Nina Lusine Hachigian, the First Deputy Mayor of International Affairs in Los Angeles has been appointed a member of the Defense Policy Board of the United States Department of Defense.

The Armenian Assembly of America (AAA) reports, emphasizing that the Board includes such prominent figures as former US Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright and Henry A. Kissinger.

Ambassador-politician Hachigian previously served as US Ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and was awarded the State Department’s highest honor for her service. She was the co-director of Asia policy for the Barack Obama’s 2012 presidential campaign. Ambassador Hachigian served on the staff of the National Security Council in the Clinton White House from 1998-1999. She has worked in research centers, is the author of books, reports and articles. Hachigian is also the founder of WASA, Women Ambassadors Serving America, a group of some 200 current and former Ambassadors, and co-founder and board member of a number of other organizations, the Armenian Lobby Organization of America says.

“The Assembly congratulates Ambassador Hachigian on this authoritative appointment. Taking into account the ambassador’s decades of experience and deep knowledge, we have no doubt that she will perform hwr service excellently,” Mr. Van Krikorian Co-Chair of the Board of (AAA) said.