Public Education Leadership
Sahakian is a Board of Education member and Past President of the Glendale Unified School District. He became the youngest School Board member elected in Glendale history in 2017. He was re-elected to his second term in 2022. He served as the Board President twice during his tenure.
He championed 21st century academic programs for college, career, and life success through the expansion of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics) programs, implementation of Financial Literacy curriculum, expansion of Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs, development of Career Technical Education (CTE) opportunities, and expansion of Early Childhood Education programs.
He fostered healthy, safe, and inclusive schools for all through the expansion of Mental Health Services & Support programs, establishment of the Student Wellness Services department, implementation of Wellness Centers on school campuses, expansion of Parent & Family Engagement opportunities, and founding of the award-winning Student Voice Panels programs.
He spearheaded government reforms to strengthen public education by authoring the Board’s first Term Limits measure to promote democratic representation and responsive governance, reshaping the District’s Curriculum & Textbook Adoption process to promote collaboration and partnership, establishing the District’s first Board Training policy to promote professional development and effective leadership, authoring the District’s first Code of Ethics for Board members to promote the highest standards of ethical conduct, and authoring the State of California’s first Ethics Complaint Procedure to promote accountability, transparency, and public trust.
He served two terms as a Delegate Assembly member of the California School Boards Association (CSBA), the leading statewide organization representing the elected officials who govern public school districts and county offices of education. He was elected by neighboring School Boards to represent more than a dozen school districts and more than 100,000 students in the region. He served on the Improving Conditions of Children policy pillar committee and advocated for public education at the state and federal level.
Community Leadership
Sahakian led a life of service from an early age and held many leadership roles to serve the public and give back to the community.
He served as the Chair of the City of Glendale Arts & Culture Commission, Chair of Glendale Youth Alliance, President of Glendale Parks & Open Space Foundation, Vice President of Kiwanis Club of Glendale, Board member of Ascencia, and Board member of The Campbell Center. He was a Co-Founder of Glendale Young Professionals, a leadership and mentorship program through the Glendale Chamber of Commerce. He was a Co-Founder of Glendale Dodger Night, a longstanding community event held annually by the Los Angeles Dodgers and City of Glendale. He currently serves as a Youth Baseball Coach at Foothill Little League.
He is a proud Armenian American, son of immigrants, and descendent of Armenian Genocide survivors. He was a Co-Organizer of the Armenian Genocide Centennial March for Justice, one of the largest public gatherings in Los Angeles history with more than 166,000 participants. In the past, he served as the Co-Chair of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Professional Network and served as a Workshop Leader at TUMO Center for Creative Technologies in Armenia. He has been an advocate for Genocide Education in public schools and the founding of Armenian American Heritage Month at the District.
His professional career began as a young entrepreneur at the age of fourteen when he founded his own digital agency serving businesses and non-profit organizations with design, communications, and technology services. He served as the inaugural Executive Director of the Armenian American Museum and Cultural Center of California, a world class cultural and educational institution with the mission of inspiring future generations.
Awards & Recognition
Sahakian’s leadership has been recognized with numerous honors over the years.
In 2016, he became the first Armenian American to be honored with the prestigious Man of the Year Award from the Glendale Chamber of Commerce.
He is the recipient of the Hope Diamond Award from Glendale Educational Foundation, Community Award from Character & Ethics Project, Hero Award from Glendale Youth Alliance, and Purple Tie Award from YWCA Glendale & Pasadena.
Hometown Roots
Sahakian is a proud lifelong resident of Glendale, product of Glendale public schools, and District parent with deep roots in the community.
He has earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Art & Graphic Design with a Marketing Minor from California State University, Northridge (CSUN) and a Certificate in Marketing from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA Extension).
He is most proud of his role as a father and husband. He and his wife, Suzanna, reside in Glendale with their son, Raffi, and daughter, Lori.
