Seda Papoyan
Today, we feature Seda Papoyan, Managing Director, Girls in Tech, Armenia.
Seda Papoyan is the founder and managing director of Girls in Tech Armenia chapter. She has 15+ years of experience in communication and project management with a specialty in non-profits, social entrepreneurship and fundraising. Seda has a mastery of digital tools and technological innovations which she chases to use for change. Just recently, Seda joined another promising educational initiative – Relq School of Technology, as their executive director.
Born and raised in Yerevan, Seda is a social activist promoting women rights, supporting and empowering girls and women as equal members of society. She is the mother of three children who loves working with kids, teaching them various skills, and encouraging a life-long interest in STEM fields.
Projects initiated and run by Seda can be tracked via the following hashtags on various social media pages: #Tech4ArtsakhKids, #STEMpowerGirlsArmenia #TechBoost4Women #Hacking4Future #GITArmenia
You can find out more about Seda’s initiatives below:
Q: What is your life philosophy?
People have become my main focus in life for several years now. Life journey and the meaning we all create is of rare importance to me that is why I’m an evangelist of education and technology which are able to change our LIFE for good when woven together. While loving people I know and meet, I’m trying to surround myself with positive vibes through transparent and equal relations, through optimistic energy and efforts to make a difference. I try not to waste time dreaming, I prefer spending that time to make an impact. And the most important piece of my efforts I devote to women and girls.
Q: What is your hope for the future?
I’m an everlasting optimist about the future also because I always feel determined about my specific role along that way. So I keep going and making my own contributions.
Q: What is your favorite thing about being Armenian?
Just recently I have had the feeling of being deeply religious and realized the name of that religion being Armenia. It’s a religion millions of people do practice all over the world and it’s so deep and powerful…
Being Armenian is the most important layer of my identity and the biggest value of my life which is growing along with time. It’s pure love!
Q: We called 2020 the year of the upheaval and awakening? What were your biggest upheavals and what did they teach you? What was your awakening(s) and what did it teach you?
“You may never know: this is the biggest truth I learnt in 2020–the year of the global pandemic and of the local devastating war I experienced as an Armenian. In 2020 for the first time in my life I could not provide definitive answers to questions from my children for which I always thought I had answers to. My answers either became untrue or didn’t fully cover the questions. Overall, 2020 taught me to never say never and keep it going–through learning, analyzing, planning and living my life loving Armenia.”
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seda-papoyan/
Twitter: @sedapapoyan
Instagram: @sedapapoyan
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