This is an archive of a past election.
See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/state/ for current information.
Los Angeles County, CA November 4, 2008 Election
Smart Voter Full Biography for Armineh Chelebian

Candidate for
Member of the State Assembly; District 40

[photo]
This information is provided by the candidate

Armineh Safarian Chelebian's parents moved their four daughters to USA in Feb 1978 with the hopes of providing a better life and future for all of them.

Her family chose San Fernando Valley as home from day one, and for the first few months as they were waiting for the escrow to their new house in Tarzana to be closed, they made home living in Best Western, Canoga Bowl in Winnetka CA. Where 30 years later, life would bring Armineh back full circle and she would end up having her campaign kick off for her Assembly races in the same hotel's convention center, and Winnetka would also be where she, her husband and two children have resided for the past 10 years and where she has been elected and serving on the Board of Winnetka Neighborhood Council for the past three years.

At the age of 16, in the middle of her 11th grade, she had to leave behind most of her life long friends at Nevart Goulbengian Marie Manoogian elementary/middle/high school; and now had to look forward to making new friendships at Ferrahian High School in Encino, along with learning, adjusting and adapting to a new environment, culture and way of life.

She was placed straight in to the second semester of the 11th grade along with all the other American born, English speaking students. She now had to work twice as hard compared to the other students in order to obtain good grades and maintain a high GPA, as English was her third language.

When studying she had to have a dictionary next to her at all times in order to be able to translate and understand the meaning of the words. She did it!

With hard work and determination she graduated at top of her class.

After graduating, Armineh was accepted to Californian State University Northridge- C.S.U.N. where she attended for four years and graduated from in 1984 with a B.S. degree in Business Administration Accounting. Afterwards her other two younger sisters followed in her footsteps, by also attending CSUN and graduating with B.S. degrees in Business Administration Accounting. CSUN is also where now her daughter is attending as a Business Administration Marketing major, and her son will be attending as well in Fall 2008 as Civil Engineering major!.

Then Armineh moved on to a 20 year professional career with well-rounded experience in all areas of: Auditing, Accounting, Management, Budgeting, Financial Analysis, Tax, Purchasing, Vendor Negotiation, Consulting and Business Entrepreneurship, working for employers such as: Blue Cross of California (Medicare Auditor), Cedars- Sinai Medical Center (Financial Management Analyst), Medical Center of N. Hollywood (Sr. Financial Analyst/Sr. Staff Accountant ) Visiting Nurse Association -VNA of Los Angeles (Controller-Director of Accounting and Purchasing) and A.S.C. Accounting and Financial Consulting services ( Owner and President).

In 2001 she became involved in politics by assisting Honorable Bob Yousefian, current Councilmember and past Mayor of City of Glendale, to win his campaign. As a result, she discovered her own personal interest in politics, campaigns, community involvement, and public serventhood and therefore saw the opportunity to stand up and make a difference by giving back to her community! At the time, she kept her sole proprietorship A.S.C. Accounting and Financial Consulting Services and decided to pursue her new found passion. These past seven years have been educational, rewarding, exciting and a period of tremendous growth. She has learned an enormous number of diverse skills, and has relished the opportunities she has had to give back and make a difference in her community. She has managed to run for office, be elected and appointed, serve and work on numerous political, community, municipal boards and committees on a volunteer basis and have had the honor to serve as Chairperson on many.

Currently, Armineh has decided to bring her seven years of enriching experience in politics and community service in addition to her 20 years of professional experience into a new opportunity where she can continue to make a difference and give back to her community on a larger scale, as the next upcoming Assemblywoman for State Assembly District 40 in 2008 elections.

In the Community:

  • Winnetka Neighborhood Council: 2006- (Term 2006-2008), Re-Elected to Board of Directors. Chair of Public Works Transportation committee .Chair of Interfaith Committee. By-laws committee. Appointed member to Council Member Greig Smiths, CD 12 Service Cabinet.

  • Winnetka Neighborhood Council: 2004-(Term 2004-2006), Elected to Board of Directors. Chair of Public Works/Transportation Committee, Vice Chair of Land Use/ PLUM Committee. Member of By-laws and Finance Committee. Appointed member to DWP MOU-Oversight Committee, Appointed member to Council Member Greig Smiths, CD 12 Service Cabinet.

  • Winnetka Chamber of Commerce member.

  • Valley Vote: Board of Director. Served as: Co-Chair of Valley Vote Education Committee, Chair of Charter School Reform Committee, member of the Campaign Finance Reform Committee, member of Finance-Business Tax Reform Committee, member of Neighborhood Council Committee.

  • 2001-2007: On continues basis, have participated/ attended various municipal, city related, City Council, Ethics Commission, City Controller, Chambers of commerce, neighborhood councils, community related meetings, events, fundraisers, workshops on all different subjects, issues and have been in constant contact with community, Community Leaders and Public Officials

Running for Office:

  • 2006 Primary- Ran for State Assembly 40th AD. Endorsed by: Please see endorsements page

  • 2003-Ran for L.A. City Council District #12

  • 2002- Ran for Valley City Council District #3 during Secession + endorsed by LA Daily News

LAUSD

Armineh's both Children have attended LAUSD schools as well as private:

  • EL Camino Real High School +LAUSD- Elected Parent to School Learn Leadership council 2001-2002, and 2002-2003 school year -2 year term.

  • George Ellery Hale Middle School-LAUSD- Elected Parent to School Learn Leadership council 2001-2002, and 2002-2003, 2 year term. School Improvement committee, for past four school years, of which for three years served as Chair person of the committee. School staff hiring subcommittee to hire an Assistant Principal. Budget subcommittee. Also part of California Distinguished School application writing committee and Learn School Sight Action Plan writing Committee. Member of PTA.
  • Calabash Elementary-LAUSD- 2 years served as elected parent to School Leadership Board.

  • AGBU- Manoogian-Demirdjian Private School- Served on PTA

LAPD

  • Served as Block Captain for my old residence, neighborhood watch in West Hills.

Republican Party

California Republica Party - CRP - CAGOP

  • 2007- Elected to CRP Platform Committee and Platform Drafting Committee
  • 2007- Appointed Delegate voting member to California Republican Party

Republican Party of Los Angeles County - RPLAC - LAGOP

  • 2006- (Term 2007-2008), Re-Elected to Executive Board of Republican Party Of Los Angeles County-Assistant Treasurer

  • 2005- ( Term 2005-2006), Elected to Executive Board of Republican Party of Los Angeles County -Assistant Treasurer

    Republican Party County Central Committee

  • 2006- (Term 2007-2008), Ran and Re-elected to Republican County Central Committee- 40th Assembly District. Re-elected as the Chair of the 40th AD Republican Central Committee.

  • 2004- (Term 2005-2006) Ran and elected to Republican County Central Committee- 40th Assembly District. Elected as the Chair of the 40th AD Republican Central Commit.

    REPUBLICAN CLUBS

  • Member of: California Republican Women Federated: Canoga Park West Hills RWF-Served 2006 & 2004: as Auditor. 2007 -4th VP Campaign & Precinct Operations, 2006-Chair of Communications/Public relations/press, 2005-3rd V.P. Membership. Associate member: Woodland Hills RWF; Reseda/Tarzan RWF; Palos Verdes Peninsula RWF club.

  • West Valley Republican Club

  • San Fernando Valley Republican Club.

CAMPAIGNS

  • 2006- Poochigian for Attorney General: Surrogate Speaker .Co-Chair of campaign in San Fernando Valley & Chair of Armenian outreach in Valley.

  • 2005- Statewide Special Elections for Nov. 8th. Administered, and operated the 40th AD Special Election Republican Headquarters, managed all the volunteers and related tasks. Appeared & was interviewed on multiple ethnic media shows representing Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's and California Republican Party's side on issues.

  • 2004- President Bush/Cheney-part of San Fernando Valley Campaign team as: Campaign Precinct Manager +responsible for 113 precincts within 40th Assembly District.

  • 2001, then 2004-2007, Campaign Treasurer for Immediate past Mayor, two term current Councilmember of City of Glendale Bob Yousefian.

  • Volunteered in other campaigns; 2003 & 2006 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Other various Republican candidates on their campaigns. 2005-L.A. Mayor James Hahn the SFV Republican Headquarters.

Next Page: Political Philosophy

Candidate Page || Feedback to Candidate || This Contest
November 2008 Home (Ballot Lookup) || About Smart Voter


The League of Women Voters does not support or oppose any candidate or political party.
Created from information supplied by the candidate: July 31, 2008 13:21
Smart Voter   <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © League of Women Voters of California Education Fund   http://ca.lwv.org