Team
Mark Arslan
Mark Arslan is a 2nd generation American whose paternal grandfather immigrated to the United States in 1906 from the kaza of Keghi, a vilayet of Erzurum, Turkey. He started researching his own Armenian roots in 1971, established the Armenian DNA Project in 2005 and expanded his research of Armenian genealogy to include the entire North American diaspora (for the period prior to 1930) with the Armenian Immigration Project database.
Nick Boyajian
With a background in computing, design, and customer experience, Nick has spent his career building world-class technical support and operations teams for some of the most innovative companies in US including Apple, Google, Zocdoc, and Flatiron Health. He is the co-founder and COO of sexual wellness brand Wild Flower, as well as the COO of animation computer-vision software company Cadmium.
Gregory Jundanian
Gregory Jundanian grew up in Whitinsville, and is a second generation Armenian whose ancestors immigrated to the United States from the villages of Parchanj and Arapkir, both of the Kharpert region of ancient Armenia, now central Turkey. He is a photographer with a focus on identity and community, and is actively involved as one of the founders in Three Squares New England, a hunger relief non-profit serving greater Boston.
Jeff Kalousdian
Jeff Kalousdian grew up in Whitinsville as a child within the tight-knit Armenian neighborhoods of New Village and recently returned to his home town from Rhode Island five years ago. He was active in the Whitinsville Rosdom Chapter of the Armenian Youth Federation as a teenager and more recently, has visited Armenia twenty times. His grandfather, Yesayee (Epkimizian) Kalousdian established roots in Whitinsville in 1914.
Lisa Misakian
Lisa Misakian’s Whitinsville roots stretch back to the late 19th century when her paternal grandfather first arrived from Parchanj, Kharpert. Other grandparents followed from Khultik, Bitlis, and from Sivas and Yarasar in Sepastia. Lisa’s parents were born in Whitinsville in the 1920’s, part of the first generation of Armenian Americans born to genocide survivors in town. Although the family relocated to Connecticut in 1973, Whitinsville remained close to their hearts. Lisa is retired from a long career of guiding human resources strategies for globally operating nonprofits.
Nicole Tariverdian
Nicole is a User Experience Designer with a background in fine art and interior design. Her interest in exploring the intersection of fine art, user experience design and technology is expressed in both her professional and personal endeavors. Nicole earned BFA from Cornell University and MFA from Mass. College of Art and Design. She has experience working with historical photographic archives as well as teaching fine art and design.