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Foundations with Larisa Hovannisian

Larisa Hovannisian 20 Episodes Oct 1, 2026

"Foundations with Larisa Hovannisian" is an unfiltered podcast that explores the foundational principles driving the success of creators, entrepreneurs, scientists, and public figures. Hosted by Larisa Hovannisian, each episode delves into the core values and habits that help high achievers build their careers and lives. The podcast aims to provide listeners with actionable insights and inspiration from a diverse range of guests.

Episodes

Episode #26: Sidney Minassian's Foundations Oct 1, 2026 01:03:18 Welcome back to Foundations, with your host, Larisa Hovannisian. Today's guest is Sidney Minassian. Sidney is the founder and CEO of GTM.io, a go-to-market operating firm for B2B tech companies, and he's spent more than 25 years building companies between Silicon Valley and Sydney. He founded Contexti, later acquired by Versent, ran Saasyan, an AI-driven SaaS platform, and co-founded Liais

Episode #25: Armen Rostamian's Foundations — The AI Slowdown Sep 16, 2026 01:09:34 Thanks for joining us today. We're recording this while the story is still moving, which is unusual for us and part of why I wanted to do it now rather than in a month.And I’m so glad to have with me today a friend of the pod, technologist Armen Rostamian. So, what happened?On September 12, 2026, Dario Amodei — CEO of Anthropic, the company that makes Claude — published an essay called "W

Episode #24: Shant Hovnanian’s Foundations Sep 12, 2026 00:58:04 Today's guest is Shant Hovnanian. Shant is Wharton educated, infrastructure building-real estate developer, technology pioneer/ inventor, and entrepreneur whose career runs through the roots of the telecom and artificial intelligence together . In 1985, together with his father and engineer Bernard Bossard, he co-founded CellularVision, pioneering LMDS — Local Multipoint Distribution System —

Episode #23: Zara Matevosyan's Foundations Aug 29, 2026 01:19:24 Welcome back to Foundations, with your host, Larisa Hovannisian. Today's guest is Zara Martirosyan — a clinical hypnotherapist, transpersonal regression therapist, and family constellations facilitator based in Dubai. Zara's path wasn't a straight line: she built inKin, a global wellness tech platform, then found her own mental health needed the same attention she was giving others, wh

Episode #22: Manana Hakobyan's Foundations Aug 22, 2026 00:41:05 My guest today is Manana Hakobyan. Manana is Chief of Staff for GenAI at Scale AI in San Francisco — which means she works inside one of the companies the frontier AI labs depend on to make their models good. Before Scale, she was a product manager on IBM's Data and AI team. She holds a master's in data science from Harvard and degrees in economics and data science from Berkeley. She has a

Episode #21: Armen Rostamian's Foundations Aug 12, 2026 00:52:55 Welcome back to Foundations, with your host, Larisa Hovannisian.This is the first episode of season two, and I want to start by telling you what's changing.Season one was about builders and their stories — where they came from, what they decided to make, and what it cost them. Those conversations still hold up. But something kept happening while we were recording them: the ground moved faster

Episode #Episode20: Aren Deyirmenjian's Foundations: Diaspora, Leadership, and Transformation May 2, 2026 00:52:33 Welcome back to Foundations with Larisa Hovannisian. My guest today is Aren Deyirmenjian, Country Representative for AMMA (Armenian Missionary Association of America) and a seasoned professional in entrepreneurship, social impact, and community development. Aren has long been a thoughtful voice in shaping how return, belonging, and impact are approached in Armenia. In his current role at AMMA, he’

Episode #19: Marina Mkhitaryan' Foundations: Community, Identity, and Systems Apr 19, 2026 01:09:47 Welcome back to Foundations with Larisa Hovannisian. For this episode, I’m joined by Marina Mkhitaryan, a civic innovator and social entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience designing and leading initiatives that bridge civic tech, youth development, and cultural resilience.Her work is rooted in a belief that systems change begins with people, and that every young Armenian should have the opp

Episode #18: Ruben Malayan's Foundations: Design, Narrative, and Vision Mar 29, 2026 01:16:36 Welcome back to Foundations with Larisa Hovannisian. I’m joined today by Ruben Malayan — an artist, calligrapher, and cultural thinker whose work has reignited global interest in Armenian script and sacred aesthetics. Known for his intricate calligraphy and thought-provoking commentary on identity, Ruben’s art is more than visual — it’s a statement. His career bridges the personal and the politica

Episode #17: Maria Titizian's Foundations: Justice, Journalism, and Identity Feb 28, 2026 01:19:57 Welcome back to Foundations with Larisa Hovannisian. Today’s guest is Maria Titizian — journalist, editor-in-chief of EVN Report, and one of Armenia’s most trusted public voices. With a career spanning politics, media, and civic education, Maria has consistently used words to bring clarity to chaos. Whether writing about war, identity, or accountability, she brings moral courage and emotional hone

Episode #16: Samvel Martirosyan's Foundations: Information Security, Media, and Digital Resilience Jan 23, 2026 01:16:14 Welcome back to Foundations with Larisa Hovannisian. Today, I’m joined by Samvel Martirosyan — cybersecurity expert, media analyst, and one of Armenia’s most essential public educators on digital safety. Known for making complex threats understandable, Samvel has spent the last two decades protecting Armenia’s digital borders and fighting disinformation. Whether advising institutions or speaking t

Episode #15: Marie Lou and Pegor Papazian’s Foundations: Imagination, Autonomy, and Purpose Dec 9, 2025 01:12:49 Welcome back to Foundations with Larisa Hovannisian. Today, I’m joined by a remarkable duo: Marie Lou and Pegor Papazian — the visionaries behind TUMO, Armenia’s world-renowned creative tech center. Together, they’ve redefined what’s possible in education by centering self-learning, imagination, and access. Their work has touched tens of thousands of students in Armenia and beyond, and their partn

Episode #14: Suzanna Shamakhyan’s Foundations: Innovation, Systems Thinking, and Impact Nov 19, 2025 01:01:20 Welcome back to Foundations with Larisa Hovannisian. Today’s guest is Suzanna Shamakhyan, Executive Director of FAST (Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology) — a leading institution working to accelerate innovation, science, and talent in Armenia. With a background in education diplomacy, policy, and diaspora engagement, Suzanna brings systems thinking and emotional intelligence into every

Episode #13: Tigran Tsitoghdzyan’s Foundations: Art, Identity, and Reflection Nov 8, 2025 01:06:47 Welcome back to Foundations with Larisa Hovannisian. Today, I’m joined by Tigran Tsitoghdzyan — world-renowned painter, Armenian soul, and master of introspective realism. Known for his hauntingly layered “Mirror” series, Tigran’s work explores visibility, identity, and the blurred boundaries between self and world. Born in Yerevan and based in New York, he carries Armenia in his brushstrokes whil

Episode #12: Tatevik Revazian's Foundations: Strength, Integrity, and Challenging the Status Quo Oct 24, 2025 01:13:32 Welcome back to Foundations with Larisa Hovannisian. Today’s guest is Tatevik Revazyan — aviation executive, trailblazer, and one of the most fearless voices redefining leadership in Armenia and beyond. As the former Chair of Armenia’s Civil Aviation Committee and a founder of the country's first low-cost airline, Tatevik has broken barriers not only in a male-dominated industry but also in sy

Episode #11: Zhanna Andreasyan's Foundations: System Change, Education Reform, and Strategy Sep 23, 2025 00:56:14 Բարի գալուստ «Foundations with Larisa Hovannisian» փոդքասթի հերթական դրվագ։ Այսօրվա իմ զրուցակիցը մարդ է, ով կրթությունը տեսնում է ոչ միայն որպես համակարգ, այլ որպես երկրի ապագայի հիմք: Պատիվ ունեմ մեր տաղավարում հյուրընկալելու Հայաստանի կրթության, գիտության, մշակույթի և սպորտի նախարար տիկին Ժաննա Անդրեասյանին: Տիկին Անդրեասյանն առաջին նախարարն էր, ով բարձրաձայնեց կրթության այն իրական պատկերը, որի

Episode #10: Armine: Haroyan: Volunteering, Education, and Youth Development Aug 6, 2025 01:02:06 «Foundations with Larisa Hovannisian» տասներորդ դրվագի հյուրը Հայ կրթական հիմնարկության տնօրեն Արմինե Հարոյանն է: Հիմնարկությունն արդեն 75 տարի է, ինչ աջակցում է հայկական տարբեր կրթական կառույցներին և նախաձեռնություններին՝ թե՛ Հայաստանում և թե՛ սփյուռքում: Արմինեի նվիրվածությունն ու աշխատանքը մեծ ազդեցություն է թողել մեր կրթության ոլորտում և շատ հայ երիտասարդների կյանքում: Այս զրույցում մենք խոսու

Episode #9: Sheila Paylan: Truth, Justice, and Breaking the Cycle Jul 11, 2025 00:54:51 Welcome back to Foundations with Larisa Hovannisian. Today, I’m so happy to be joined by Sheila Paylan, an international criminal lawyer and human rights expert with over 15 years of experience advising the United Nations. Sheila has played pivotal roles in prosecuting war crimes and advocating for justice at tribunals for Rwanda, the former Yugoslavia, and the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. Her experti

Episode #8: Tigran Jrbashyan’s Foundations: Economy, Education, Identity May 30, 2025 01:13:32 Today, I’m honored to be joined by Tigran Jrbashyan, one of Armenia’s most respected economists and strategists. As the Director of Management Advisory Services at Ameria Group, Tigran has played a key role in shaping economic policy, business strategy, and long-term development planning in Armenia. His expertise spans across urban development, innovation, and public policy—making him a vital voic

Episode #7: Esther Wojcicki’s Foundations: Education, Parenthood, and Empowerment Apr 8, 2025 01:01:12 I’m thrilled to be joined today by Esther Wojcicki—trailblazing educator, best-selling author, and fierce advocate for autonomy in learning and life. She founded the renowned Media Arts Program at Palo Alto High, where students thrived in an environment built on trust, freedom, and responsibility—earning fans like Steve Jobs along the way. Her books—How to Raise Successful People and Moonshots in

Episode #6: Rev Lebaredian's Foundations: Culture, Leadership, and AI Feb 27, 2025 01:50:07 For this episode, I’m sitting down with Rev Lebaredian, a guy who’s been shaping the future of tech before most people even realized where it was headed. He’s the VP of Omniverse and Simulation at NVIDIA, basically leading the charge in designing our virtual future. But before he was building the infrastructure for the metaverse, he was knee-deep in video games, visual effects, and real-time graph

Episode #5: Anna Vardapetyan's Foundations: Justice, Leadership, and Legacy Jan 20, 2025 01:39:46 Այս տարվա մեր առաջին թողարկման հյուրը Հայաստանում առաջին կին Գլխավոր դատախազ, իրավաբան, իրավաբանական գիտությունների թեկնածու և դոցենտ Աննա Վարդապետյանն է։ Աննան տասը տարուց ավել է, ինչ իր աշխատանքով Հայասանում նպաստում է արդարության և իրավունքի ամրապնդմանը։

Episode #4: Gevorg Poghosyan: Uniting Armenians and Redefining Armenia’s Future Dec 21, 2024 01:32:55 For the final episode of 2024, I’m joined by my friend Gevorg Poghosyan, a bold and courageous leader in Armenia’s technology, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy sectors. As the CEO of reArmenia and Co-Founder of IDram and The Crowdfunding Formula, Gevorg has played a pivotal role in connecting Armenians worldwide and empowering startups. From pioneering fintech solutions to leading impactful soci

Episode #3: Raffi Krikorian: Tech for Transformation – Driving Social Impact Through Innovation Oct 22, 2024 01:16:57 For this episode of Foundations, I’m thrilled to welcome Raffi Krikorian. Raffi currently serves as the CTO of Emerson Collective, where he harnesses the power of technology and data to lead social impact initiatives. Prior to Emerson, Raffi held key leadership roles, including CTO of the Democratic National Committee, Head of Uber's Advanced Technologies Center, and VP of Platform Engineering at

Episode #2: Dr. Lorky Libaridian: Transforming Health Care and Developing Leadership in Armenia Sep 19, 2024 01:50:23 For the second episode of #FoundationsPodcast, I had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Lorky Libaridian, a U.S. board-certified physician in internal medicine and pediatrics. We dive into her vast experience in health system reform and medical education in Armenia.

Episode #1: Sara Anjargolian: How to Build Resilience & Drive Social Impac Aug 20, 2024 01:32:13 For the very first episode of Foundations with Larisa Hovannisian, I’m thrilled to be joined by my dear friend, Sara Anjargolian, a multidimensional force in law, entrepreneurship, and public service.

Foundations with Larisa Hovannisian

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