ANGELLA NAZARIAN
TRUSTEE
Angella Nazarian is a bestselling author, international speaker, philanthropist, and former professor of psychology whose work centers on leadership, women’s empowerment, and social impact. Throughout her career, she has combined academic insight, storytelling, and community-building to inspire meaningful and lasting change.
She is the co-founder and Past President of Visionary Women, a mission-driven nonprofit advancing women’s leadership and supporting women and girls. Since its launch in 2015, Visionary Women has invested more than $5 million in high-impact initiatives. Under her leadership, the organization has evolved into a dynamic platform that convenes influential voices across industries for thoughtful dialogue and engagement. Speakers have included former U.S. Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and Condoleezza Rice, iconic feminist writer Gloria Steinem, and Nobel Peace Prize laureates Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkol Karman.
In addition to her work in women’s leadership, Angella is deeply committed to philanthropy. She is the co-founder of Looking Beyond, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and creating opportunities for children and young adults with disabilities. Through this work, she has helped advance programs that promote inclusion, enrichment, and family support. To date, Looking Beyond has raised and distributed more than $9 million to organizations serving the special needs community.
Angella is a frequent participant and speaker at leading global forums, including the Milken Institute Global Conference and the YPO-WPO Global Leadership Conference. She has also delivered commencement addresses at Brentwood School and the Archer School for Girls.
Her civic and educational engagement includes service on multiple boards and advisory groups, including the Nazarian Family Foundation, the Nazarian Youth Program at Sinai Temple, the Iranian American Women’s Leadership Conference, UCLA Lab School, The Brentwood School, and the Social Innovators in Residence program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Angella taught psychology for eleven years at Mount Saint Mary’s University, California State University, Long Beach, and Los Angeles Valley College. Alongside her academic career, she developed and led workshops and seminars on personal growth, leadership, and innovation, with a particular focus on empowering women.
She is the author of four books:
Life as a Visitor (2009)
Pioneers of the Possible: Celebrating Visionary Women of the World (2012)
Visionary Women (2015)
Creative Couples: Collaborations that Changed History (2019)
Her work highlights resilience, creativity, and the powerful contributions of individuals—especially women—who have shaped culture and society. Her books have been widely praised by notable voices including Arianna Huffington, Tina Brown, Martha Stewart, Diane von Furstenberg, and Ambassador Melanne Verveer.
Angella’s contributions have been widely recognized. She is a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and has received an honorary Doctorate of Letters and Science from Woodbury University. She has also been honored with the Women’s Leadership Awardfrom the Los Angeles Lakers and Comerica Bank, named a Woman of Influence by LA Confidential, recognized among Angeleno Magazine’s most influential philanthropists, and awarded the CSQ Visionary Award for her impact in philanthropy, arts, and culture.
She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from UCLA and earned her graduate degree, also summa cum laude, in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from California State University, Long Beach.
She lives in Los Angeles with her husband David. They have two sons and two grandchildren.