Dear Friends and Colleagues,

After a thorough search and interviews with a number of qualified candidates, I’m pleased to announce the hiring of Raffi Doudaklian as TF Executive Director. He will be based in Yerevan, and will lead our operations in both Armenia and Artsakh, as well as our public relations.

Originally from Lebanon, Raffi has been active in Armenian affairs his whole life – first in Beirut, later in Los Angeles, Toronto, and finally Yerevan. Since 2008, he has been the Armenia Country Director for Mission East, a Danish development organization which works to help vulnerable populations. We are fortunate to have Raffi with us. He has a great track record and skill set for doing the job at the high levels we expect, and a proven dedication to the causes we fight for.

Raffi’s transition has already begun on a part-time basis, and by July we expect to have him with us full-time. During the coming weeks, he will work closely with our Board and staff to ensure a smooth and seamless transition. In the meantime, please join me in welcoming him.

Raffi will replace our long-time Executive Director, Antranig Kasbarian, who has played an instrumental role in TF’s growth and development. I’m happy to report that Antranig will remain with TF as a Board member and as Director of Development, supervising partnerships, fundraising, and special projects.

With these forthcoming changes, we look forward to expanding both our budget and our activities in support of Armenia and Artsakh. There is so much to do, and neither the urgency nor the needs seem to have diminished since we began almost 20 years ago. We thank you for partnering with us and the other great organizations we work with, as we enter this new phase of the Tufenkian Foundation’s work.

In solidarity,

James Tufenkian 
on behalf of the Tufenkian Foundation Team