Teachers from the Shiraktsy Lyceum Receive TESOL Certificates through AMVN

Darina Andreeva

Darina Andreeva holds a Bachelors degree in German and English instruction fromo the Herzen State Pedagogical university of Russia in St. Petersburg. She is in the process of gaining a Masters degree in the same field. Teaching is one of her biggest passions. She is adventurous and ready to learn. Darina has experience working with kids of different ages as well as adults. At this point, she is set to dedicate her life to educating and enlightening the lives of her students with skills and knowledge. Darina has been working with AMVN for two years now. Her main focus is speaking clubs. She is sticking to the “unspoken” rule that every class has to be entertaining yet contain some learning value to it.

Alberto Salvatierra

Emilio Alberto Salvatierra is from Tucumán, Argentina. Alberto studies human rights at USPT University of San Pablo Tucumán. He is also studying Armenian Studies at UNR National University of Rosario Argentina. Alberto has been working with AMVN for 2 years teaching Spanish to Armenian students.

Alberto is super interested about Armenian history, politics, international relations, culture and language. He has experience living, studying and working in different countries including the Netherlands, Egypt, and the United States.

In his free time, Alberto likes to learn news languages and do research about human rights around the world. Currently he is writing a human rights thesis about the Armenian Genocide.

Tatevik Kerobyan

Tatevik Kerobyan was born in Armenia and currently lives and works in Germany. She graduated from the Yerevan State Academy of Fine Arts (Design faculty), Moscow State Art school after V. A. Serov. Her studies landed her work opportunities in art and design.

Tatevik currently works as a freelancer graphic designer and illustrator with European and US companies and authors.

In her free time she enjoys traveling, photography, paper cutting and oil-painting.

Kristina Terian

Kristina Terian holds a Masters degree in English and German instruction from the Yerevan State Brusov University of Foreign Languages and Social Sciences. She also has a TESL certificate (Teaching English as a Second Language) from Oxford Seminars in the USA. Kristina Terian started her career as a lecturer at Yerevan Brusov State University of Languages and Social Sciences. Kristina has taught English as a second language to local and international students for over 17 years in her home country of Armenia, in Russia, and in the United States. From 2006-2018 she was a lecturer at the European University in Armenia. She is a skilled teacher in all aspects of the English language – reading, writing, grammar, and conversation.

Kristina also co-authored the book “Insight into International Relations”.

Kristina is a passionate educator who constantly seeks new ways to make learning fun for students. She enjoys teaching people of many different cultures, ages, and backgrounds.

She has a sociable, motivating, and fun personality. Besides her work for AMVN, she also teaches ESL courses at Johnson County Community College.

Seroj Terian

Seroj has 15 years of experience working in nonprofit organizations and NGOs. He holds degrees in Mathematics and English from the University of Kansas.

From 1994-1997, he served as Country Director in Armenia for a large international NGO. He helped to start and implement several major programs in Armenia during that time. For the past 12 years he has worked for Jewish Family Services in Kansas City as part of their older adult program bringing needed services to older members of the community.

In his free time, he enjoys traveling with his lovely wife and silversmithing. He is an avid motorcycle enthusiast and enjoys restoring and racing motorcycles of many types.

Astghik Altunyan

Astghik Altunyan was born in Armenia, and currently lives in Canada. She graduated from the Yerevan State Linguistic University, and completed her TESOL Certification at the University of Toronto and her DELTA Diploma with the University of Cambridge. She is an experienced EFL and ESL instructor and has also worked as a program director and curriculum developer.

Astghik currently works as a language assessor for the British Council and English Testing Canada in Toronto. She designed the TESOL Certification program for AMVN and is now training Armenian instructors of the English language. Astghik also provides training and support for our AMVN volunteer teachers.

Renee Lemon

Renee Lemon is currently a Business Intelligence leader with extensive technical and managerial experience associated with data preparation, analytics platforms, and BI solutions.

Prior to her career in technology, Renee earned a Master’s Degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from the University of Central Missouri. For a number of years, she worked as an educator for the Applied Language Institute at the University of Missouri – Kansas City and Penn Valley Community College campuses teaching English courses including Grammar, Reading/Writing, Speaking/Listening, and more at all levels from beginner to advanced. During her time teaching, she had the opportunity to travel and deliver multiple professional teaching presentations across the country as well as in Brazil and Canada.

Outside of work, Renee enjoys spending time with her sweetheart, Arch, their families, and friends. She loves learning new things and especially enjoys outdoor adventures such as hiking, boating, and fishing.

Vartan Jamharian

Vartan has been the head of the foreign student department at European University in Yerevan since 2004. He is an experienced specialist in oriental studies and has worked in a variety of policy and leadership roles in the Armenian educational system. His knowledge of matters affecting foreign students and visitors — from financial aid, work permits and special advising — is encyclopedic.

Vartan helps students find the most appropriate department and assists them in succeeding both academically and professionally.

He is also the founder of the first Armenian perfume factory in Armenia, Jamharyan Collection.

He is always seeking ways to advance Armenia’s educational and economic development.

Lilit A. Voskanyan, MD, PhD

As Chief of Glaucoma Surgery at the Malayan Ophthalmological Center in Yerevan, Dr. Voskanyan sees more than 50 patients a day. In her role as a surgeon, she performs about 15-17 surgeries a week. Her responsibilities also include teaching, supervising about 10 doctors in her clinic and holding lectures for over 100 medical students each year.

Dr. Voskanyan attended the Yerevan State University Medical Facility and graduated with honors. She did her three-year surgical residency at the Ordinatura Eye Diseases & Microsurgery Center in Yerevan, receiving a Certificate of Ophthalmologist with honors. From 1991 to 1998, she trained in the Glaucoma Department at the Republican Eye Hospital (now the Malayan Ophthalmological Center).

In 1999, Dr. Voskyanyan was selected as an AECP-AAMOS Scholar and did a one-year research fellowship in the medical and surgical treatment of glaucoma at the University of California, Irvine, with Dr. Richard Hill.

When Dr. Voskanyan isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her kids, especially talking with them about life.

Gagik Stepan-Sarkissian, BS, PhD

Gagik Stepan-Sarkissian is a retired biochemist. He has taught and led research groups at Teheran State University and the University of Sheffield before moving to the private sector working in biotechnology and agribusiness across Europe. He developed the first Armenian syllabus for the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office and taught there over several years. He is the Librarian, Research Advisor and East Armenian teacher at the Armenian Institute in London.

Dr. Abraham Terian

Dr. Terian is Emeritus Professor of Armenian Theology and Patristics at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary, New York, where he also served as Academic Dean and edited the St. Nersess Theological Review for 12 years (1997–2008, the only Western-language periodical on Armenian Theology). Prior to his time at St. Nersess, he was Professor of Inter-testamental and Early Christian Literatures at Andrews University for twenty years (1973–93), and for four years a recurring Visiting Professor for Armenian and Hellenistic Studies at the University of Chicago (1984–88). He is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of Hellenistic, early Christian and medieval Armenian studies, fields in which he has published extensively. He became the first recipient of the Fulbright Distinguished Chair in the Humanities award during his year as a Fulbright Scholar and Visiting Professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2005–6), In 2008 he was elected a Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia (Philologist), in 2016 a Fellow of the Ambrosian Academy of Milan (Orientalist), and in 2018 a Fellow of the National Humanities Center, USA (Classicist).

Hasmik Torosyan, PhD

Hasmik is a native Armenian and she cannot imagine her life outside her motherland. She started her career at the French University in Armenia as an English translator and interpreter in 2001. She has been a professor at the European University in Armenia since 2003. She has been the director of the Eurolingua International Language Institute since 2004. Hasmik was the head of the foreign language department of the European school foundation in Armenia from 2018 to 2020. She set up the international Pearson program and became exam officer for the iprimary curriculum. Hasmik has been teaching psychology courses “ Psychology of Aggression”, “Personality Psychology”, “Introduction Psychology” in English to foreign students of the European University in Armenia since 2017.

Hasmik is distinguished by her ability to identify, leverage, and develop perspective specialists. Throughout her career, she has helped clients, peers, and subordinates recognize their unique capabilities and position themselves as “A” players by addressing career strategy, leadership development, professional positioning, and visibility. She has a contagious enthusiasm and passionate belief in people that inspires them to become prouder, stronger, and more valuable contributors to their professions.

Hasmik co-authored the book “Insight into international relations”. She has also written different articles about education.

She has partnered with different NGOs such as Armenian Volunteer Corps (AVS), Birthright Armenia, Future is yours, and others.

Liana Grigoryan

Liana is a teacher of German. She has been teaching German over 18 years.

Liana has a master’s degree in German language and psychology . She graduated from Yerevan Brusov State University of Foreign Languages and Social Sciences.

In 1999 Liana spent 3 months in Germany volunteering at the”Lehel” nursing home in Munich.

She also worked as a translator for “STETON” from 2000-2013. From 2002-2007 she was a lecturer at the Yerevan State Humanitarian College. Liana currently works at Eurolingua International Institute as a German instructor. She is an enthusiastic teacher, full of new and interesting ideas.

In 2014 Liana went to Austria to participate in the “Kultur und Sprache” seminar. She is always eager to share her knowledge and experience with her students.

Liana is fond of travelling. She loves to get acquainted with other countries and cultures and have an opportunity to touch the lives of other people.

Teachers from the Shiraktsy Lyceum Receive TESOL Certificates through AMVN

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