Our Mentors
At Maple & Apricot Hospitality Academy, our mentors go beyond teaching—they guide, support, and empower you on your hospitality journey. Each mentor brings specialized expertise and hands-on experience to help you tackle real-world challenges, answer your questions, and accelerate your career growth. Explore their profiles, discover their specialties, and book a session to receive personalized guidance tailored to your goals.

Director, Maple & Apricot Hospitality Academy
With a background in service management, training, and event operations, Lana Andjergoli is a hospitality professional and educator with 8+ years of industry experience. She has led major projects—including TEDx events and restaurant operations—and is the founder of Maple & Apricot Hospitality Academy, where she focuses on delivering practical, industry-aligned education for future hospitality leaders. Lana is known for mentoring students, designing impactful training programs, and elevating service standards across teams. She is committed to building strong partnerships and collaborating with professionals and organizations dedicated to developing talent and advancing the hospitality sector in Armenia.
Specialty:
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Hospitality Service Management & Training
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Event Planning & Operations
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Career Development & Program Design
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Leadership

Pre-opening HR Manager, Mövenpick Yerevan by Accor
With a background in comprehensive human resources management, Mariam Tsarukyan is an experienced HR leader specializing in talent acquisition, employee relations, performance management, and organizational development. She currently serves as the Pre-opening HR Manager at Mövenpick Yerevan by Accor, where she establishes HR structures, shapes workplace culture, and supports the hotel’s launch. Mariam has held leadership roles at Seven Visions Resort & Places, The Dvin Yerevan, Radisson Blu Hotel Yerevan, and Golden Palace Hotel Yerevan. As a certified “Yes, I Can!” trainer, she is passionate about people development and fostering a culture of service excellence in hospitality.
Specialty:
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Talent Acquisition & Recruitment
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Employee Relations & Workplace Culture
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HR Strategy & Organizational Development

F&B Director, Radisson Blu Hotel Yerevan
With a background in event management and food & beverage leadership, Senik Khachatryan has built a strong career across multiple roles at Radisson Blu Hotel Yerevan. He began as an M&E Supervisor, advanced to Banquet Manager, and later became Assistant F&B Manager. Today, he serves as the Director of F&B, overseeing operations, service standards, team performance, and guest experience. Senik specializes in event organization, brand and social media management, customer success, and F&B and banquet service trainings. He is passionate about delivering memorable events and developing teams that provide exceptional hospitality service.
Specialties:
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Event Management & Banquet Operations
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F&B Service Standards & Team Training
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Customer Success & Guest Experience
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Brand & Social Media Management

Operations Manager at Movenpick Yerevan (Pre-Opening)
With a background in hospitality operations and food & beverage leadership, Hovhannes Asatryan brings many years of experience working at top hotels. He currently leads operational readiness for Mövenpick Yerevan’s pre-opening, overseeing hotel launch processes, service standards, and team coordination. Previously, Hovhannes held significant F&B and hotel management roles at luxury hotels, giving him deep expertise in guest service, hotel operations, and staff training. He’s passionate about building high-performing teams and delivering exceptional guest experiences.
Specialties:
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Hotel Operations & Pre-Opening Management
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Food & Beverage Leadership
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Guest Experience & Service Standards
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Team Training & Operational Coordination

Assistant Houskeeping Manager, The Alexander, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Yerevan
With over seven years of experience in luxury hospitality, Narine has progressed from a telephone operator to leading key areas of housekeeping operations. She specializes in room quality inspections, hygiene standards, Lost & Found procedures, staff training, and coordination with hotel departments. As a GXP program instructor and champion, she embeds service excellence and guest experience culture across teams. Passionate about mentorship, she provides structured, practical guidance to help hospitality professionals build confidence, elevate service skills, and advance their careers. Her expertise bridges operational excellence, team leadership, and delivering memorable guest experiences.
Specialty:
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Housekeeping Operations & Service Standards
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Team Supervision & Performance Development
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Guest Experience & Communication Skills
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Training & Career Development in Hospitality

Former Human Resource Manager, Hayasa Hotel Yerevan
With a background in hospitality human resources and pre-opening projects, Aida Sargsyan brings extensive expertise in talent acquisition, team development, and standard operating procedures (SOP) creation. She has led HR functions across multiple hotel departments, including housekeeping, front office, and operations, ensuring that staff are trained, motivated, and aligned with organizational goals. Aida is passionate about mentoring hospitality professionals, sharing practical guidance on HR best practices, pre-opening staffing, and SOP implementation. Her approach combines hands-on HR experience, structured guidance, and a focus on building strong teams and delivering consistent, high-quality guest experiences.
Specialty:
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Talent Acquisition & Recruitment
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Employee Relations & Staff Development
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Performance Management & Career Guidance
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Hospitality HR Strategy & Workplace Culture

Hospitality Professional
With a background in hospitality management and customer service, Varant Topalian is a passionate hospitality professional dedicated to creating exceptional guest experiences. Inspired by his father’s restaurant, he developed a love for service excellence early on. Varant holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management from the American University of Science & Technology and has extensive experience with Ocean Creek Resort (USA) and Rotana Hotels Management Corporation. Currently, he serves as Hospitality Manager at TUMO Center for Creative Technologies and has contributed as a mentor and visiting trainer for hospitality programs in Armenia and Kurdistan.
Specialty:
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Career Guidance for Hospitality
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Marketing & Branding for HoReCa
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Leadership & Team Management

Marketing & Brand Growth Specialist, Easy DMARC
With a background in marketing, branding, and digital strategy, Sona Mirzoyan is an experienced professional specializing in building impactful marketing campaigns and strategies. She has extensive expertise in social media management, brand development, and strategic marketing planning across diverse industries. Sona is passionate about helping organizations and individuals strengthen their brand presence, reach target audiences effectively, and achieve measurable results. She is committed to mentoring aspiring professionals in marketing and branding, sharing practical insights and strategies that help elevate their skills and drive success in digital and traditional marketing landscapes.
Specialty:
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Marketing Strategy & Branding
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Social Media Management (SMM)
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Digital Marketing Campaigns
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Marketing Analytics & Audience Engagement

Director of Operations at Authentic Football
With a background in hospitality sales and marketing, Ara Avagyan brings a wealth of experience in hotel operations, customer relations, and event coordination. During his time at Radisson Blu, he served as Assistant Director of Sales & Marketing, where he helped drive sales, maintain high service standards, and coordinate events. Though he now works in the football industry, Ara retains his hospitality mindset—valuing guest satisfaction, smooth operations, and teamwork. He is eager to mentor others in sales, events, and F&B operations, helping them build strong foundational skills and business acumen shaped by international-level hospitality experience.
Specialty:
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Sales & Marketing for Hotels / Hospitality
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Events & Operations Management
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Food & Beverage (F&B) Operations
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Business Management

Head Banqueting Bartender at Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
With a decade of experience in hospitality and beverage operations, Arnak Mardanyan has built a strong career across Armenia’s leading international hotels. He began as a barman and grew to Head Bartender at Radisson Blu, later working with global brands including Marriott, The Luxury Collection (The Alexander), Holiday Inn Express, and Ibis. Arnak became Bar Manager at Radisson Blu before relocating to Vancouver, where he now serves as Head Bartender for Banqueting at Fairmont. Known for his expertise in bar leadership and beverage operations, he is passionate about training professionals and elevating bar standards in every environment.
Specialty:
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Bar Management & Beverage Operations
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Cocktail Development & Menu Engineering
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Bar Inventory Management
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Banquet Bar Operations
