WASHINGTON — The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) mourns the passing of Arpi Vartanian, the Assembly’s Regional Director in Yerevan, Armenia.
A longtime and instrumental member of the Assembly’s staff team, Vartanian served the organization in numerous capacities, both at its headquarters in Washington, D.C., including a stint as Acting Executive Director, and in its regional office in Yerevan, for nearly three decades.
“The Assembly shares the deep pain of her family, neighbors, and many friends in this unexpected and tragic loss, as do the countless people Arpi positively impacted through her personal touches and through her training and advocacy work over the decades, recognizing her sustained commitment to serving the Armenian people and the causes of democracy and human rights,” said Assembly Co-Chairs Van Krikorian and Anthony Barsamian. “Arpi truly loved Armenia and Artsakh, along with her friends and colleagues. Her professionalism and her joy in our efforts shone through with all of us. In partial tribute, an endowed fund for interns in Armenia, a program she pioneered, is being established and the Director’s office in our Yerevan office will be named in her honor. It will be difficult to imagine those without her.”
Vartanian began employment in Yerevan in 1994 as Director of the Assembly’s NGO Training and Resource Center, followed by roles as the Director of Grassroots and Internship Program in 1996, Country Director for Armenia and Artsakh in 1997, Acting Executive Director in 2000, and assumed the role of the newly-formed Armenia Regional Director position in 2015 that included responsibilities for Assembly undertakings in Armenia and Artsakh. She worked closely with the Assembly’s flagship office in D.C., as well as the Assembly’s regional offices in Los Angeles, Boston, and New York. Vartanian also served as Director of AGBU’s Yerevan Office in 2012.
A native of Michigan, where she attended the AGBU Alex and Marie Manoogian School, Vartanian graduated from Dearborn High School and Albion College, followed by the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University. Vartanian moved to Armenia in 1993 and amassed a wealth of hands-on experience on the ground by carrying out countless projects of the Assembly on behalf of the people of Armenia.
“Arpi’s deep knowledge of Armenia, Artsakh and America was invaluable. Her insights and tireless work behind the scenes led to many achievements,” said Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. “She will be dearly missed by her Assembly family, colleagues, and all those whose lives she touched.”
