Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte is an author, lecturer, lawyer, business woman and a human rights advocate.  She is an Armenian refugee from Baku, Azerbaijan. After fleeing Baku in the fall of 1989 due to ethnic cleansing of Armenians, Mrs. Astvatsaturian Turcotte and her family spent three years in Armenia as refugees before coming to United States in 1992.

She received Bachelor of Arts degrees in English & Literature and Philosophy & Religion, a minor in Russian Language & Literature from the University of North Dakota. She received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Maine School of Law.

In 2012 Mrs. Astvatsaturian Turcotte published her book, titled “Nowhere, a Story of Exile,” which she wrote at the age of 14 as her family settled in North Dakota as refugees. The book is based on the childhood diaries she kept as her family was fleeing Baku, Azerbaijan and during the years as refugees in Armenia.  In April, 2013 Anna successfully spearheaded the recognition efforts of Nagorno-Karabakh independence at the State of Maine House of Representatives.   In November, 2015 she was elected to the Westbrook Maine City Council by a 64% landslide.  In 2017 the Russian translation of her book was published. She was re-elected to the City Council in 2018 and 2021 and is currently serving as President of the Council.

Mrs. Astvatsaturian Turcotte is the recipient of Mkhitar Gosh Medal, Republic of Armenia’s highest civilian honor awarded by President of Armenia for exceptional achievements in the political-social spheres, as well as outstanding efforts in the fields of diplomacy, law, and political science. Anna also received a Gratitude Medal from the President of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Vahan Cardashian award for her contributions within the Armenian Diaspora from ANCA-WR and Activism Award from ANCA-ER for enhancement of human rights, democracy, truth and justice. Aside from speaking worldwide on genocide prevention, refugee issues, international law and human rights, Anna has a two decade long career in banking regulatory compliance and risk management.  Anna lives in Westbrook, Maine with her husband John and their son and daughter.

Together with her loyal supporters, over a decade prior to the creation of the Foundation, Mrs. Astvatsaturian Turcotte spearheaded dozens of humanitarian, development, cultural, environmental and educational projects worldwide to support the community and to benefit the vulnerable population in Armenia and Artsakh. To maximize the impact of her work, Mrs. Astvatsaturian Turcotte took the first steps to formalize the Foundation in the spring of 2020. With the Tavush attacks in the summer of 2020 and the Artsakh War in the fall of 2020, it became apparent that the work of the Foundation was more vital to Armenia’s future than first foreseen. The 2023 ethnic cleansing of the Artsakh’s Armenian population and the humanitarian disaster that followed, left hundreds of thousands devastated. Simultaneously, Armenia, facing economic downturns and military aggression, is in need of attention and support. Then, now and In the future Anna Astvatsaturian Foundation is committed to strengthening the Armenian Nation and its people, both in the Homeland and in the Diaspora.

The “Anna Astvatsaturian Foundation” is organized as a public benefit corporation under the Maine Nonprofit Corporation Act, Title 13-B M.R.S., and will carry on business and operate anywhere within the State of Maine or in any state where it has a legal authority to carry on business and operate.  The Foundation is intended exclusively for charitable purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.  The “Anna Astvatsaturian Foundation” is based in Westbrook, Maine, USA.