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.

  

• Rami Apelian, MD, MPH

  Rami G. Apelian, M.D., M.P.H. is a triple board certified neurologist in private practice in Arcadia, CA. He has subspecialty board certifications in Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology. He also has an additional qualification in Neurosonology and is eligible for an additional qualification in Headache Medicine. A Southern California native, Dr. Apelian completed his undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree at UC San Diego where he majored in Animal Physiology and Neuroscience in 2000. He graduated from Tulane University in 2006 with a Doctor of Medicine degree and a Master of Public Health with a focus on Health Systems Management. While in New Orleans, he served as a board member of the Louisiana State Medical Society and as a Delegate to the American Medical Association. Following graduation, he completed his Internal Medicine internship at Tulane University and Charity Hospitals in New Orleans. In 2007, he returned home to Los Angeles and completed his four-year neurology residency at LAC+USC Medical Center. He was named Chief Resident during the 2009-2010 academic year. After residency, he completed a Clinical Neurophysiology fellowship at LAC+USC Medical Center, making him eligible for the subspecialty board exam which he completed in 2013. He subsequently certified in Epilepsy in 2016. He is a graduate of the exclusive J. Kiffin Penry Epilepsy Minifellowship which he completed in 2010 and completed subsequent education in Neuromodulation in the same program in 2018. He is current voluntary teaching faculty in the Department of Neurology at the Keck USC School of Medicine. He has served as a subinvestigator on a number of clinical trials and is currently serving as a consultant for multiple industry products across the neurological spectrum of disease. He remains an active member of the American Medical Association, the Armenian American Medical Society, the American Academy of Neurology, American Headache Society and the American Epilepsy Society. His interests are in migraine headaches and adult epilepsy, particularly in new-onset epilepsy in patients above the age of 65 affected by other neurological diseases, and recurrent episodes that have not been thoroughly evaluated.

  

• Boris Bagdasarian, DO

  Dr. Boris Bagdasarian completed his undergraduate studies at CSU and the University of Southern California. His medical school training was conducted at the Western University of Health Sciences where he graduated Magna Cum laude. Dr. Bagdasarian was chief resident in Internal Medicine at the White Memorial Medical Center and continued to specialize in Hematology, Oncology and Bone marrow transplantation at the renowned City of Hope National Medical Center and UCLA where he was chief fellow. He currently serves as parliamentarian and has served as Vice-President, and President of the Armenian American Medical Society of California 2001-2009. He is previous president of LACMA district four, currently a delegate for California Medical Association. He is member of the board of governors at the Glendale Adventist Medical Center. He was recognized among the top oncologists in the US by the Scientific Research Council of America from 2007-2009. Dr. Bagdasarian is former associate professor at University of Southern California department of hematology/oncology, currently the managing partner of the Los Angeles Cancer Network. Appointed to the list of super docs featured in Los Angeles magazine since 2015.

  

• Silva Karchikian, MD

  Dr. Silva Karchikian graduated from Yerevan State Medical School in 1972 and worked as an Internist in the small town of Vardenik, Martuni where she gained invaluable experience as a Physician and a community activist. Dr. Karchikian successfully passed all the state requirements and in 1984 became licensed to practice medicine in California. While working at UCLA-Wadsworth VA Hospital in clinical research in Diabetes, she began her private practice in Hollywood and later in the Glendale area. Over the past 10 years Dr. Karchikian focused on studying the role of lifestyle intervention in prevention of chronic diseases. Currently she has a Private Practice in Glendale, where she brings her knowledge and skills to serve the community. Dr. Karchikian was involved in founding the American Russian Medical Association where she continues to serve as an honorary member. In 1988 Dr. Karchikian became actively involved in AAMSC as a board member and went on to lead the organization as President from 1992-1996. Dr. Karchikian currently serves on the AAMS’ Executive Committee.

  

• Oganes Karapetian, DDS

  

• Jenia Jasmine Tahmasian, PharmD