PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Missionary Association of America
31 West Century Road
Paramus, NJ 07652
Tel: 201-265-2607
Fax: 201-265-6015
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Nazareth Darakjian Elected New President of the AMAA Board
PARAMUS, NJ-On December 5, the Board of Directors of the Armenian
Missionary Association of America (AMAA), inaccordance with the
association’s established policies and procedures, elected its new
officers as follows: Nazareth Darakjian, M.D., President; Michael
Voskian, D.M.D., Vice President; Thomas Momjian Esq. and Arsine
Phillips, Esq., Recording Secretaries; and Nurhan Helvacian, Ph.D.,
Treasurer.
Dr. Darakjian was born in Aleppo, Syria. At the age of 13 his family
moved to Beirut, Lebanon, where he graduated from the Armenian
Evangelical College. He continued his education at the American
University of Beirut (AUB), receiving his Bachelor of Science degree
in 1974 before entering the AUBMedical School. In 1976, escalations in
the civil war in Lebanon forced him and his family to emigrate to
Chicago. There, he continued his medical education at Loyola
University School of Medicine and received his M.D. Cum Laude in
1978. He was also inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical
Society and the Alpha Sigma Nu Jesuit Honor Society. He further
carried out his postgraduate studies in Ophthalmology, again at Loyola
University of Chicago. In 1982 Dr. Darakjian moved to Southern
California, where he started a private practice specializing in
diseases and surgery of the eye.
Dr. Darakjian is an active member of the United Armenian
Congregational Church, Los Angeles. For many years he has served on
the Board of Directors of the Merdinian Armenian Evangelical School of
Sherman Oaks, CA as Treasurer. Currently he is the Chairman of the
Dilijan Chamber Music Series, associated with the Lark Musical Society
of Glendale, CA. Dr. Darakjian has been serving on the AMAA Board for
several year, most recently as its Vice President. He is also a member
of several AMAA Committees.
Dr. Nazareth Darakjian is married to Dr. Ani Darakjian and they have
two sons, Haig and Ara.
The AMAA was founded in Worcester, Mass. in 1918 and incorporated in
New York in 1920 with the purpose of strengthening and supporting the
Armenian people in their Christian faith and to encourage religious
education as well as literary and philanthropic work. Since its
founding, the AMAA has expanded its programs of educational,
evangelistic, relief, social services, church, and child care
ministries to 24 countries around the world.
For more information about the AMAA ministries, visit or
call the AMAA headquarters at (201) 265-2607.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
