BURBANK—The current Vice President and longtime Burbank Unified School District Board member, Dr. Armond Aghakhanian, announced his candidacy for re-election to the Burbank Unified School District Board of Education Area 5. He is a proud Burbank resident, parent, and teacher, bringing a unique blend of over 25 years of experience in education, business, and public service.
First elected in 2015, Dr. Aghakhanian’s focus has been on providing safe, healthy, and equitable educational opportunities for every student, teacher, staff member, and parent in our public schools. A longtime community activist, teacher, and advocate for education during the past nine years, Dr. Aghakhanian has been instrumental in passing the first Armenian Genocide Resolution commemorating April 24th as the day of remembrance at the Burbank School District and adoption of Resolution 14, with the Board and the district standing in Solidarity with the People of Armenia and Artsakh to Condemn Azerbaijan and Turkey’s Aggression during the 2020 conflict to name a few.
Dr. Aghakhanian is the former President of the Armenian American Chamber of Commerce, a former Board member of the Armenian Relief Center, a former member of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry Advisory Board, a former California State University Northridge’s Armenian Student Association Executive Board member, co-founder of the USANOUGH periodical of the Armenian Students News Media and longtime member of the Homenetmen Burbank “Sipan” Chapter where his son, Arameh, is a scout.
During his nine years on the school board, Dr. Aghakhanian has focused on ensuring safe, wholesome, and equitable educational opportunities for every student, teacher, staff member, and parent in our public schools. His contributions, including addressing crucial issues such as mental health, technical education, higher education, equity, diversity, and inclusion, have had a profound impact on our district. He played a pivotal role in co-founding the BUSD Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee and the Sustainability Committee. Looking to the future, he is dedicated to finalizing the establishment of the first joint Center for Business, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Incubator, a partnership he started between the Burbank School District and the City of Burbank.
His endorsements include:
- Congressmember Adam Schiff;
- Congressmember Judy Chu;
- CA State Superintendent of Instruction Tony Thurmond;
- CA State Treasurer Fiona Ma;
- LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger;
- CA State Senator Caroline Menjivar;
- CA State Assemblymember Laura Friedman;
- Burbank Teachers Association;
- CA State Employees Association Burbank Chapter 867;
- Burbank School Board President Dr. Emily Weisberg;
- Burbank School Board Clerk Abby Pontzer Kamkar;
- Burbank School Board member Charlene Tabet;
- Burbank Mayor Nick Schultz;
- Burbank Vice Mayor Nikki Perez;
- Burbank Councilmember Zizette Mullins;
- Burbank Mayor (ret.) Jess Talamantes;
- Burbank Mayor (ret.) Anja Reinke;
- Burbank Councilmember (ret.) Timothy Murphy;
- Burbank Park, Recreation and Community Services Board Chair Ara Messerlian;
- State Assemblymember and State Majority Leader (ret.) Dario Frommer;
- Glendale Unified School District Board President Shant Sahakian;
- Glendale College Board of Trustees Vice President Yvette Vartanian Davis;
- Glendale College Board of Trustees Clerk Dr. Armine Hacopian;
- Glendale College Board of Trustees Member Sevan Benlian;
- Glendale City Clerk Suzie Abajian;
- City of Sierra Madre Councilmember (ret.) and CA State Assembly District 4 candidate John Harabedian and more…
“I am deeply honored by the endorsement of many community leaders, teachers, school employees, elected officials, and organizations, reaffirming my dedication to education. I believe that our schools are the foundation of our community, and I have spent my life working towards this belief, but these are challenging times for our district. We’re facing state budget cuts, enrollment attrition, and increasing infrastructure costs. Now, more than ever, we need to unite to navigate our challenges and build a better future for our district. Now, more than ever, we need leadership with experience,” said Dr. Aghakhanian.
Dr. Aghakhanian’s priorities are academic excellence, fiscal responsibility and funding, school safety, environmental sustainability, increasing mental health resources, adding additional career technical courses, supporting dual enrollment, and infrastructure improvements.
He received his bachelor’s degree in political science from California State University Northridge, a master’s degree in business administration from Woodbury University, and a Doctorate from Pepperdine University.
Dr. Aghakhanian is a proud Burbank homeowner living with his wife, Gayane, a local pharmacist, and their son, Arameh, a seventh grader at John Muir Middle School.
For more information about Dr. Aghakhanian’s re-election campaign and endorsements, please visit the website or follow him on Instagram or Facebook.
