Angella Nazarian

Angella Nazarian is an American former Professor of Psychology at Mount St. Mary's University, California State University, Long Beach and the Los Angeles Valley College, non-fiction author, conference organizer and philanthropist.

Early life Angella Nazarian was born as Angella Maddahi in Tehran, Iran in the late 1960s, to a Jewish family. Her father was a bazaar trader from Rasht. The next year, her parents went back to Iran to sell their assets, but they were not allowed to leave because of the ongoing Iran–Iraq War.

She is a non-fiction author and has written four books. Her second book, Pioneers of the Possible: Celebrating Visionary Women of the World, was a collection of essays about female role models. Nazarian explores the various forms a couple can take and dives deep into the stories of fifteen couples who motivate one another, work together, and change lives as a team.

Nazarian was a speaker at the 2012 Milken Institute Global Conference. In 2013, she organized a conference on women's rights called Women A.R.E.. In 2014, they were also honored for their Jewish and pro-Israel philanthropy by Hillel 818, the chapter of Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life for students at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), Pierce College and the Los Angeles Valley College.

She is a member of the Iranian American Women Foundation and has spoken at conferences on their behalf. She is also the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, which is presented annually to American citizens whose accomplishments in their field and inspired service to the United States are cause for celebration.

In October 2020, Angeleno Magazine honored Nazarian on their list of "The 25 Most Influential Angelenos".

In 2018, CSQ honored Nazarian in the "Visionaries Awards in Philanthropy, Art, & Culture".

In 2017, LA Confidential listed Nazarian as a "Woman of Influence" in their women’s issue.

In 2015, the Los Angeles Lakers and Comerica Bank presented Ms. Nazarian with the Women’s Leadership Award in the category of Women of Diversity.

Personal life She is married to David Nazarian, an investor, philanthropist and son of business mogul and philanthropist Younes Nazarian. They have two sons.