VTV Family Outreach Foundation Advisory Council

Ara H. Bagdasarian, CEO and Co-Founder, Omnilert, LLC

As a lifelong entrepreneur, he launched his first business Kidco at age 8. In 1996, Ara founded XNETIX and webRESONANCE in 1999. Both companies were early market providers of web-based applications that powered hundreds of Internet startup companies. Ara worked in sales, business development, and eventually as a memory broker at Ingram Micro prior to starting XNETIX.

Ara is an active community leader who served as Chairman of the Town of Leesburg's Economic Development Commission, President of the Loudoun Symphony Orchestra, and founding Board member of the Loudoun Center for the Arts. He also is an advisory board member at the George Mason Enterprise Center in Leesburg, Virginia.

Ara co-authored and published the why-to book on entrepreneurship, "The Lemonade Stand", which presents a fresh perspective on embracing adversity to innovate and create sustainable organizations. In addition to the book, Ara founded the "Lemonhead Council" which is a volunteer organization of local business leaders that advises early stage companies towards a path of success.

Ara is a graduate from the State University of New York College at Buffalo.

Rene` Cummings, Business Development Executive

As a native Washingtonian and world traveler, visiting over 35 countries, she brings to Angel Fund VA over 20+ years of sales, marketing and business development experience across 3 industries: travel-hospitality, retail and real estate development. Her experience includes the position of Buyer for the nationally recognized retailer, Nordstrom, opening 5 stores in the Washington, D.C. region. During a well-deserved vacation, she went on a cruise and it consequently changed her life. Using her experience from Nordstrom, she decided to become an entrepreneur and successfully purchased, owned and successfully operated Cruise Holidays of Annapolis, a nationally known franchise for which she held the position as President for 8+ years.

Uniquely, during a brief transition in her career, she worked onboard a cruise ship as Social Hostess/Brand Ambassador for Celebrity Cruises and delighted in the role of “Julie from the Love Boat” working with over 47 different nationalities in a multi-cultural environment forging a valuable network of international contacts. She successfully leveraged her sales and business experience into real estate development working for various builders in the D.C. area earning a real estate license.

More recently, after an intensive international competition, Rene` was the only woman and American candidate to successfully capture the appointment of Chief Business Development Officer for the European Port of Valletta, Malta. She moved to the small EU island country of Malta for a 2-year contract. After recently relocating back to her native D.C. area, Rene` is using this opportunity to finally complete her undergraduate degree in Business Management from the University of Maryland, while developing plans for the next stage of her journey. She is honored to be able to contribute to the mission and purpose of VTV Family Foundation.

Jason D. Friedberg, Founder, President, Visium Global

Mr. Friedberg has more than two decades of law enforcement and security experience specializing in higher education public safety where he has served numerous in roles and many institutions. Mr. Friedberg recently retired as the Chief of Public Safety for Bucknell University with management responsibilities for all law enforcement, security, Life and Fire safety, emergency planning & preparation, emergency medical and parking services.

Mr. Friedberg earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Westfield State College and a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Western New England College. He is a graduate of the 1st Massachusetts Special State Police Academy Class and Penn State University's Police Executive School (POLEX). He developed a nationally recognized training program in Event and Risk Management for university Greek programs, and presents regionally and nationally on town/gown relations, security technology, and emergency preparedness.