Washington, D.C. – The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) welcomes two new state chairs, Mariam Aghayan representing New York, and Hamlet Sarokhanian representing Texas, to lead efforts for grassroots activism in their respective states.
Currently based in Albany, New York, Mariam is a Major Gifts Officer at Pomfret School, and holds degrees from The Fletcher School at Tufts University (M.A. in Law and Diplomacy) and Gettysburg College (B.A. in Political Science and Public Policy).
Originally from Yerevan, Armenia, Mariam’s background as a direct descendant of Armenian Genocide survivors has instilled in her a passion for human rights, and she remains dedicated to work that benefits the Armenian people. Mariam has implemented five international grants, including two Andrew W. Mellon grants in Morocco and Greece, one Project for Peace grant in Armenia, a State Department Diplomacy Lab grant in Hungary, and a Tisch International Fellow grant in Armenia.
Mariam has served as a volunteer to help with fundraising strategy at Pahapan NGO in Tavush, Armenia, the Artsakh Initiative at Columbia University’s Institute of Human Rights in New York City, and St. Peter Armenian Church in Watervliet, NY.
As a member of the Dallas-Fort Worth Armenian community, Hamlet is an active member of the St. Sarkis Armenian Orthodox Church of Carrollton, Texas, where he also regularly organizes events to raise awareness and provide education about the Armenian Genocide.
Hamlet has four decades of experience in the global Telecommunication industry, and currently leads an advanced 5G technology & product management initiative for AT&T. He holds a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Oklahoma State University, an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, and an executive certificate in Business & Strategy Innovation from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Hamlet’s volunteer work includes serving as Visiting Professor at the American University of Armenia, where he teaches an Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Incubation course to MBA students.
“As a resident of Texas, which is the second largest populous state in America with over 30 million people, it is my ambition to promote Armenian identity and values here by staying connected to influencers and opinion leaders to have Armenian interests above the line,” said Hamlet.
“We’re delighted to welcome both Mariam and Hamlet as our new Assembly State Chairs in New York and Texas,” said Assembly Director of Congressional Relations Mariam Khaloyan. “They are two very active individuals in their respective communities who understand the importance and influential impact of grassroots activism. The Assembly appreciates Mariam and Hamlet’s dedication to advocacy and promoting Armenian issues in the U.S. Congress.”
