2024 APRI Forum: Building Tomorrow

Rafayel Gevorgyan is the deputy chairman of the State Revenue Committee of the Republic of Armenia. Before this, he was the deputy minister of Economy for nearly three years from 2021 to 2024. From 2015 to 2021, Rafayel Gevorgyan worked at Deloitte Luxembourg.

Léa Hakim is the Senior Country Economist for Armenia at the World Bank. She oversees multi-sectoral policy-based lending operations targeting reforms and leads analytical work on macroeconomic, fiscal and development issues, working closely with sectoral colleagues to drive impactful change. She has 20 years of experience at the national and international levels covering macroeconomic monitoring and policy-advisory, debt management reform, capital market issuance (> US$21 billion) and climate change finance. Previously, Ms. Hakim was Senior Economist in the World Bank’s Global Macro and Debt Analytics team and Program Manager of the Debt Management Facility, where she established the third and scaled-up phase of this multi-donor trust fund that provides advisory, training and peer-to-peer learning on debt management, debt transparency and related issues to 86 developing countries. Before her tenure at the World Bank, which began in 2014 as the Country Economist for Jordan, Ms. Hakim served as the Senior Economic Officer at the Lebanese Ministry of Finance. There, she provided economic and fiscal policy advice to Ministers of Finance (2007-2014) and led technical assistance and capacity-building initiatives under a UNDP project. During this time she also led Eurobond issuances for Lebanon and worked on debt management reforms while serving as instructor at the American University of Beirut’s Economics Department. Ms. Hakim holds an M.A. in International and Development Economics from Yale University, where she was a Fulbright scholar, and a high distinction B.A. in Economics from the American University of Beirut. She is passionate about public policy, sustainable development and the performing arts.

Pooja Warier Hamilton is the Chief Partnerships Officer at Apolitical, a global network and learning platform used by nearly a quarter of a million public servants from 160 countries to find and share best practice and gain new skills on 21st century issues from climate to AI. Pooja has a wealth of experience in the public and private sectors, having co-founded her first mission driven organisation at 25. Prior to Apolitical, Pooja was the Founding Managing Partner of Conduit Connect, an impact investing platform and was also the co-founder and CEO of UnLtd India, an incubator for social entrepreneurs. She has been recognised for her work as a TED India Fellow, a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and an Aspen India fellow. Pooja holds a Masters of Arts in Criminology and Justice from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Mumbai.

Colonel (Retired) Robert E. Hamilton, PhD, is the Head of Research at the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s Eurasia Program. In a 30-year career in the US Army, spent primarily as an Eurasian Foreign Area Officer, he served overseas in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Germany, Belarus, Qatar, Afghanistan, the Republic of Georgia, Pakistan, and Kuwait. Hamilton also worked as a Professor of Eurasian Studies at the US Army War College. He is the author of numerous articles and monographs on conflict and security issues, focusing principally on the former Soviet Union and the Balkans, and a book on China-Russia relations, forthcoming in Fall 2024. He is a graduate of the German Armed Forces Staff College and the U.S. Army War College and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy, a master’s degree in Contemporary Russian Studies, and a PhD in Political Science, both from the University of Virginia.

Mkhitar Hayrapetyan is the Minister of High-Tech Industry of the Republic of Armenia. Before this position, he was the Executive Director of the “My Step” charitable foundation and was a member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia in the “My Step” parliamentary faction from 2019 to 2021, where he the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Education, Science, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sports. He was also the head of the Armenian delegation at the “Euronest” Parliamentary Assembly. From 2018 to 2019, Hayrapetyan was the minister of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia. Mkhitar Hayrapetyan studied at Yerevan State University, where he completed a Master’s degree at the Faculty of Oriental Studies, division of Turkey. In addition, he was the President of the Yerevan Chess Federation from 2019 to 2023 and is a founding member of the “Civil Contract” party.

Kim Hekimian, PhD is Associate Professor of Nutrition in Pediatrics (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition) and the Institute of Human Nutrition at Columbia University Medical Center. There, she is the Director of the Master of Science in Nutrition program. She is also the Associate Director of Education for the Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons (VP&S) Program in Education in Global and Population Health. Dr. Hekimian teaches courses in global health, public health nutrition and research methods at VP&S and the IHN. She is a member of the Virginia Apgar Society of Medical Educators and a recipient of the Columbia University Provost Award for Hybrid Learning Course Redesign for Research Methods in Global Health. She has also received a Fulbright Scholar award to develop nutrition education curricula in Armenia. Previously, she was on faculty at the American University of Armenia’s (AUA) School of Public Health where she served as the Associate Director of the Master of Public Health (MPH) Program as well as Founder and Director of the Center for Health Services Research. At the AUA she continues to teach coursework in nutrition and public health and mentors MPH students. Dr. Hekimian received her PhD in Health Policy from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health with a concentration in Behavioral Science and Health Education. Her research has focused on maternal and child nutrition with a special interest in infant and young child feeding. She was the PI for a multi-year national breastfeeding campaign in the Republic of Armenia through partnerships with the Ministry of Health, USAID and UNICEF. Currently, Dr. Hekimian is an advisor to the Minister of Health through a supported partnership for health policy development by the Applied Policy Research Institute of Armenia (APRI) and the Health Network for Armenia (HENAR). Her work focuses on developing nutrition policies and programs as well as perinatal care reforms to improve maternal mortality, cesarean deliveries, and post-partum care practices to promote exclusive breastfeeding.

As the Founder and CEO of Teach For Armenia, Larisa believes that providing equal educational opportunities for all children in Armenia is at the core of unlocking her nation’s full potential. She considers her return to Armenia an opportunity to systemically impact and improve educational outcomes for Armenia’s most underserved students and provide an opportunity for outstanding graduates from Armenia and the Armenian diaspora to contribute to significant and meaningful development in their homeland. Today, Teach For Armenia is one of the most dynamic and effective educational organizations in Armenia, impacting over 30,000 students in more than 150 rural communities across the country through its rigorous programs. Since its launch in 2013, Teach For Armenia has garnered the support of Armenia’s Ministry of Education, principals, parents, students, leading Armenian universities, as well as private sector champions. Teach For Armenia is part of Teach For All, the global network of over 60 independent, locally led and funded partner organizations whose shared mission is to expand educational opportunity around the world by increasing and accelerating the impact of social enterprises that are cultivating the leadership necessary for change. For her contribution to the advancement of Armenia through her work with Teach For Armenia, Larisa was nationally recognized by the Armenian Government in September 2016. But it’s the dedication of her Teacher-Leaders, Alumni-Ambassadors, and the leadership of Armenia’s students that most drives Larisa in her quest.

Paruyr Hovhannisyan has been the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia since 2021. He held several posts related to EU-Armenia relations. He was the permanent representative of the Republic of Armenia in the Council of Europe from 2016 to 2021, and Head of the European Departmernt of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2014 to 2016. In addition, he was also the Deputy Head of the Mission of Armenia to the EU from 2005 to 2010. Hovhannisyan graduated from the Faculty of International Relations at Yerevan State Univeristy and completed his graduate studies in International Relations and Governance at St. John’s University. He is the author of a number of scientific articles and publications.

Tigran Hovhannisyan is the director of the Independent Center for Defence Studies. He began his career as a researcher at the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology within the National Academy of Science from 1989 to 1993. His military service included roles within the Infantry of the General Staff of the Armed Forces under the Ministry of Defence. He later served as the Defence Attache in Moscow, Russia, from 2009 to 2014, and in Tbilisi, Georgia, from 2018 to 2019. He also was a Military Advisor at Armenia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, USA, from 2019 to 2020. Achieving the rank of Colonel in 2007, Mr. Hovhannisyan retired in 2021 and subsequently established the Independent Center for Defence Studies in 2022, where he currently serves as Founder and Director.

Verej Isanians is a distinguished professional with extensive public policy development, project management, and international relations expertise. As an Advisor to the Minister of Economy of the Republic of Armenia, Mr. Isanians brings a wealth of experience and a strategic vision to the role. Mr. Isanians is a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy at Liberty University. His dissertation focuses on Iran’s decision-making process regarding its nuclear policy between 2013 and 2015, emphasizing the influence of key power centers and influential figures. He also earned a Master of Science in Quality Systems Management from Cambridge Global, New England College of Business and Finance. Certified as an International Project Manager by the American Academy of Project Management and a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt by the Juran Institute, Mr. Isanians has demonstrated a robust capability in managing complex projects and driving quality improvements. His passion for project management is evident in his ability to create detailed roadmaps and timelines, ensuring efficient and effective execution of initiatives. Mr. Isanians has a rich history of public service and academic involvement. As the Co-Founder and Chief Research Officer (CRO) of Nexus Intellect Research NGO and a senior editor for APRI Armenia, Mr. Isanians is committed to advancing research and policy development in Armenia. His work includes significant contributions to cybersecurity, economic research, and disaster response management. He has been instrumental in establishing innovative projects leveraging advanced AI technologies for conflict prediction and resource optimization in collaboration with CulturePulse. Mr. Isanians’ professional interests extend to climate resilience, technology transfer, and capacity development. He has been a driving force behind NIR NGO’s initiatives, including promoting sustainable growth, social impact, and democracy in Armenia. In addition to his advisory role, Mr. Isanians actively participates in international forums and conferences, sharing his insights on public policy, digital transformation, and economic development. He is dedicated to fostering a collaborative culture and values diversity, equity, and inclusion in all his endeavors. Mr. Isanians has recently co-authored insightful articles on Caucasus Watch, including: “”Russian Tourist vs. Western Visitor: EU Balancing Armenia’s Tourism Strategy”” “”Armenia’s Export Growth Potential Amid Russia’s Possible Economic Decline”” “”Armenia’s Economic Growth: Myth or Reality”””

Dr. Jrbashyan has more than 25 years of management advisory experience in key economic sectors of Armenia and is one of the leading experts in the fields of strategy development, design of sectoral reforms, implementation of institutional building activities. Currently Dr. Jrbashyan serves as Partner of Ameria Advisory, one of the top consulting firms in the region. In this capacity, he coordinated efforts for the elaboration of social sector reforms strategies, initiated discussions to design a comprehensive population and employment strategy document.

Vazgen Karapetyan is a development professional with 25 years of experience in international development, including 14 years in senior managerial positions. Vazgen has extensive experience in managing projects in Armenia and the South Caucasus funded by international donors, including but not limited to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the European Union (EU), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), and the United Kingdom. His project management experience goes hand-in-hand with an extensive experience in program planning, monitoring and evaluation, as well as the management of consortia comprising of local and foreign organizations, while maintaining equilibrium between the needs of the donor-funded projects and the sensitive local politics. Vazgen has an MA in Political Science from the American University of Armenia and a Non-degree Certificate in Public Policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.