SOAR - Los Angeles Chapter
P.O. Box 69361
Los Angeles, CA 90069
818-439-1358
soar-la@soar-us.org
The Los Angeles chapter became part of the SOAR family in October 2007. With a significant amount of non-profit experience, the LA Board of Directors is represented in the business management, finance, legal, medical, pharmacological, and political science fields. If you would like to reach any officer on the LA board, please feel free to contact them by email.
Board of Directors:
Kohar Mardiros Pelter, RN, M.N. President
kpelter@soar-us.org
Kohar earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the American University of Beirut and Masters in Nursing from the University of California, Los Angeles. She has held educator and administrator positions at AUB MC, UCLA and Kaiser Permanente hospitals. She has also served as a consultant for several medical institutions for improvement of organizational effectiveness and outcomes management. She is actively involved with local and international Armenian organizations in children and family sponsorship and charity work. She is a trustee of the Ararat Home Board of Trustees in Mission Hills, CA. She joined SOAR to honor the memory and continue the legacy of her late parents; Mardiros and Marie Mardirossian. SOAR mirrors her passion and dedication to help Armenian orphans and orphanages. She lives in Southern California with her husband Mitch and daughter Megan.
Tamar Arminak Esq.Vice President
Tamar Arminak is a civil litigator with the law firm of Geragos & Geragos. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Legal Studies with a minor in Russian Art History. She earned her law degree from Loyola Law School. During her college years, Tamar also attended the University of London, studying European History, living in London, England. She has been voted a Southern California Super Lawyers "Rising Star" for three years in a row, as well as authored a chapter in the Book Reaching the Bar: Stories of All Women at All Stages of Their Law Careers. Because of her love of children, Tamar is pleased to be working with SOAR to help the Orphans of Armenia.
Mario BahramjianTreasurer
Mario Bahramjian graduated from UCLA in 2007 and received his bachelor's degree in Political Science. He then established his own real estate brokerage in 2008, here in Southern California. Mario came to SOAR-LA to carry out his late grandmother's wishes to help orphaned Armenian children. After visiting the "Nor Kharberd" orphanage in Armenia, Mario has geared his efforts towards helping our orphaned brothers and sisters back home. Through SOAR-LA, Mario seeks to brighten the lives of the less fortunate.
Elina BakamjianSecretary
I am originally from Armenia. I was a recipient of an ACTR scholarship and came to US at the age of 19 to pursue a degree in Computer Information Systems. I graduated with BS in CIS/Business Administration from University of Nevada, Reno. In 2004 I moved to Los Angeles and have started working at Trover Solutions Inc. as a Regional Account Manager. I’ve been with the company over 5 years working with Healthcare Insurance companies in Cost Containment and Fraud Prevention. Shortly after my move I met my future husband, Berge Bakamjian DO, who works as a physician at the Long Beach VA Hospital. We have a 1 year old son Tyler, but we also seriously consider a possibility of adopting another child from Armenia. Besides English, I am fluent in Armenian and Russian and currently working on my Spanish.
My interests include travel, hiking, skiing, golf, scrapbooking and cooking. I also have done extensive volunteer work for hospices for many years in Reno, NV and Los Angeles, CA.
Armen AvetyanArmen Avetyan was born in Abovyan, Armenia, and migrated to the United States at the age of 4. Armen is currently an undergraduate student at California State University of Los Angeles, studying Sociology and Philosophy. Armen is also currently working for the Los Angeles County Social Services Department as a social worker. His care and pride for his country and people lead him to join SOAR-LA in February of 2011 along with his sister Madlen. His lifelong belief that the innocence of a child should never be stripped away for any reason is the driving motivator for him to help enrich the lives of the Armenian orphans. He dedicates all of his accomplishments to his lifelong mentor and teacher; his loving mother.
Kristina GukasyanWhether teaching the language or spearheading the world’s premiere international Armenian lifestyle publication, Kristina Gukasyan has always been an active member and at the forefront of the Armenian community.
A firm believer that we are to always serve and further the cause, she put her words into action when she joined SOAR in a recent project in hopes of making a difference one child at a time. Her roots to the motherland are dear and deep seeded, as she spend her formative years growing up in Yerevan.
Kristina brought her bachelors degree in journalism from CSUN and joined Yerevan Magazine shortly after the English version of the glossy-print magazine was launched in the United States. Her ambitions continue to thrive. She’s been teaching Armenian language at Rose & Alex Pilibos Saturday School (Mayr Chapter) for the past 12 years.
She currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and her six year-old daughter.
Photo and biography to come.
