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ANCA-WR Appoints Simon Maghakyan as Community Development Coordinator
Friday, January 16th, 2015
http://asbarez.com/130881/anca-wr-appoints-simon-maghakyan-as-community-development-coordinator/
The ANCA-WR's new community coordinator, Simon Maghakyan.
GLENDALE--During the course of the last year the Armenian National
Committee of America Western Region (ANCA-WR) significantly expanded
its community outreach activities beyond California, home to its
headquarters and over 20 local chapters. True to its mission to
educate, motivate and activate, ANCA-WR leadership and staff traveled
to Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington and
organized town halls and educational forums for their respective
Armenian-American communities. Additionally, they facilitated meetings
with various federal and state level officials to advocate issues of
Armenian-American concern and importance. To meet the ever-expanding
needs of these communities and beyond, ANCA-WR hired Denver-based
activist and educator Simon Maghakyan for the position of Community
Development Coordinator.
"We are honored to have Simon join our dynamic and talented team who
day in and day out work tirelessly to advocate for truth and justice
on behalf of all Armenian-Americans," stated ANCA-WR chair Nora
Hovsepian. "Given his extensive experience and professional accolades,
Simon is uniquely poised to assume the critical duties and
responsibilities for mobilizing and liaising with the ANCA-WR local
chapters outside of California," added Hovsepian.
A native of Armenia, Maghakyan holds a graduate degree in political
science from the University of Colorado, Denver (UCD). He teaches
introductory political science courses at UCD and Red Rocks Community
College. Maghakyan is also an alumnus of the Zoryan Institute's
International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies. Most
recently, from 2008-2014, Maghakyan served as Eurasia Country
Specialist at Amnesty International USA campaigning for comprehensive
domestic violence legislation in Armenia, freedom of expression in
Azerbaijan, and rights of displaced persons in Georgia. From 2006-2008
he served as a nonpartisan staff member at the Colorado legislature
co-managing civics education for a quarter million annual statehouse
visitors.
"Our recent 'On the Road' outreach activities demonstrated a palpable
need for a dedicated staff member to meet the demands of our
grassroots efforts outside of California. I had the pleasure of
meeting Simon during our town hall meeting in Colorado last year and
immediately knew that he is an ideal candidate to further mobilize
respective grassroots efforts into established local ANCA-WR chapters
who will elevate our cause to new heights," remarked ANCA-WR Executive
Director Elen Asatryan. "Simon will serve as an instrumental resource
to the development and operations of these newly-formed and forming
chapters and we are thrilled to have such a dedicated and accomplished
individual join the ANCA WR team," added Asatryan.
Maghakyan is no stranger to advocating on issues of concern to
Armenians. He currently serves as Co-chair of the Armenians of
Colorado's Genocide Commemoration Committee and helped coordinate the
installation of a khachkar memorial in tribute to the Armenian
Genocide on the grounds of the Colorado State Capitol. Armed with the
mission to document and bring awareness to the 2005 destruction of the
world's largest medieval Armenian cemetery in Nakhichevan, Maghakyan
founded Djulfa.com in 2007. Its content has been used by rights
organizations (American Association for the Advancement of Science;
Global Heritage Fund), concerned governments (Republic of Armenia
Ministry of Foreign Affairs), and media outlets (France 2 Television).
"It is an honor to join the nation's most impactful Armenian-American
grassroots organization which effectively empowers our community on
all levels. Now more than ever, on the eve of the Armenian Genocide
Centennial, we must unite to address the ramifications of our people's
greatest tragedy while ensuring that this momentum is sustained to
operate on a variety of challenges facing both our ancestral homeland
and our local communities. I look forward to meeting and working
closely with Armenian-American communities in Alaska, Arizona,
Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New
Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah,
Washington, and Wyoming to amplify our collective voice in the
democratic process," expressed Maghakyan.
The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the
Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country,
the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.
Friday, January 16th, 2015
http://asbarez.com/130881/anca-wr-appoints-simon-maghakyan-as-community-development-coordinator/
The ANCA-WR's new community coordinator, Simon Maghakyan.
GLENDALE--During the course of the last year the Armenian National
Committee of America Western Region (ANCA-WR) significantly expanded
its community outreach activities beyond California, home to its
headquarters and over 20 local chapters. True to its mission to
educate, motivate and activate, ANCA-WR leadership and staff traveled
to Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington and
organized town halls and educational forums for their respective
Armenian-American communities. Additionally, they facilitated meetings
with various federal and state level officials to advocate issues of
Armenian-American concern and importance. To meet the ever-expanding
needs of these communities and beyond, ANCA-WR hired Denver-based
activist and educator Simon Maghakyan for the position of Community
Development Coordinator.
"We are honored to have Simon join our dynamic and talented team who
day in and day out work tirelessly to advocate for truth and justice
on behalf of all Armenian-Americans," stated ANCA-WR chair Nora
Hovsepian. "Given his extensive experience and professional accolades,
Simon is uniquely poised to assume the critical duties and
responsibilities for mobilizing and liaising with the ANCA-WR local
chapters outside of California," added Hovsepian.
A native of Armenia, Maghakyan holds a graduate degree in political
science from the University of Colorado, Denver (UCD). He teaches
introductory political science courses at UCD and Red Rocks Community
College. Maghakyan is also an alumnus of the Zoryan Institute's
International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies. Most
recently, from 2008-2014, Maghakyan served as Eurasia Country
Specialist at Amnesty International USA campaigning for comprehensive
domestic violence legislation in Armenia, freedom of expression in
Azerbaijan, and rights of displaced persons in Georgia. From 2006-2008
he served as a nonpartisan staff member at the Colorado legislature
co-managing civics education for a quarter million annual statehouse
visitors.
"Our recent 'On the Road' outreach activities demonstrated a palpable
need for a dedicated staff member to meet the demands of our
grassroots efforts outside of California. I had the pleasure of
meeting Simon during our town hall meeting in Colorado last year and
immediately knew that he is an ideal candidate to further mobilize
respective grassroots efforts into established local ANCA-WR chapters
who will elevate our cause to new heights," remarked ANCA-WR Executive
Director Elen Asatryan. "Simon will serve as an instrumental resource
to the development and operations of these newly-formed and forming
chapters and we are thrilled to have such a dedicated and accomplished
individual join the ANCA WR team," added Asatryan.
Maghakyan is no stranger to advocating on issues of concern to
Armenians. He currently serves as Co-chair of the Armenians of
Colorado's Genocide Commemoration Committee and helped coordinate the
installation of a khachkar memorial in tribute to the Armenian
Genocide on the grounds of the Colorado State Capitol. Armed with the
mission to document and bring awareness to the 2005 destruction of the
world's largest medieval Armenian cemetery in Nakhichevan, Maghakyan
founded Djulfa.com in 2007. Its content has been used by rights
organizations (American Association for the Advancement of Science;
Global Heritage Fund), concerned governments (Republic of Armenia
Ministry of Foreign Affairs), and media outlets (France 2 Television).
"It is an honor to join the nation's most impactful Armenian-American
grassroots organization which effectively empowers our community on
all levels. Now more than ever, on the eve of the Armenian Genocide
Centennial, we must unite to address the ramifications of our people's
greatest tragedy while ensuring that this momentum is sustained to
operate on a variety of challenges facing both our ancestral homeland
and our local communities. I look forward to meeting and working
closely with Armenian-American communities in Alaska, Arizona,
Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New
Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah,
Washington, and Wyoming to amplify our collective voice in the
democratic process," expressed Maghakyan.
The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the
Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country,
the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.