TEAM MEMBERS

Susan Snavely
Management Specialist
sburdette@soar-us.org

Susan has her degree in Web Design and Development and Graphic Design. She is currently the Management Specialist for SOAR. Outside of her position for SOAR, she is an educator and an entrepreneur. For over twenty years she owned, operated, and taught at her licensed group home daycare and preschool. Currently, she also does freelance work with her partner through their business, “Hopkins Media Solutions”, creating websites and marketing materials for small businesses and non-profit organizations. This work spills into her volunteer endeavors as she enjoys donating her time using her skills to further their missions.

Susan has a passion for children, having five of her own and five grandchildren, and has volunteered extensively in many different children’s ministries through her church and community. She sponsors several children through different organizations, and after learning about SOAR and seeing the tremendous things that they are able to accomplish, she wanted to become a part of their work.

Hripsime Muradyan
Executive Director
hmuradyan@soar-us.org

Hripsime graduated from Yerevan State University with a master’s degree in English Language and Philology. In 2007, she began working for Gyumri Social Child Care Center, implementing various projects and programs to support children at risk. In 2013, she was appointed the position of Project Coordinator with the “Little Prince” Day Care Center where she managed programs for families and children at risk in the Gyumri community. In 2016, Hripsime began working for SOAR and has served as SOAR Executive Director since 2017. In June 2022, Hripsime was awarded a Letter of Gratitude for Cooperation from Armenia’s Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs for her tireless child protection work. Her inspiration is seeing firsthand the significant changes institutionalized children (with and without disabilities) experience as they become as independent as possible in their daily lives.

Hasmik Diaryan
Associate Director in Armenia
hhovhannisyan@soar-us.org

Hasmik attended Yerevan State College of Light Industry, Department of Auditing and Financing and has studied at the American University of Armenia, Extension Program Level 3-6 course-reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. She has also taken courses in Economics and Law at the Information Research Centre, based on international accounting standards.

Not only has Hasmik worked as an economist/accountant, but she has volunteered her skills with Our Lady of Armenia Summer Camp and Missionaries of Charity Armenian Branch. Currently she is SOAR’s Associate Director in Armenia as well as their  Quality Assurance Manager, and the manager for Lili’s Bed and Breakfast.

Hasmik is fluent in Armenian, English, and Russian.

Ovsanna Mananyan
Development Manager
omananyan@soar-us.org

Bio coming soon

Tatev Tumasyan 
Dental and Program Coordinator

Tatev started as a volunteer with SOAR in the “Fairy Tale” program. She has a background is in social work. As a student, she is involved in many different projects and programs for vulnerable children! Tatev is an author of many articles about different organizations who deal with children at risk in the Shirak Community. Since 2018, Tatev has been coordinating the activities of the SOAR Dental Clinic in Gyumri. In 2019, she was hired for the Coordinator’s position of the clinic. Tatev is grateful that SOAR has changed so many lives of the children and people who need support!

Marine Ghalachyan
Associate
mghalachyan@soar-us.org

Marine graduated from Gyumri State Pedagogical Institute with a bachelor’s degree in pedagogue and psychology. In 2002 she began working for “Community Development and Social Support Center” NGO implementing various projects and programs to support children and families at risk. In 2006 she was appointed the position Chef of the Psychological & Pedagogical Department in “Gyumri Social Child Care Center” SNCO where she managed the responsibilities of pedagogues and psychologists, set up works with families and children at risk. In 2008 was group leader and interpreter, take 20 children to Holland to spend their holidays, which was organized by “Pax Kinderhulp” The Netherlands. From 2015 to 2021 was Acting Director of GSCC SNCO. From 2021 to 2022 was Director of Unified Social Service Akhuryan Regional Center. She participated in number of courses, was invited as an expert, trainer in various programs. She attended special courses of American University of Armenia, also studied Web Design and Astrology. Her goal is to see Armenia as a powerful, peaceful and supportive country.

Arevik Musaelyan
Associate

Arevik Musaelyan is originally from and lives in Stepanakert, Artsakh. She has a degree in Law from the local State University (Stepanakert, Artsakh/Karabakh). She has been working as a Senior Specialist in the State Justice Department for many years. Arevik cares about children and humanitarian causes wholeheartedly and is eager to take action to make a difference.

She is fluent in Armenian and Russian and proficient in English.

Lora Amatuni
Dentist

Lora graduated from Yerevan State Medical University, department of dentistry. She has been working as dentist since 1996. Lora has started to work in the SOAR dental clinic in 2018.

Varduhi Zakyan
Dental Nurse

Varduhi graduated from Gyumri Medical College in 1999. Since 2000 she has been working in children’s dental clinics in the community. She has passed qualifications as a dental nurse and joined the SOAR dental team in January 2019.

Dr. Artashes Zilfyan
Project Manager (Consultant)

Dr. Zilfyan is a Doctor of Medical Sciences, earning his doctorate from Yerevan State Medical University after Mkhitar Heratsi.

His current positions are:

1. Director of Laser Vision Correction և Eye Microsurgery Center
2. Head of Ophthalmology Service at Shengavit Medical Center
3. Head of the Department of Eye Diseases, National Institute of Health of the RA Ministry of Health

Dr. Mariam Vardanyan
Ophthalmologist

Dr. Vardanyan earned her M.D. in 2016 from Yerevan State Medical University after Mkhitar  Heratsi, Faculty of General Medicine. She did her clinical residency in Ophthalmology, Ophthalmologic Center after S.V. Malayan through Yerevan State Medical University after Mkhitar Heratsi.

Milena Badalyan
Nurse

Milena attended Medical College St Grigor Lusavorich Medical Center and is doing her internship as a nurse with the Mobile Eye Care Project.

Kristine Gevorgyan
Project Coordinator

Kristine graduated from the Armenian Medical Institute. She has been a volunteer with SOAR since 2018, and had assisted with the “ I CAN” sport festival.

Shushanik Aleksandryan 
Transitional Center Administrator

Shushanik graduated Gyumri State Pedagogical Institute after M. Nalbandyan, foreign language department. In 1992-98 she worked as a Russian language and literature teacher in N14 school. Then she worked in Ararat educational complex with the same profile as well as senior pedagogue.

In 2011 she started to work in “Trchunyan Tun” Orphanage with the responsibility of head teacher and Russian language teacher. During her working period she organized many events, accompanied children when they participated in international competitions, always winning honorable places.

Now she works at the SOAR Transitional center and is very happy that her pedagogical experience can be used for the center beneficiaries’ development.

Marina Muradyan 
Transitional Center Development Coordinator

Marina graduated Gyumri State Pedagogical Institute with a Master’s degree in English and French language teacher. Marina continued her non-formal/ lifelong learning by participating in different training courses in Europe, Caucasus and USA by getting professional skills and promoting youth work and youth policy.

Right after graduation in 2009 she started to work for KASA Swiss Humanitarian Foundation as an English language tutor, mentor. In 2012 she became a coordinator of youth employability program where she organized group and individual designed training courses to orientate local youth in a fast changing labor market. In 2017 she started to work as a responsible of “European Solidarity Corps” (Erasmus+) international program where young people both from Europe and Armenia could have an incredible exchange by doing volunteering activities for different national and cultural background communities. She collaborates with many local and international organizations as a trainer in their projects.

She joined our team recently in 2020 as a SOAR Transitional center development coordinator where she will design and realize programs directed to youth education, employability, autonomy, etc.

She is grateful to join such an experienced, amazing international team where is a lot to share and learn from each other. She is sure of the success and impact of a Gyumri Transitional center by its warm atmosphere, space and future programs.

Alina Martirosyan d/o Sargis
Gyumri So-Art Coordinator

Alina was born in the city Armavir of RA.
After graduating from school, she continued her education at Yerevan State University, faculty of journalism. Since her student years she has worked as a reporter in various media outlets. After graduation she moved to Gyumri. During 2017-2019 she worked in local television as an assistant to the head of the program department and then appointed as a head of the radio department. In 2018 she passed her qualification training and received certification as a producer and worked in various television projects as a chief producer. Alina ended this position due to the liquidation of the TV and radio company. Among her other professional achievements were also the training for development skills, personal psychological identification and professional orientation. During 2019-2020 she worked at “Nor Luys” mentoring youth center as a trainer.

Alina has been working with SOAR and coordinating the activities of the SO-Art business since 2022.

Narine Zhamkochyan d/o Ashot
Transitional Centers Administrator

Born on 1984 in the city of Javakhk. After graduation from school Narine entered Yerevan State University, faculty of Armenian Philology. After graduating from the University she worked in the service industry. She married a military man and they had three children. Due to her husband’s service she has lived and worked in different regions of Armenia. She was a teacher at Kapan school. Their family moved to Artsakh and she got a position teaching at Haykazyan school as a teacher of Armenian language and literature. In 2020 when the war started Narine and her children had to leave Artsakh but because her husband was a military commander, he stayed with his soldiers. Her husband lost his life while serving on October 3rd, 2020. After her husband’s death Narine and her children moved to Yerevan and she started to work at Shirakatci International and Scientific Educational Complex as a pedagogue. Narine is trained and certified as a Peer Counselor of Psychology. After the war Narine’s children had the opportunity to study at Shirakatsi School. After a year there was a need to find a donor to be able to pay the tuition for the children. SOAR provided that need for Narine and assisted in payment of tuition for one year of the children. Having established a good relationship with SOAR, Narine received a job offer and she is now the Director of both SOAR Yerevan Transitional Centers.