Her Story
About Dr. Maria
Dr. Maria C. Akopian is a marketing executive, professor,, and leadership development scholar whose work centers on helping individuals and organizations realize their fullest potential. As Associate Vice President of Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer at the California Institute of Advanced Management (CIAM), she leads strategic initiatives spanning brand development, communications, enrollment marketing, partnerships, and organizational growth.
Known for her collaborative leadership style, commitment to service, and ability to bridge theory with practice, Dr. Akopian brings more than two decades of experience in strategic marketing, leadership development, organizational communication, digital transformation, and higher education. Her work is grounded in the belief that effective leadership is rooted in purpose, integrity, human dignity, and the development of others.
Dr. Akopian earned her Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California, where she specialized in leadership development. As part of her doctoral studies, she authored an innovative Women’s Leadership Development Program that was later adopted by California State University, Los Angeles, becoming the first program of its kind in the university’s history. Her research and professional contributions continue to advance conversations surrounding leadership, workforce development, organizational effectiveness, and the future of human-centered leadership.
Through her roles as an educator, speaker, media host, and executive leader, Dr. Akopian remains dedicated to empowering others to lead with authenticity, courage, and lasting impact.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Dr. Maria
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would say my resilience and passion are the two things that have been key factors in my success, and lastly, my values and ethics, which I strongly believe, and all of this comes from my parents. I think that while if you take shortcuts or accept an opportunity that may seem somewhat unethical, that would only get you short-term gain. But the longevity of my career is due to navigating it ethically, upholding integrity throughout my entire career, whether it's been in higher ed, media, marketing, or at some point when I worked in healthcare. For passion, I would say passion is super important to me. I invest so much time, love, and effort into every single thing that I do, and when you do that, the result ends up being great. And then finally, resilience. Obviously, as a woman, in every space that I've been in, I've endured so many challenges, not unique to me - I think that every woman has to deal with several different challenges and just having to work harder. But having resilience is incredibly important, because if you're going to keep going and be successful, then you have to be resilient and kind of have thick skin. Those would all be the reasons why I believe I am where I am today, and all of those come from my parents.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would just say to keep going, and that nothing is impossible. I think a lot of times it's easy to give up, and I think that naturally, because it's like a blessing and a curse, because women are faced with so many challenges throughout their lives, whether it's societal misconceptions of how we need to be and what we need to do, or our biological barriers - there are so many barriers. But all of that sucks, yet it also makes it so that we become very resilient. And in today's landscape, no matter what field you look at, no matter what industry, women are better suited to be in leadership because we're so resilient. So I think that keeping that in mind, that you just have to keep going and to never give up, as cheesy as that sounds. But for women, I think it's even more important. And lastly, to find a mentor. Mentorship is incredibly valuable, and so many people don't have one, but it's very important when you're on your path to success to have a mentor.
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