globalized world and pace of change demand that institutions continuously realign to meet the needs of the community they serve. A challenge for AUA is that it now has to prepare students for many of the jobs of the future that have not yet been created. Thus, the continuous reassessment of its pedagogy and infrastructure is necessary – all to further ignite the passion and creativity of its students and staff. Coincidentally also, with its focus on cultivating global networks, AUA will be able to disseminate the creative capacity of its community. It can thus aim to become a generator and a contributor of ideas and products on the global scene.”

Yervant Demirjian is a private real estate investor in Los Angeles, California, a current trustee and vice treasurer for AGBU, and a trustee of the AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian High School in Los Angeles. Demirjian has 25 years of experience in banking. He has also served as a director of the AGBU Manoogian Demirjian School. Demirjian received his MBA and undergraduate degrees from Pepperdine University.

“I always believed that quality education would help us improve the destiny of our little yet noble community. Accepting the invitation to serve on the board of the AUA was part and parcel of my enthusiasm in giving our youth the tools to enhance their prospects in life.”

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, and affiliated with the University of California. AUA provides a global education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values. For more information about AUA and its donor opportunities, please visit the website.