Armen Frundzhyan

Lanterman Board Benefits from Armen Frundzhyan’s Self-Advocacy Experience

The first line of Lanterman Regional Center’s mission statement reads, “to enable people with developmental disabilities to live full, productive and satisfying lives as active members of their communities.” The Center’s core values of community ownership, partnership, excellence, accountability, leadership, diversity, spirit, inclusion, respect and self-determination outline how the Center will work toward achieving the first goal of our mission.

In order to ensure that the Center is meeting the needs of the clients that we serve, at any given time, at least 25 percent of the board members are adult clients served by Lanterman Regional Center. This past summer, Armen Frundzhyan was elected to Lanterman’s board of directors.

For quite some time, Frundzhyan has been assuming leadership roles in the Lanterman community, first as the founder of the Mid-Wilshire Self-Advocacy group, then as a member of the Consumer Advisory Committee, and now as its chair. It was Frundzhyan’s appointment as chair of the CAC that caught the attention of the Nominating Committee of Lanterman’s board of directors, which is the committee that makes recommendations to the board regarding potential new board members.

Frundzhyan, who just turned 30 at the end of September, shares, “I enjoy helping people with disabilities help themselves.” One of Frundzhyan’s responsibilities as a board member is to report back on what issues the CAC addresses at the Committee’s monthly meetings. He is currently looking to beef up membership in the Mid-Wilshire Self-Advocacy group since membership has dwindled recently, and adds, “I need more members, so please invite everyone to join the group. E-mail or call me as soon as possible.” Frundzhyan is also working with Sherry Beamer, a Lanterman consultant, to establish a People First Chapter in the Lanterman area. For more information about the Mid-Wilshire Self-Advocacy group contact Frundzhyan at 323.462.7300 or afrundzhyan75@netzero.net.

Frundzhyan is also a graduate of the computer classes held at Lanterman in partnership with Los Angeles Unified School District’s Division of Adult and Career Education’s Los Angeles Community Adult School. He can adeptly surf the Internet and spends a considerable amount of his day playing word games on the computer, such as “Wheel of Fortune” and “Book Worm.” Frundzhyan also helps out around his parents’ house and likes going grocery shopping with his father.

When he is not promoting self-advocacy, Frundzhyan enjoys watching action-packed movies starring Chuck Norris and scary ones, such as “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Friday the 13th.” He also enjoys watching television, primarily cartoons, and favors KCET’s “Dragon Tales” and “Arthur,” as well as “Full House” reruns.

Updated January 03, 2005