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.
Caroline Chamavonian
Chairperson
Caroline Chamavonian has been a member of the ARS “Artemis” Chapter of Philadelphia for 39 years. She has served on the chapter executive board numerous times, holding the positions of the chair, treasurer, secretary, and advisor. She has served on different committees like the scholarship, essay contest and ANEC. From 2009 until 2011, Caroline served on the Regional Executive Board. From 2011-2019, Caroline was elected during the 71st and 72nd International Conventions to serve on the Central Executive Board, where she first served as the treasurer, then Chairperson.
She is involved in her local community as a member of the St. Gregory Ladies Guild and Hamazkayin.
Ungh. Caroline has a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Temple University and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from LaSalle University.
She’s been married for 47 years and has two children and two grandchildren. She enjoys spending time with her grandchildren and gives her utmost to advance the mission of the Armenian Relief Society.
Seda Aghamianz
vice-chairperson
Seda Aghamianz presently serves as Administrator of The Genocide Education Project. She holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from Boston University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Russian. Ms. Aghamianz has worked within the Armenian community for many organizations including the Armenian Relief Society – Eastern United States, Project SAVE, and the Ani and Narod Memorial Fund. She has been a member of the ARS since 1987 when she joined her mother’s chapter, ARS Boston “Javo”, and then transferred to the ARS Cambridge “Shushi” Chapter. She has held various positions within the chapter (ie Treasurer, Vice-Chair, etc.) and has also served on many ARS committees over the years including the regional scholarship committee. She serves on several Watertown, MA non-profit boards including the Marshall Home Fund (serving as vice-chair and head of allocations) and Watertown for All Ages.
Margaret Babikian Medina
Treasurer
Margie Babikian-Medina, has been an active member of the ARS “Bergen County Armenouhi’ chapter of New Jersey for 17 years. She has held positions on Bergen County’s Armenouhi executive board, as Treasurer, and Chairperson. She has served on the ARSUSA board as Treasurer for 4 yrs, as well as several Committees, (Scholarship Committee/Essay Contest/Laison to the ARSEUSA Financial committee).
Margie has served 10 years on the Board of the Nareg Armenian School and member of ANEC board. Margie has been on On-Line Auction Committees for ANCA and for Hamazkayin NJ.
Margie has a BA in Russian and French from SUNY Buffalo and an MBA in Computer Science from Baruch College. Margie also holds an international PMP certification from the Project Management Institute.
Margie is married 33 yrs and has 2 Children, Alexandra and Antranik.
Mary Andonian
Secretary
Anoush Bargamian
advisor
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.
Leiza Bouroujian
advisor
Tamitza Dakessian
advisor
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.