“America embraced Armenians and Armenians embraced democracy”: A living example in Sudbury, Mass.

For Lisa Kouchakdjian, the journey from the family table to the select board in Sudbury was a straight line. “Armenians in the diaspora, we know how important democracy is and we value it. My grandparents came [here] because it was the land of opportunity. They loved this country,” she told the Weekly.

“My father’s family came to America around 1912. My grandfather was originally a furrier, but eventually purchased a farm in Natick, Mass.” Lisa grew up on the family farm and apple orchard, surrounded by a strong work ethic that still drives her to live each day to its fullest.

Her family spoke Armenian and English at the dinner table. Family and food were central to her upbringing. “My parents were dedicated to making their children’s lives better than their lives were. They wanted our lives to be easier,” she explained.

Love on a plate

Meals at the Kaprielian home were a mix of Armenian and American foods. Lisa developed a deep love for Armenian cooking by watching family members in the kitchen. “It’s one of the ways we maintain our culture and heritage as Armenians,” she said. Then, with a laugh, “Over the years, my yalanchi has gotten really good! It’s a family favorite and my friends enjoy it, too.” 

In 2013, she began researching online cooking channels. “There was not a lot about cooking in the Armenian space online,” she reflected. Inspired to bring the culinary traditions of her family to a wider audience, she began filming video clips that showcased Armenian recipes.

Love on a Plate — Armenia quickly found an enthusiastic audience. The site features a banquet of classic dishes, starting with mezze (appetizers such as toorshi, hommos and eetch), continuing through jash (main dishes, such as dolma and porov kufteh) and finishing with anousheghen (desserts, such as bourma, gatnaboor and khourabia).

“My whole point is to capture and save the recipes that were instrumental to our upbringing,” she stated. “Certain smells and tastes take you back to an earlier time in your life.” Since beginning Love on a Plate, Lisa is happy to see a growing number of Armenian cooking blogs and Facebook pages.

And she readily acknowledges that cooking the Armenian way may be intimidating at first, as it often requires multiple steps. However, Lisa brings enthusiasm and encouragement to all her viewers. “Don’t let something that may seem complicated stop you from doing it!”

Drawn to public service

As a second-generation Armenian American, Lisa was drawn to public service. She saw firsthand how her family thrived in American democracy. “My grandparents came to America because it was the land of opportunity. America embraced Armenians and Armenians embraced democracy.” 

After receiving her bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College and her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School, Lisa practiced law for almost 10 years. Her civil litigation work focused on medical malpractice and products liability. “Experiences as both a plaintiff’s lawyer and defendant’s lawyer have helped me to look at issues from multiple perspectives,” she explained. “I leverage a lot of the skills I gained as an attorney in my municipal work.”

Lisa married her husband, Ara, in 2003. They have four children, some of whom are neurodiverse. She shared that parenting has shaped her approach to advocacy just as powerfully as her legal background. Her path into public service began when she joined the Sudbury SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council) around 2012. 

Stepping up and serving community

In 2015, Lisa successfully ran for the Sudbury School Committee. After two terms on the committee, she was elected to the Sudbury Select Board in 2022. She was re-elected this year and now serves as board chair. Serving on the School Committee, she said, was excellent preparation for serving the broader community. “I was able to watch and learn how the broader town functioned. Long-term planning and policy development are crucial when budget shortfalls and inflation negatively impact municipalities.”

Lisa also served on the Sudbury Commission on Disability, which led to her certification as a community access monitor by the Massachusetts Office on Disability. She also chairs the Women Elected Municipal Officials Steering Committee, a group within the Massachusetts Municipal Association that provides networking and professional development for elected women leaders.

Reflecting on her public service career, Lisa commented, “I think my dad would be proud of me.” As a World War II veteran, her father believed that every American should give at least two years of their life to service. “He only saw me serve one term on the School Committee. He died during my re-election campaign in 2018, but I think he would be proud of me now.”

Visit GoLisa.org for more information about Lisa’s public service and LoveOnAPlate.biz for her cooking site.