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SILENT NO MORE: Amplifying Armenian Women's Voices
Date: Friday March 21, 2025 | 10:30 am - 12:00 pm EST
Location: Church Center at UN Headquarters New York City
777 United Nations Plaza, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10017 United States
Free Admissions.
“Silent No More” panel seeks to harness the leadership, advocacy, and expertise of Armenian women to create a ripple effect of positive change, meeting the world’s urgent need for equity, stability, and inclusive progress.
In an era where innovation and diversity drive success, the underrepresentation of women in corporate C-suites continues to hinder progress. Empowering Armenian women to take on leadership roles contributes to creating more inclusive, innovative, and effective global corporations that reflect the diverse societies they serve in Armenia and worldwide.
With increasing reports of gender-based violence and systemic inequality worldwide, there is an urgent need to raise further the voices of women. Armenian women, with their resilience and advocacy, can drive meaningful change by inspiring policies and actions that protect vulnerable populations.
The world is facing escalating conflicts, ongoing wars, and geopolitical instability, where the inclusion of women in peacebuilding and conflict resolution has been shown to lead to more sustainable and lasting outcomes. Armenian women, drawing on a rich cultural heritage and historical resilience, are uniquely positioned to lead and mediate in these efforts.
VERY IMPORTANT:
Registration on the WHOVA platform is mandatory for all participants. Without a QR code from this application, attendees will not be allowed into the building due to security reasons.
Step 1: Register on the Whova platform using this link: https://ngocsw69forum.events.whova.com/registration/
Step 2: Download the Whova app and log in
Speaker: Anna Bruno
Financial Planner, Certified Holistic financial Coach
Anna Bruno is a seasoned financial expert with over 25 years of experience, advising high-net-worth individuals and businesses. She has held key positions at Raymond James, CitiGroup, AXA Advisors, and Equitable Advisors, and in 2003, she founded Anna Bruno & Associates.
A licensed financial consultant, Anna earned a Retirement Planning Certificate from Wharton and a Holistic Financial Coach designation from Columbia University. She holds a summa cum laude B.S. from SUNY Stony Brook, with additional coursework from Wharton, Harvard, and Columbia.
As a money mindset expert and educator, she provides financial and tax planning, wealth management, estate planning, and corporate training on personal finance and soft skills. A sought-after speaker, she has presented at TEDx Yerevan, AIWA International, Global Women Club, and Feminno.
As co-founder of Acceleration Circle Inc., Anna empowers entrepreneurs, startups, and small business owners with the tools and strategies necessary for efficient and sustainable scaling. Acceleration Circle offers a structured ecosystem of expert-led training, AI-powered branding solutions, and a high-impact network of investors, mentors, and collaborators.
In 2021, Anna founded Thrive Armenia Foundation (TAF), a nonprofit dedicated to advancing education and economic opportunities in Armenia. She also launched Get Skills Academy (GSA) to support career development for vulnerable individuals.
Committed to community service, Anna has volunteered with Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) and mentored young professionals through AGBU NY Summer Internship. She serves on multiple boards and is an active member of St. Gregory the Enlightener Armenian Church.
Speaker : Dr. Sarah Babaian LL.M
International Negotiation Expert, Conflict Manager & Legal Advisor
Dr. Sarah Babaian is a jurist, international negotiation expert and conflict manager. She worked at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNOHCR) in Geneva, as a jurist and/or business mediator at the non-governmental organisation European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) and other law firms and companies. In addition to her practical work, Dr. Babaian lectures on the topics of international criminal law, international law and negotiation at universities as well as private and public institutions. In addition to her profound expertise in international law, Dr. Babaian advises international companies as well as states, political actors, international institutions and non-governmental organisations as a professional negotiation expert. She is a member of the German-Armenian Lawyers Association and together with two other co-authors she is the publisher of the book “Nagorno-Karabagh, a judicial analysis of the conflict concerning Arzach”.
Speaker : Nina Shahverdyan
Educator, Host of “Inadu Podcast”
Nina Shahverdyan was born and raised in Nagorno-Karabakh, a historically Armenian-populated region disputed between Armenia and Azerbaijan. After earning her bachelor’s degree in English and Communications from the American University of Armenia, she returned to Nagorno-Karabakh to teach in border villages through Teach for Armenia, an organization committed to educational equity. During her service, she found herself amid the 2022 occupation of Aghavno and the 2023 humanitarian crisis that culminated in ethnic cleansing and mass displacement of Armenians from Nagorno Karabakh. As foreign media were barred from entering, Shahverdyan became one of the few voices to document the war, crises, and aftermath through her Instagram blog and podcast—now an archive tracing the systematic erasure of her homeland. Nina is now pursuing her Master’s in International Educational Development at Teachers College, Columbia University, focusing on education in emergencies and peacebuilding.
Speaker : Maria Titizian
Editor-In-Chief at evnreport.com
Maria is a writer, journalist, and editor with over two decades of experience covering Armenia and the region. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, she moved to Canada with her family in the 1960s and in 2001, repatriated to Armenia, where she has lived ever since.
She has reported extensively from Armenia and the Armenian diaspora communities in Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey, shedding light on their challenges and resilience. Her career spans roles as an anchor at Armenia’s Public Television, Associate Editor of the U.S.-based Armenian Reporter, and Managing Editor at CivilNet. She is the founding Editor-in-Chief of EVN Report, a leading English-language magazine dedicated to in-depth journalism on Armenia’s political, social, and cultural landscape.
For over a decade, Maria has been a faculty member in the English and Communications Department at the American University of Armenia and recently helped to develop the university’s Master’s in Journalism program.
Speaker : Marina Arshakyan
Assistant District Attorney, Queens District Attorney's Office, Human Trafficking Bureau
Marina Arshakyan immigrated to the United States from Armenia in 2004. She had a law degree from Armenia and dedicated herself to continue her law education in New York. She received her LLM from St. John’s Law School and is licensed to practice in New York. Marina has more than 9 years of experience at the Queens District Attorney’s Office. In 2018, Marina was assigned to the Domestic Violence Bureau as an Assistant District Attorney. She prosecuted and managed domestic violence cases from the filing of the criminal complaints through hearings and trials. Marina now works in the Queens District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Bureau.
Before immigrating to the United States, Marina worked in various capacities at the Ministry of National Security and Internal Affairs, and State Trial Court of the city of Yerevan, Armenia.
Marina is fluent in English, Armenian and Russian.
Moderator: Donara Jaghinyan
Donara Jaghinyan is a seasoned program management and business operations leader with over seven years of experience driving strategic transformation in technology, business operations, and regulatory compliance. She specializes in mergers & acquisitions (M&A), change management, and large-scale integrations, ensuring organizations navigate complex transitions effectively while fostering inclusive leadership.
A passionate advocate for women’s leadership and economic empowerment, Donara served as Chair of the Women’s Leadership Forum (WLF) for two consecutive years at Aspen Technology, where she championed initiatives to advance women in business and leadership.
In addition to her corporate experience, Donara advises businesses on digital marketing strategies, helping them establish a strong online presence and enhance brand visibility. Her expertise in market engagement and digital transformation complements her broader work in business operations and organizational change.
Holding a Change Management Certification from Cornell University and a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Yerevan State University, Donaracombines strategic insight with a global perspective. Fluent in English, Armenian, and Russian, she actively contributes to discussions on leadership development and workforce transformation in the digital era.
