About Us

The “Umbrella Journalists’ International Network'' NGO was established in 2009 after the founder Marianna Grigoryan received 2 Press Freedom Awards in Europe (Reporters sans frontières and the Fritt Ord Foundation and ZEIT-Stiftung). Currently the NGO operates three websites Medialab.am, Daphnearmenia.com, and Comics.am that have received more than 30 local and international awards including Media Excellence Award at the Universal Rights Awards from the international community in Armenia. Over 14 years, our active journalism initiatives have successfully combined art, civic engagement, and high-quality journalism to create a significant agenda. As a result, we have become a reliable and trusted alternative media source in a field of manipulated media, reaching hundreds of thousands of readers who value quality journalism. We believe that the combination of analytical journalism and creative tools allow us to reach different layers of society and contribute to the change of public opinion. Moreover, our experience during the last years has shown that while traditional media products are getting lost in the existing media chaos, creative journalism is more effective and is capable of breaking the waves of media manipulations and reaching wider audiences. In addition to traditional journalism, the Umbrella Journalists’ International Network NGO stands out as a unique organization in Armenia, specializing in the creation of political cartoons, short animated cartoons, and graphic journalism to convey crucial messages to society.

Our Board

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Zara Hovhannisyan

Zara Hovhannisyan is a well-known Human Rights activist, Gender Expert, and PR specialist, recognized for her significant contributions to women's rights and civil society in Armenia. Co-authoring impactful publications and receiving prestigious awards, Zara's insightful analyses and essays have been featured in notable publications like “OC Media,” “EVN Report,” “Civilnet.am". Her dedicated activism has garnered well-deserved recognition, earning her prestigious awards, including the "Amalia Kostanyan" award and the “Young Women’s Peace Award in the Caucasus.” Zara joined the board of the Umbrella Journalists' International Network NGO in 2020.

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Sara Khojoyan

Sara Khojoyan is an award winning journalist and communications specialist based in Yerevan, Armenia. For about 18 years of her professional career, she worked for the local, as well as several international media outlets. Since 2012 she has been an Armenia correspondent for Bloomberg. As a communications specialist, Sara managed several projects including working with the international delegations and organizations and foundations. She joined the board in 2021.

Anna Baghdasaryan

Anna Baghdasaryan is an accomplished professional based in the United States, specifically in New York. With extensive experience in managing multibillion-dollar equity funds, she is deeply involved in contributing to the development of Armenia. Her current role as the Managing Director at First Manhattan Co. underscores her dedication to applying financial expertise for impactful contributions in the field. Anna Baghdasaryan has been actively involved in the work of the Umbrella Journalists' International Network NGO for several years, demonstrating her commitment to supporting journalistic initiatives. In 2023, she further solidified her engagement by joining the board of the organization.

Armine Antonyan

Armine Antonyan is a experienced professional with over a decade of experience, specializing in editing, translation, and communications/content writing for international organizations, including various UN agencies. Holding a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Political Science and International Relations from AUA, she brings a wealth of expertise to her endeavors. In 2020, Armine extended her commitment to the field by joining the board, where she contributed her skills and knowledge to the Umbrella Journalists' International Network NGO.

Meet the Team

Our team of highly skilled international professionals in multimedia production brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. We work collaboratively to generate innovative and high-quality multimedia content.

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Co-Founder / President / Editor-in-Chief

Marianna Grigoryan

Marianna Grigoryan, the co-founder/president of Umbrella Journalists’ International Network NGO is an investigative journalist, editor and media professional who has been actively engaged in journalism for more than 25 years. She has received over 30 professional prestigious international and local awards including “Press Freedom Award–Signal for Europe 2009”, for courage and good analytical reporting from Reporters Without Borders; “Free Press of Eastern Europe 2009” Award -Fritt Ord and ZEIT Foundation; Top Prize for Superior investigative environmental Journalism in Caucasus region 2007; ”Eastern Partnership Journalism Award 2012.” Her articles are published in world-known media such as The Guardian, and as a Contributing reporter - in The Washington Post and Eurasianet. Marianna Grigoryan has been the Editor-in-Chief, Program Manager and Script Writer since the founding of the NGO. Her contributions have given rise to numerous creative and innovative projects, including political comics, short animated cartoons, rock concerts. These initiatives have garnered substantial positive feedback, effectively delivering crucial messages to the public.

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Co-Founder, Lead journalist, Editorial Cartoonist/Script writer

Vahe Nersesyan

Vahe Nersesian is an Armenian award winning cartoonist and co- founder of the Medialab.am since 2009. Despite the attempts of intimidation he continues to focus on Armenia and its issues. In his works he touches upon socio-political developments, corruption, oligarchs, and nepotism. Vahe illustrates books and textbooks. He is a director, script-writer, and illustrator of animated video-clips. Besides issues pertaining to Armenia, Vahe addresses international issues as well. His works have been among the best in various international competitions and exhibitions. In the last few years his works have been published on www.MediaLab.am, Comics.am and www.DaphneArmenia.com have drawn significant attention.

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Creative Director / Director of Photography & Videography

Emma Grigoryan

Emma Grigoryan is an award winning photographer/director with more than 20 international awards. She is highly skilled in multi format multimedia creation due to her background as an experienced creative director. Emma is also the co- founder of Daphne. She uses her vision and skills to execute projects to raise awareness on various social issues through diverse visual content such as high-end portraiture, conceptual photography, short films and other visual art formats. Her work has been exhibited and published across the world: from Armenia to New York, from Mauritius to Musée du Louvre in Paris, Vogue Italy etc.

Columnist

Vahram Tokmajyan

Vahram Tokmajyan, a distinguished historian, social scientist, and education specialist, joined the MediaLab team in September 2018 as a columnist and satirical documentarian. Known for his hard and sober assessments, Tokmajyan brings a unique perspective to his columns, which, occasionally seasoned with satire, have consistently captured public attention and garnered acclaim.

Journalist / Anchor

Liana Khachatryan

Liana Khachatryan is a journalist/radio reporter with more than 15 years of experience. Currently, she serves as the editor-in-chief of 106.5 FM News Radio, where she hosts and produces a number of programs. In addition, Liana is an author and columnist for the Medialab.am. Her expertise in clinical psychology also enables her to bring a deeper and more targeted understanding to social issues covered in MediaLab's columns.

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Journalist

Sona Martirosyan

Sona Martirosyan is an award-winning journalist and editor, known for her impactful reporting on topics such as media manipulation, marginalized stories, taboo subjects, human destinies, and breaking stereotypes. In addition to her journalism work, Sona is also a passionate journalist trainer and works with young journalists. Sona joined the MediaLab and Daphne team in 2018 and has quickly become one of the key journalists of the projects.

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Journalist

Kushane Chobanyan

Kushane Chobanyan is an award-winning storyteller, with over a decade of experience as a print and radio journalist. She joined the Medialab and Daphne team in 2022 and has since captivated thousands of readers with her distinctive writing style and unique stories. Her ability to document the human experience has proven to be a valuable addition to the team, inspiring and motivating readers with each story she shares.

Journalist

Kristine Aghabekyan

Kristine Aghabekyan became a part of the MediaLab.am news-analytical website team in 2021. As a journalist and interviewer focusing on politics, education, transparent governance, law, and security issues, Kristine presents readers with crucial events in the country through interviews, analyses, and articles. Her approach involves combining facts and developments in a balanced manner to provide readers with comprehensive insights.

Proofreader

Taguhi Susliyan

Taguhi Susliyan, the editor-proofreader of Umbrella JIN, is an esteemed expert in the Armenian language and a leading specialist in her field. She has been an integral part of the Umbrella team since its inception in 2009.

Cartoonist

Levon Arakelyan

One of the key members of the creative team is the artist, cartoonist, and street art enthusiast Levon Arakelyan, who became part of the Medialab team in 2015, carving out his distinctive role. With a vast collection of political cartoons, Levon has enriched the series with impactful and compelling messages, earning the admiration of thousands of readers. Levon Arakelyan has showcased his work through exhibitions in Armenia and various countries around the world. He is also the founder of the "Leo" studio in Gyumri.

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Journalist

Ani Martirosyan

Ani Martirosyan, a promising young journalist currently pursuing a master's program at YSU, became a valuable addition to our team in 2021. She focuses on covering the social and health sectors, delving into human destinies and stories. In recognition of her skills, Ani received her first journalistic award in 2023 for an article published in Medialab.

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Multimedia Creator

Sophie Khachatryan

Sofi Khachatryan's camera captures the world from a unique perspective, introducing intriguing approaches to the team. Sophie senses the frame, the moment, and the sounds.Currently pursuing studies in film production and media specialization in Lithuania, Sofi joined the MediaLab team in 2021, initially contributing with a cooking program and later expanding into multimedia content creation and human stories.