Executive Committee

About Us

Executive Committee

Friends of AAMS

• Kevin G. Galstyan, MD, FACOG

  Dr. Kevin Galstyan is a graduate of Yerevan State Medical University; received his medical degree in 1996. He completed his Internship in General Surgery at the University of Illinois Metropolitan Group Hospital program; he then completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Mount Sinai Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois in 2006. Dr. Galstyan is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is an assistant professor at Midwestern University, AZCOM. Dr. Galstyan is currently in private practice at Glendale Memorial Hospital and Medical Center. As of January 2017, Dr. Galstyan has been serving as the chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Glendale Memorial Medical Center.  His expertise includes obstetrical care, gynecologic diseases and related outpatient and inpatient procedures.

  Dr. Galstyan has been an active member of the Armenian American Medical Society for the past 10 years and currently serves as the President of the executive committee of the organization. 

  

• Vicken Sepilian, MD, FACOG

  Dr. Vicken Sepilian is a Reproductive Medicine specialist and is the founder and director of American Fertility Specialists Medical Group. He is double board-certified in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, as well as Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Sepilian has been an active member of the Armenian American Medical Society (AAMS) holding multiple leadership positions, including serving as the President from 2009 to 2013. Dr. Sepilian served as the Chairman of the 11th Armenian Medical World Congress and currently is the President of the Armenian Medical International Congress (AMIC), a nonprofit organization with chapters all over the world, with the aim of coordinating global efforts in improving healthcare in Armenia. Passionate about community education, in 2008, Dr. Sepilian launched the “Your Health” educational TV program aimed at sharing with the community the latest and most important healthcare topics. Since 2008, the show has been making house calls to tens of thousands of viewers helping educate them on preventative care and healthy lifestyles. In 2010, Dr. Sepilian, alongside other civic leaders and the former Mayor of the City of Glendale co-founded the Glendale Health Festival. Dr. Sepilian worked closely with city and state officials and local hospitals to organize this large-scale event with the aim to improve the health of the community. Dr. Sepilian is a strong believer that success and wealth are measured by life’s experiences and human interactions and that true happiness and purpose are achieved by giving. Cherished memories include debates about life and death with Dr. Jack Kevorkian, delivering pens to students in villages in Sri Lanka and teaching chess to orphans in Nepal.

  

• Elizabeth Zoryan, RN

  

• Garni Barkhoudarian, MD, FAANS

  Garni Barkhoudarian, MD, FAANS, is a board-certified, fellowship-trained neurosurgeon with a focus on skull base and minimally invasive endoscopic surgery. Dr. Barkhoudarian has particular interest and expertise in pituitary and parasellar tumors, brain tumors, skull-base tumors (including meningiomas, craniopharyngiomas, chordomas and schwannomas), intra-ventricular brain tumors, colloid cysts, trigeminal neuralgia, hemifacial spasm and other vascular compression syndromes. For virtually all tumors and intracranial procedures, Dr. Barkhoudarian applies the keyhole concept of minimizing collateral damage to the brain and its supporting structures using advanced neuroimaging and neuro-navigation techniques along with endoscopy to improve targeting and lesion visualization.

  Along with Drs. Marisa Chang and Daniel Franc, Dr. Barkhoudarian leads the Pacific Facial Pain Center, which offers a 360-degree approach to trigeminal neuralgia, hemifacial spasm, glossopharyngeal spasm and other facial pain syndromes. This includes medication therapy, percutaneous procedures, stereotactic radiosurgery and endoscopic microvascular decompression of the trigeminal or facial nerves.

  As Director of the Pacific Adult Hydrocephalus Center, he works with Dr. Daniel Franc to treat patients with various condition involving cerebrospinal fluid anomalies. This includes hydrocephalus (obstructive, acquired and normal pressure), colloid cysts, cerebrospinal fluid leaks, intracranial hypotension and idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

  Dr. Barkhoudarian’s research interests include evaluating outcomes of pituitary and brain tumor surgery. He is also involved in the biomarkers research program for pituitary adenomas, meningiomas and metastatic brain tumors, as well as evaluating potential mechanisms and markers of invasive and atypical tumor progression. He is an investigator in a number of clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of various medical or chemotherapies for pituitary tumors and malignant brain tumors.

  As director of the JWCI / PNI Microdissection Anatomy Laboratory, he conducts neuroanatomical analysis, advancing the procedures and technology used for minimally invasive surgery. Research fellows from around the world perform observational fellowships for periods of 3-6 months at a time, allowing them to learn these techniques and apply them in their home countries. In collaboration with Dr. Daniel Kelly, PNI Director, Dr. Barkhoudarian also oversees the Clinical Neurosurgical Fellowship.

  Career Highlights

  Dr. Barkhoudarian graduated from UCLA in 2000 and received his medical education at the University of Michigan Medical School in 2005. He completed his neurosurgical residency at the UCLA Medical Center. He completed a Pituitary and Neuroendoscopy Fellowship with Dr. Edward Laws, at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in 2012. He is a member of the American Academy of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), the International Society of Pituitary Surgeons (ISPS) and the Armenian American Medical Society (AAMS). He is a board member of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), where he works with national colleagues to improve research, education and patient care in neurosurgery. He is an advisory board member of the Self-Assessment in Neurological Surgery (SANS) committee, writing questions to help advance the knowledge of neurosurgeons in training and in practice. Additionally, he is vice-chair of the education committee for the CNS, preparing educational content to advance neurosurgical care worldwide.

  

• Jenia Jasmine Tahmasian, PharmD

  Dr. Jasmine Jenia Tahmasian is a trained pharmacist and the owner of Glendale Urgent Care Pharmacy, serving the greater Glendale area since 2009.  She received her PharmD Degree from Western University of Health Sciences in 2007 and her passion for helping the community led her to acquire her pharmacy alongside her husband, who is also a pharmacist.  She is actively involved in her community through various programs, including offering internships and externships to pharmacy students in cooperation with pharmacy schools across the greater Los Angeles area.  Her passion to serve her community has led her to join many service organizations, including the NCPA and the CPHA.  Most passionately, she has been a member of the AAMS since 2009, on which she currently serves as a Board Member and through which she is actively involved in a number of humanitarian projects near to her heart.  Dr. Tahmasian speaks five languages and lives in the community in which she serves along with her loving husband and wonderful two boys.  

  

• Ara Airapetian, MD

  Ara Airapetian, MD is practicing in Family Medicine at Comprehensive Community Health Centers for 15 years. Comprehensive Community Health Centers (CCHC) are Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and provide healthcare services at 5 practice locations throughout LA County, mainly in Glendale, N. Hollywood, Eagle Rock, Highland Park and Sunland. Since 2015 Dr. Airapetian is the Medical Director at CCHC. With his dedicated work with patients at CCHC, Dr. Airapetian emphasizes the importance of preventive care and focuses on how people can maintain a healthy lifestyle. Dr. Ara Airapetian graduated from Yerevan State Medical University with a degree of Medical Doctor in Internal Medicine in 1981. He dedicated his vast medical knowledge and experience to patient care for many years in Armenia. Along with patient care, Dr. Airapetian had been also actively involved in scientific research in medicine for many years and was an author of multiple publications of research articles in various medical journals and periodicals both in Armenia and Russia. After moving to United States, Dr. Airapetian had successfully completed his Residency training at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and obtained his Doctor of Medicine license in CA in 2004. Dr. Airapetian is active Member of American Academy of Family Physicians, Armenian American Medical Society, etc. He is currently the Chairman of both Quality Improvement Committee and Credentialing Committee and member of different other Committees at CCHC. Dr. Ara Airapetian has hospital privileges and is a member of medical staff at both Adventist Health-Glendale and Glendale Memorial Health Centers.

  

• Harry Balian, MD, FACC, FSCAI

  Harry Balian, MD, FACC, FSCAI, received his Medical Degree from Chicago Medical School in 1997. He completed his Internal Medicine Residency at the University of California, Irvine where he also served as Chief Resident. Completed his Cardiology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine where he served as Chief Fellow. Dr. Balian completed his Interventional Cardiology and Vascular training at the George Washington University in Washington DC. Dr. Balian specializes in the treatment of heart disease, coronary artery percutaneous interventions and pacemaker insertions. He also performs peripheral vascular interventions including carotid stents, endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm stents, renal stents and lower extremity angioplasties. Dr. Balian is board certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Diseases, Nuclear Cardiology, Interventional Cardiology and Vascular Medicine. Dr Balian is the Chairman of department of cardiology since 2015 and the Director of Structural Heart Program at Glendale Adventist, he started the TAVR (percutaneous aortic valve replacement) program since 2016. Dr. Balian is and has been a member of the Executive Committee of AAMS Since 2006. He is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the Society of Coronary angioplasty and Interventions and the American Heart Association. He has been the Medical Director of the Cardiac Cath Lab at Glendale Adventist Heart & Vascular Institute since 2006 and past Medical Director of the Peripheral Vascular Lab at St Vincent Hospital. He is an Associate Clinical Professor at Western University School of Medicine.

  

• Oganes Karapetian, DDS

  

• Astkhik Zakian, PharmD

  Dr. Astkhik Zakian is a Sr. Clinical Pharmacist at IngenioRx, Anthem’s pharmacy benefit manager (PBM). She has over 17 years of clinical and operational experience working at Anthem’s health plan and PBM, to support various initiatives involving Specialty Pharmacy and Pharmacy benefit designs. Dr. Astkhik Zakian received her Bachelor’s of Science degree from UCLA, and her Pharm.D. from the University of Southern California. Dr. Zakian is an active member of the Armenian American Medical Society, Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, and other medical and pharmacy communities. She has provided countless guest lectures at CME seminars, California pharmacy schools and at other medical professional settings.