HYE 
ENG Co-Founders
Rita Balian, Founder of AACA & AAWC
“Each time we save a mother in Armenia, we save her entire family and, thus, our Nation.” – Rita Balian
Mrs. Rita Balian is chair of the board of the Armenian American Cultural Association, Inc. (AACA), and co-founder of the Armenian American Wellness Center (AAWC) in Yerevan, Armenia.
As a passionate advocate for public health, she identified an acute need for health services catered towards women and their families in her homeland as Armenia gained its independence from the Soviet Union. Mrs. Balian thus spearheaded AACA’s efforts in establishing and sustaining the AAWC in Armenia in the late 1990’s, providing critical medical care to thousands of patients in need, particularly for women’s health and cancer prevention.
Her lifelong dedication to humanitarian work has earned her numerous awards, including recognition for her contributions to healthcare, education, and philanthropy.
Mrs. Balian holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and child education from the American University of Beirut and continues to lead AACA’s mission with vision and dedication.
Vartkess Bailan, Trustee and Board Member
Mr. Vartkess Balian was born in Beirut, where his Armenian-born parents had settled in exile after the Genocide.
Mr. Balian, who was fluent in five languages, was educated in French-language schools and received a bachelor’s degree in architecture and civil engineering from the American University of Beirut. In college, he set many track-and-field records, and he later organized athletic contests for Armenians throughout Lebanon and North America.
In Beirut, Mr. Balian owned an architectural and engineering firm that designed hospitals, schools, factories, community centers and residential buildings across Lebanon, including many schools for resident Armenians. He left Lebanon in the mid-1970s during the country’s civil war.
Dr. Hranush Hakobyan, Co-Founder of AAWC and Chairperson of Board of Trustees
Dr. Hranush Hakobyan, a native born Armenian, was appointed as a Minister of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia (RA) by the President of Armenian in 2008 and served until 2018. Prior to this appointment, she served as an elected Member of the Parliament at the National Assembly of Armenia since 1990. She was the longest serving women in the Parliament and was reelected each time with a large margin of victory in very competitive races.
Dr. Hakobyan holds a Ph.D. in law and Master’s degree in Mathematics from the Yerevan State University and another Master’s degree in Political Science from the Academy of political Sciences in Moscow. She also briefly studied International Law in the United States.
She presently lectures at the Public Administration Academy of the Republic of Armenia and the State University of Gavar. She is a member of the boards of Yerevan state University, Yerevan State Medical University after Heratsi, Yerevan State University of Architecture and Construction, Armenian State Pedagogical University and the state University of Gavar.
Dr. Hranush Hakobyan is highly regarded by her colleagues for her leadership qualities, legislative experience, moral courage, honesty, consistency and dedication to serve her nation. She is loved and respected by the people of Armenia. She has served Armenia in several capacities: Minister of Social Welfare and Social Security, Chair of the Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Healthcare, and Ecology of the National Assembly; elected chair of the Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture and Youth issues of the National Assembly of Armenia.
As an elected member of the Parliament, Dr. Hakobyan also served as the Head of the Armenian Parliamentary Delegation to the inter-parliamentary Union (IPU) and was a member of the Parliamentary Committee for the Caucasian Nations of the parliament of the European Union. As a result of this position, she has traveled extensively and represented Armenia in many International and European forums.
She has authored 15 books, over 40 scientific articles and 85 laws on issues concerning women, children, health, privatization and human rights in the Armenian Parliament. She has chaired several committees on the national level, including Anti-Smoking Awareness, Issues of the disabled Pensions and Gender Policy Development, as well as Rights of Senior Citizens. Presently, she is the National Chairperson of the Armenian International Women’s Associations (AIWA) in Armenia.
She has created the Youth Parliament adjunct to the RA National Assembly. She has been recognized as Best Woman of the Year, Best MP of the Year, Best Political Figure of the Year and Best Minister of the Year.
Board Members
Rita Bailan
Board Chair
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Gregory Sevag Balian
Board Vice-Chair and President
Aram Sevag Balian
Board Secretary and Member
Armenian American Wellness Center Team
Khachanush Hakobyan, AAWC Executive Director
Khachanush Hakobyan, a native born Armenian, has been leading Armenian-American Wellness Center (AAWC) since 2002. Prior to this, she served at the UN Armenian office, “Shelter” program as an accountant from 1998 through 2002 being responsible for general financial accounting of the office, any office related expenses and carrying the economic monitoring of the Shelter-managed constructions.
Mrs. Hakobyan holds a Master’s degree in Engineering-Economy from the State Engineering University of Armenia. She lectured at the Department of Economy at the State Engineering University of Armenia. Between 2002 and 2003 Mrs. Hakobyan has successfully completed several trainings and workshops on Work Management at Health Centers at the Baltimore medical Center affiliated to John Hopkins, Washington, USA as well as in the George Washington University Hospital and the Washington Hospital Center, Washington, USA. She has also participated in many conferences, seminars, roundtable discussions on “Preventive Health Care”, ”Women Health”, “Healthy Mother,” “Healthy Family”, etc.
In June of 2013, Khachanush Hakobyan received the prestigious Public Confidence Award as the Best Medical Administrator, presented through the Armenian National Council of Public Confidence in Medical Services. Khachanush Hakobyan is a member of “Armenia without Tobacco” Social Alliance, “Armenian International Women’s Association” and “Women’s Health Care Association”.
From 2013 to 2024 the Armenian American Wellness, under Mrs. Hakobyan’s leadership, became the recipient of the “Public Confidence Award” for Excellence in Women’s Health presented by the National Council of Public Confidence for provision High-quality Medical Services to Armenia women and their families.
, Head Doctor
Khachanush Hakobyan, a native born Armenian, has been leading Armenian-American Wellness Center (AAWC) since 2002. Prior to this, she served at the UN Armenian office, “Shelter” program as an accountant from 1998 through 2002 being responsible for general financial accounting of the office, any office related expenses and carrying the economic monitoring of the Shelter-managed constructions.
Mrs. Hakobyan holds a Master’s degree in Engineering-Economy from the State Engineering University of Armenia. She lectured at the Department of Economy at the State Engineering University of Armenia. Between 2002 and 2003 Mrs. Hakobyan has successfully completed several trainings and workshops on Work Management at Health Centers at the Baltimore medical Center affiliated to John Hopkins, Washington, USA as well as in the George Washington University Hospital and the Washington Hospital Center, Washington, USA. She has also participated in many conferences, seminars, roundtable discussions on “Preventive Health Care”, ”Women Health”, “Healthy Mother,” “Healthy Family”, etc.
In June of 2013, Khachanush Hakobyan received the prestigious Public Confidence Award as the Best Medical Administrator, presented through the Armenian National Council of Public Confidence in Medical Services. Khachanush Hakobyan is a member of “Armenia without Tobacco” Social Alliance, “Armenian International Women’s Association” and “Women’s Health Care Association”.
From 2013 to 2024 the Armenian American Wellness, under Mrs. Hakobyan’s leadership, became the recipient of the “Public Confidence Award” for Excellence in Women’s Health presented by the National Council of Public Confidence for provision High-quality Medical Services to Armenia women and their families.