Armenian-American Forum 2025
Objective:
This event aims to;
- Foster connections and collaborations across established Armenian-American organizations and individuals.
- Enhance the visibility and impact of the forum participants’ programs and activities.
- Identify and discuss community issues and capability gaps.
- Support nascent projects and organizations.
Our Master of Ceremony:
Sona Movsesian
Sona Movsesian is an accomplished entertainer best known as the long-time assistant and sidekick to comedian and television host Conan O’Brien. After starting her career as an NBC page, she joined O’Brien’s team in 2009, quickly becoming a beloved presence on Conan, his podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, and other projects. Sona authored The World’s Worst Assistant, a humorous memoir that shares stories from her career in the entertainment industry.
Sona has participated in initiatives that support Armenia and Armenians globally, emphasizing cultural preservation and humanitarian efforts. Alongside her professional achievements, Sona is a dedicated wife and mother, balancing her career with raising her twin sons.
Speakers:
Garo Armen
Garo Armen is the Chairman and CEO of Agenus, a pioneering biotech company advancing cancer treatment. He also founded the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF), an organization dedicated to revitalizing rural Armenia by building modern schools, healthcare facilities, and community programs, significantly enhancing the quality of life and opportunities for local children and families.
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Gevorg Poghosyan
CEO of reArmenia.com. Gevorg is the Founder of the very first and the biggest Armenian e-payment system – Idram and has started and serial entrepreneur.
Nora Lessersohn
Nora Lessersohn is a historian of Armenian history, focusing on Armenian-American experiences and figures like Christopher Oscanyan.
Aram Hamparian
Aram Hamparian is the Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), leading advocacy efforts for Armenian-American issues.
Vahram Ayvazyan
Vahram Ayvazyan is the founder and board chairman of the NetworkState.io initiative, focusing on social innovation and decentralized governance.
Sara Cohan
Sara Cohan is the Education Coordinator at the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR).
Harut Sassounian
Harut Sassounian is the publisher of The California Courier and founder of HyeID, a global Armenian digital identity initiative.
Lisa Kazanjian
Lisa Kazanjian is the Executive Director of the Armenian Church Endowment Fund (ACEF) managing endowments to support the Armenian Church and related programs.
Stepan Kanarian
Stepan Kazarian is a leader in the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) and Board Chairman of the Armenian Youth Foundation.
Tamar Boyadjian
Tamar Boyadjian is an Associate Professor at Michigan State University, a medievalist, and a poet specializing in Western Armenian literature.
Mariam Khaloyan
Mariam Khaloyan is the Congressional Relations Director at the Armenian Assembly of America, where she advocates for Armenian-American interests on Capitol Hill.
Charlie Apigian
Dr. Charlie Apigian is a data scientist and educator with over 25 years of experience, currently leading Data & AI Strategy at LBMC and serving as a professor at Belmont University in Nashville.
Charlene Apigian
Charlene Apigian is a former radio host of the Heritage of Armenian Culture (HARC) program and co-author of the “Remarkable Armenians” blog, highlighting notable Armenians.
More speakers to be announced
Topics:
The topics of the forum will be dictated by the participants that sign up for the event and designed to grow connections between the participants. The participants in each session will be asked to provide awareness of their existing efforts, learnings as a result of these efforts, and new opportunities they see. Tentative topics include;
- Best practices and showcases from various Armenian-American organizations
- Areas of unmet need in the Armenian-American community
- Lessons learned from past and present initiatives
- Potential areas of collaboration and partnership
- The innovative concept of the Network State
What The Forum Is Not:
The Forum is not about building consensus. Everyone will not agree with each other. We will not attempt to produce over-arching policy, this is not a congress. We are not interested in creating unity, we are interested in creating legibility and building meaningful connections.
The Armenian-American Forum is also not designed to convince anyone to move to Tennessee. The Hyeland Project is hosting the forum as a way for our small community in Tennessee to feel plugged in to the larger Armenian-American society. Awareness of the Hyeland Project and our new community in Tennessee is a benefit to our organization for volunteering to organize the event, but it is neither the focus nor a consequential component of the forum’s programming.
Sponsors:
Location & Date:
March 7-9, 2025.
Gruhn Guitars at 2120 8th Av S, Nashville, TN 37204.
Main Public Library of Nashville located at 615 Church Street, Nashville, TN 37219.
Gruhn Guitars
Main Library of Nashville
Agenda & Social Events:
Participants can look forward to a dynamic agenda featuring panel discussions, keynote speeches, lectures, and break-out/round-table discussions. The forum will include interactive Q&A sessions, a vibrant tabling/marketplace and jobs fair.
Friday Evening
- Storica wine tasting at Gruhn Guitars
- History of the first Armenian-American as told by Professor Nora Lessersohn
Saturday
- Key note speeches
- Short introductory speeches
- Networking
- Lunch and Dinner breaks to explore Nashville
Sunday Morning
- Short introductory speeches
- Networking
As we approach the date of the event, a more detailed agenda will be published.
Socializing and creating “collisions” is critical to unlocking value at the forum. Time will be set aside throughout the event for Networking. The day will culminate in a musical performance and a party. A post-event picnic at a state park in the Upper Cumberland will complete the weekend, hopefully cementing bonds that will last until the next forum.
Sign Up Below for the 2025 Forum
Please reach out to participate in this forum if you are an Armenian-American (or allied);
- Intellectual/Academic/Artist
- Entrepreneur
- Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)
- Church Organization
- Community/Professional Organization
- Publication/Writer