Ani Boghikian-Kasparian, M.A., M.A.T.
Vice-Chair
Ani Boghikian-Kasparian’s long-term commitment to Armenian Genocide education and the preservation of its historical record has made a lasting impact on how this pivotal event is understood and remembered. Serving as a dedicated member of the Armenian Genocide Education Committee (AGEC) of Michigan (2016–present) and the Governor’s Council on Genocide and Holocaust Education’s Education and Resources Committee (2017–2018), she played a pivotal role, directly contributing to the landmark inclusion of the Armenian Genocide in Michigan’s revised high school social studies standards. Through ongoing collaborations with school districts, Boghikian-Kasparian actively organizes teacher training workshops, empowering educators to bring this crucial history to their students.
Beyond formal education, Boghikian-Kasparian serves as President of the Houshamadyan Educational Association-Board of Directors (USA), the American arm of the impactful Houshamadyan Project (Houshamadyan.org). In this leadership role, she passionately engages the community in digitally sharing family histories, artifacts, and cultural memories to help reconstruct Armenian life under Ottoman colonial rule, fostering a powerful connection to the past while also revitalizing pre-genocide Armenian culture and traditions for present and future generations before they are lost forever.
Boghikian-Kasparian is a dedicated advocate for the Armenian voices of the past, working as a translator and editor of survivor testimonies, letters, and diaries, ensuring these crucial narratives reach and resonate with broader audiences. Her commitment to education is further underscored by her years teaching Western Armenian at the University of Michigan-Dearborn (2002-2020), where she remains affiliated with the Armenian Research Center. She also served as a board member for the Society of Armenian Studies. Her diverse academic background, encompassing degrees in Psychology, Sociology, Counseling, and Education, provides a rich and nuanced perspective to her impactful work. She is an independent researcher with a focus on the Armenian minorities who lived in Western Armenian provinces post-Genocide.
Through her multifaceted engagement, Ani Boghikian-Kasparian ensures that the lessons of the Armenian Genocide remain a vital part of our collective memory and contribute significantly to a global understanding and remembrance of the Armenian Genocide and to ultimately become a source for prevention of genocides across the world.