On Jan. 7, the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) Inc. named Lala Demirdjian-Attarian its new executive director. A native of Lebanon, Demirdjian-Attarian received her primary education in Athens and secondary education in Nicosia’s Melkonian Educational Institute. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Haigazian University, in Beirut, she pursued her master’s degree in comparative and international education at the University of Oxford.
Returning to Lebanon, Demirdjian-Attarian worked for a UN agency, as well as several local NGOs involved in refugee education, reconstruction, and vocational training. In 2008, she moved to the United States and worked with local Armenian community and educational institutions until her appointment as the executive director of ARS, Inc. She is presently involved in research in the field of international education and is a published author of studies on the subject.
“I feel honored to be given this opportunity to have my input into the vast activities of the Armenian Relief Society,” she said. “Considering the role played by the Society in Armenia, Artsakh, Javakhk, and the constantly reshaping Armenian Diaspora, I firmly believe that we must proudly support the existence of our century-old international organization by expanding our horizons, while further developing our capacities to keep pace with a fast-changing world. Moreover, we should keep active in our cooperation with United Nations agencies and NGOS in all 27 countries where we have ARS affiliates.”