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Sapah-Gulian Foundation Focuses on Armenia's Youth
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/11/14/sapah-gulian-foundation-focuses-on-armenias-youth/
By Florence Avakian // November 14, 2013 in Armenia
For Randy Sapah-Gulian, the future of Armenia depends on assisting
young people. `The plan of our foundation is to build a broad yet
inter-locking range of programs directly focused on the Armenian
youth. We believe that the youth in all societies are the foundation
from which you can develop something of substance that endures,' said
entrepreneur and benefactor Sapah-Gulian during a recent phone
conversation.
Dr. Edward Seferian and Randy Sapah Gulian with Ambassador John A. Heffern.
He founded his family's Sapah-Gulian Foundation in 2012, which works
through the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR). He explained that programs
supported by the foundation emphasize several youth-oriented
initiatives, such as the Pediatric Critical Care Program, promoted by
his brother-in-law Dr. Edward Seferian of Cedar Sinai Hospital. `This
Medical Training Program-Pediatric Critical Care, which is an
international program in scope, will emphasize the healthy growth of
children so they may become productive members of society,' he
explained.
Complete life cycle
The Sapah-Gulian Foundation focuses on children from an `early age on
having the right kinds of care, such as what the pediatric care
program provides all the way through the educational process,
ultimately leading to job training and employment. It is the life
cycle from birth through to their early 20's,' stressed Sapah-Gulian.
`Further, the challenge, of course, with developing these types of
programs is to maintain a high level of quality and to not lose focus.
Better to do 3 or 4 things really well rather than 10-20 things
adequately. The Pediatric Care Program is an international program
with the highest training and certification standards run by leading
pediatric doctors from around the world. To be perfectly frank, when
Ed [Seferian] suggested bringing it to Armenia to my wife Corinne, it
probably took me 30 seconds to agree.'
A generous benefactor who has been to Armenia more than 40 times,
Sapah-Gulian is chairman of the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR), which
since the 1988 earthquake has been deeply committed to assisting,
rebuilding, and providing educational and training programs for
Armenia's population. His expertise as a CEO and president in
providing human capital solutions to large corporations around the
world makes him a seasoned and dedicated team player for the FAR's
ambitious programs in Armenia. `In the world outside of what I do for
Armenia, through my company we now have large-scale Human Capital
Programs running in 62 countries for our clients. We should be able to
use those learnings to benefit the people of Armenia.'
On his last visit to Armenia in July, Sapah-Gulian met with Catholicos
of All Armenians Karekin II and U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John
Heffern to explain and promote the goals of his foundation. With him
were his wife Corinne (nee Seferian), his two younger daughters, and
his niece.
His daughters, Alexa, 20, Olivia, 16, and Gabrielle, 15, have all been
to Armenia and volunteered at the FAR Children's Center in Yerevan,
one of FAR's most important projects. `Our three daughters will one
day be the trustees of our foundation,' he emphasized, `and they know
they have a large responsibility.' He then quoted Archbishop Khajag
Barsamian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese (Eastern) and the president
of FAR, who has often said, `One of the greatest gifts that a parent
can give a child is to teach them how to give.'
Doctors from around the world
Dr. Seferian and the team of medical doctors that are part of the
Pediatric Critical Care Association were also in Armenia in July. This
group meets once a year for training and education. During last year's
meeting, they decided to make this training available to doctors and
nurses in Armenia. Seferian and four non-Armenians from different
hospitals in the U.S. made this trip to Armenia. Seferian headed the
team. A pediatric critical care specialist, he worked at the Mayo
Clinic for eight years, and has been at Cedar Sinai Hospital in Los
Angeles for the last four.
Ambassador Heffern visited the Muratsan Hospital, where the team's
program is housed, to observe the training and make a presentation to
the doctors. The 30 local doctors and nurses who took part will be
involved in the follow-up training that will take place every year
with help from a grant from the Sapah-Gulian Foundation. While in
Armenia, these five `very eager' doctors visited other hospitals,
demonstrating the commitment and energy with which they pursued their
work, said Sapah-Gulian.
The July trip was Seferian's first visit to Armenia. `We were all
engaged to provide better care and train the trainers, especially
outside of Yerevan, which was the center of the training,' he
explained. `We taught didactically, using hands-on simulation
equipment to mimic real life situations.' In Yerevan, the 5-person
team worked with 20 local doctors and 4 nurses, including 2 medical
translators. Their plan is to continue this project in Armenia so they
can educate local physicians and others who provide help to critically
ill children.
For Seferian, it was also `breathtaking to stand on the soil of our
homeland, and to see the snow-capped mountains, especially Mt. Ararat,
the strong symbol of Armenia. This trip is the beginning of an ongoing
and long-term relationship. It was very rewarding to give back to
Armenia, and it will definitely continue.'
And for Sapah-Gulian and his family, establishing this crucial program
in Armenia through the foundation accentuates his life-long belief
that `everyone has to have something that speaks to them. For our
family, it is children, Armenia, and Armenians,' he said.
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/11/14/sapah-gulian-foundation-focuses-on-armenias-youth/
By Florence Avakian // November 14, 2013 in Armenia
For Randy Sapah-Gulian, the future of Armenia depends on assisting
young people. `The plan of our foundation is to build a broad yet
inter-locking range of programs directly focused on the Armenian
youth. We believe that the youth in all societies are the foundation
from which you can develop something of substance that endures,' said
entrepreneur and benefactor Sapah-Gulian during a recent phone
conversation.
Dr. Edward Seferian and Randy Sapah Gulian with Ambassador John A. Heffern.
He founded his family's Sapah-Gulian Foundation in 2012, which works
through the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR). He explained that programs
supported by the foundation emphasize several youth-oriented
initiatives, such as the Pediatric Critical Care Program, promoted by
his brother-in-law Dr. Edward Seferian of Cedar Sinai Hospital. `This
Medical Training Program-Pediatric Critical Care, which is an
international program in scope, will emphasize the healthy growth of
children so they may become productive members of society,' he
explained.
Complete life cycle
The Sapah-Gulian Foundation focuses on children from an `early age on
having the right kinds of care, such as what the pediatric care
program provides all the way through the educational process,
ultimately leading to job training and employment. It is the life
cycle from birth through to their early 20's,' stressed Sapah-Gulian.
`Further, the challenge, of course, with developing these types of
programs is to maintain a high level of quality and to not lose focus.
Better to do 3 or 4 things really well rather than 10-20 things
adequately. The Pediatric Care Program is an international program
with the highest training and certification standards run by leading
pediatric doctors from around the world. To be perfectly frank, when
Ed [Seferian] suggested bringing it to Armenia to my wife Corinne, it
probably took me 30 seconds to agree.'
A generous benefactor who has been to Armenia more than 40 times,
Sapah-Gulian is chairman of the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR), which
since the 1988 earthquake has been deeply committed to assisting,
rebuilding, and providing educational and training programs for
Armenia's population. His expertise as a CEO and president in
providing human capital solutions to large corporations around the
world makes him a seasoned and dedicated team player for the FAR's
ambitious programs in Armenia. `In the world outside of what I do for
Armenia, through my company we now have large-scale Human Capital
Programs running in 62 countries for our clients. We should be able to
use those learnings to benefit the people of Armenia.'
On his last visit to Armenia in July, Sapah-Gulian met with Catholicos
of All Armenians Karekin II and U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John
Heffern to explain and promote the goals of his foundation. With him
were his wife Corinne (nee Seferian), his two younger daughters, and
his niece.
His daughters, Alexa, 20, Olivia, 16, and Gabrielle, 15, have all been
to Armenia and volunteered at the FAR Children's Center in Yerevan,
one of FAR's most important projects. `Our three daughters will one
day be the trustees of our foundation,' he emphasized, `and they know
they have a large responsibility.' He then quoted Archbishop Khajag
Barsamian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese (Eastern) and the president
of FAR, who has often said, `One of the greatest gifts that a parent
can give a child is to teach them how to give.'
Doctors from around the world
Dr. Seferian and the team of medical doctors that are part of the
Pediatric Critical Care Association were also in Armenia in July. This
group meets once a year for training and education. During last year's
meeting, they decided to make this training available to doctors and
nurses in Armenia. Seferian and four non-Armenians from different
hospitals in the U.S. made this trip to Armenia. Seferian headed the
team. A pediatric critical care specialist, he worked at the Mayo
Clinic for eight years, and has been at Cedar Sinai Hospital in Los
Angeles for the last four.
Ambassador Heffern visited the Muratsan Hospital, where the team's
program is housed, to observe the training and make a presentation to
the doctors. The 30 local doctors and nurses who took part will be
involved in the follow-up training that will take place every year
with help from a grant from the Sapah-Gulian Foundation. While in
Armenia, these five `very eager' doctors visited other hospitals,
demonstrating the commitment and energy with which they pursued their
work, said Sapah-Gulian.
The July trip was Seferian's first visit to Armenia. `We were all
engaged to provide better care and train the trainers, especially
outside of Yerevan, which was the center of the training,' he
explained. `We taught didactically, using hands-on simulation
equipment to mimic real life situations.' In Yerevan, the 5-person
team worked with 20 local doctors and 4 nurses, including 2 medical
translators. Their plan is to continue this project in Armenia so they
can educate local physicians and others who provide help to critically
ill children.
For Seferian, it was also `breathtaking to stand on the soil of our
homeland, and to see the snow-capped mountains, especially Mt. Ararat,
the strong symbol of Armenia. This trip is the beginning of an ongoing
and long-term relationship. It was very rewarding to give back to
Armenia, and it will definitely continue.'
And for Sapah-Gulian and his family, establishing this crucial program
in Armenia through the foundation accentuates his life-long belief
that `everyone has to have something that speaks to them. For our
family, it is children, Armenia, and Armenians,' he said.