Regional Executive Board
The Armenian Relief Society’s Eastern US, Inc. is governed by a volunteer and unpaid Regional Executive Board, who manage the strategy and implementation of the ARS’ mission across the Eastern Region of the United States. The composition of the board is made up of ARS members who are elected during the
Annual Convention to serve for a two-year term.
Mimi Parseghian
Chairperson
Anoush Bargamian
vice-chairperson
Anoush Bargamian has been a member of the ARS Chicago “Zabelle” Chapter for 20 years. She has served on the chapter executive board, holding the position of secretary. Anoush is an AYF Alum from Providence, Rhode Island, and served on Jr./Sr. executive boards throughout her membership, including AYF Central Executive. Anoush became a member of the ARF and joined the Providence ‘Christapor’ Gomideh 42 years ago. Eventually, she transferred to the ARF Chicago ‘Christapor’ Gomideh, where she has been an active member, executive board/secretary, and ANC co-chair. Over the years Anoush has taught art classes for the children at the Taniel Varoujan Armenian School, Saturday school in Glenview, Illinois.
Anoush Bargamian is an artist/designer/educator with a full-time studio practice based at Mana Contemporary, in Chicago. She is represented by Gallery/Studio Z, located in Warwick, Rhode Island, and Alma Art & Interiors, located in Chicago. Anoush is the creator of The Medz Mamas Podcast, which honors and amplifies the life journeys of Armenian grandmothers across the globe.
She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Massachusetts College of Art, and another Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Illinois-Chicago. Anoush taught a range of beginning and advanced level courses as an art educator full-time for 22 plus years, both in the public and private sectors. She finds teaching Armenian youth about art and design rewarding. In the summer of 2021, she co-taught Surface Pattern Design with her husband at TUMO in Yerevan. In 2017 and 2019, Anoush also co-taught art to children at Our Lady of Armenia’s summer camp first with her older son and then her husband.
Anoush has been married for 31 years and has two children. She enjoys spending time with her family/friends. Anoush credits her parents, family, and tight knit Providence Armenian community, as her role models.
Talar Abdalian
Treasurer
Talar Abdalian has been a member of ARS “Leola Sassouni” Chapter of Watertown Massachusetts since 2018 and has served on the executive board as treasurer for four terms.
Talar grew up attending Armenian day school, Saturday school, Sunday School, Camp Haiastan and was an active member of Homenetmen and AYF Juniors. She has represented the ARS Watertown Chapter as a board of trustee for the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center (ACEC) and Boston Armenian Genocide Commemoration Committee.
Talar loves to keep her Armenian culture alive and has been an active member of ABAKA Dance Academy during her younger years and most recently was a member of Boston Hamazkayin Gorani Dance where she took lessons in Armenian Ethnographic dances.
Talar has a BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences and MS in Clinical Research and works in the pharmaceutical industry as a clinical trial operations leader. She has been a part of several “women in leadership” training programs which are highly sought after in her field of work and the opportunity to join such programs comes from nominations from executive leadership.
During her free time she enjoys spending time with her friends, her puppy Lola, and tight knit Armenian family.
Ani Zargarian
Secretary
Tamitza Dakessian
advisor
Tamitza Dakissian has been a member of the ARS “Tsolig” Chapter of Detroit for 29 years. Throughout this time, she has served on the chapter executive board in various capacities, including chairman, vice-chairman, treasurer, and advisor and has been a member of the ARS Mid-Council.
Tamitza’s commitment to the local Armenian community extends beyond ARS. She has been actively involved in other organizations, such as Homenetmen of Detroit, where she held the titles of chairman and secretary. Her involvement even extended to the Eastern USA Navasartian Games hosted in Detroit, where she played a crucial role as part of the committee.
Education has always been a passion for Tamitza. She spent 7 years as an Armenian school teacher at Nishan Palanjian Djemaran School in Beirut, Lebanon, before continuing her teaching career at the AGBU Alex and Marie Manoogian School since 1999.
Beyond her professional achievements, Tamitza is a proud mother of three and enjoys the blessings of having two grandchildren.
Leiza Bouroujian
advisor
Leiza has proudly contributed to the Richmond Hooys ARS chapter since its establishment in 2006, actively participating in various capacities and currently holding the position of vice chair.
Nora Hovanesian Mann
advisor
Nora Hovanesian-Mann joined the Armenian Relief Society (ARS), Bergen County Armenouhi Chapter, in 1989—an organization that has long been near and dear to her heart. Over the years, she has demonstrated unwavering dedication and leadership, serving two consecutive terms as vice-chair and chairperson of the chapter. She currently serves on the chapter’s Scholarship Committee, having previously held the position of chairperson for over eight years. Nora has also chaired and served on numerous fundraising committees and events organized by the chapter.
For the past five years, Nora has represented the ARS Bergen County Armenouhi Chapter on the Nareg Armenian School Board and has served as Chairperson of the Board for the past two years, continuing her commitment to Armenian education and community leadership.
Nora earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in French from Rutgers University–Douglass College and pursued advanced studies in Paris, France, at the prestigious Sorbonne University. She also obtained a Certificate in Business from the French Chamber of Commerce of Paris. She is fluent in four languages: English, French, Armenian, and Farsi.
Professionally, Nora has built an accomplished career working primarily with French companies. She began her retail career in 1997 at the U.S. subsidiary of the world-renowned La Maison du Chocolat in New York City, where she served as Director of U.S. Operations. With over twenty years of experience, Nora specializes in luxury retail operations, retail planning and management, exceptional client experience design, strategic planning, profitability improvement, human resources and sales training, retail store design, and new store openings.
Nora and her husband, Bryan, are the proud parents of two adult children, Gregory and Caroline. A lifelong advocate of volunteerism and community service, Nora has instilled in her children the belief that selfless service is a reminder of the strength found in unity, the beauty born of compassion, and the joy that comes from giving back.
Vartouhie
Chiloyan
Executive Director
of ARS Eastern us
After Graduating from Karen Jeppe Armenian College, Ungh. Chiloyan earned her BA in English Language and Literature from the University of Aleppo. Upon graduation, she returned to her alma-mater, as an English Teacher. Her activism with ARS began first at the Syrian Armenian Relief Cross (ARS-Syria), and when she moved to the US, she continued as a member of the ARS “Leola Sassouni” Chapter of Watertown. She has been the Executive Director of the ARS of Eastern US for more than 20 years, where she assists the board by providing administrative support, overseeing strategic operations, and managing programs. Ungh. Chiloyan and her husband are proud parents of three.