Dear Friends,
I am delighted to announce that last week the Board of Directors unanimously elected Dr. Nino Japaridze as the third President of American Friends of Georgia. Nino will take office immediately, succeeding the retiring William Corcoran. We are very grateful to Bill for his skillful stewardship of AFG, and thankful that he has agreed to remain involved in a new role as Special Advisor to the Chair.
Nino knows AFG well, having been involved with the organization almost since its inception in 1994. She has served as a Board member and as an Advisory Board member since 1999. She brings to her new role as President extensive experience in philanthropy, a deep commitment to AFG's mission, and considerable professional expertise.
Nino's charitable work has supported the most vulnerable populations in Georgia and her local community here in the United States. The many Georgian organizations and individuals that have benefited from Nino's efforts include not only AFG, where she created the Job Henning Fund to honor her late husband, but also educational institutions, medical facilities, individuals with disabilities, victims of natural disasters, and scholarship recipients. Here in the U.S., she has worked to improve lives in the Washington, DC area through Impact100DC, which supports programs in arts and culture, education, health and wellness, and other areas.
Previously, Nino served as Vice President at the global public opinion research firm Edison Research. Prior to that she worked at IPSOS, Freedom House, the Intermedia Survey Institute, and the Open Media Research Institute. She has also held an adjunct lecturer position at George Washington University and American University in Washington DC, as well as George Mason University in Virginia.
Nino grew up in Georgia and speaks Georgian fluently. Her parents live in Georgia, and she has returned there regularly since leaving to pursue her education in the United States. She earned a B.A. in Political Science at Wheaton College and holds an M.A. from George Washington University and a Ph.D. from Oxford University. She lives in Bethesda, Maryland with a son and two daughters.
Nino’s consummate knowledge of Georgia and the United States make her the perfect person to carry on AFG's work uniting the two countries through generosity and compassion. Please join me in congratulating Nino, and wishing her a successful tenure as AFG’s President.
Sincerely,
Simon Sidamon-Eristoff
Chair