12 Facts About Elen Asatryan

Elen Asatryan is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, where she studied political science, with concentrations in American politics and international relations.

At the age of 15, Elen Asatryan began her political career as a volunteer for Rafi Manoukian's 1999 Glendale City Council campaign.

In 2006, Elen Asatryan became the Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America's Glendale chapter, and in 2013, was appointed the Executive Director of the entire Western Region.

Elen Asatryan led several initiatives, including creating public policy fellowship and internship programs for high school and college students; the establishment of the Glendale Domestic Violence Task Force; launching and implementing voter registration and "get out the vote" initiatives; securing recognition for the Armenian Genocide and Republic of Artsakh; and adoption of a genocide education curriculum in California public schools.

In 2022, noticing a lack of community knowledge about COVID-19 assistance programs, and wanting to "create a system that works for working-class families", Elen Asatryan ran the Glendale City Council.

Elen Asatryan finished second out of eight candidates, in an election in which the top three vote-getters won, becoming the first female Armenian-American to be elected to the Council.

In May 2024, Elen Asatryan was appointed as a commissioner to the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority, replacing Paula Devine.

Elen Asatryan has highlighted efforts made by the city to quash the inequities women face, noting that Glendale became the seventh city to join the California Equal Pay Pledge in February 2024.

In June 2024, Elen Asatryan traveled to Armenia to participate in a United States-Armenia Local Democracy Forum organized by the United States Department of State.

Elen Asatryan has indicated that she will facilitate a partnership between Yerevan's Women's Support Center and the Glendale YWCA location, as well as domestic violence response training by the Glendale Police Department.

In October 2024, Elen Asatryan delivered remarks reaffirming the City of Glendale's long-standing partnership with the Armenian American Museum, noting the importance of such an institution in fostering education, unity, and cultural pride.

In October 2024, Elen Asatryan travelled to South Korea, where she struck an entertainment partnership deal with the Incheon Free Economic Zone.