The Hope Collective
Meet the Team
Aileen Babadjanians
Co-Founder
Aileen Babadjanians helped found Play for Hope out of love and loss. Cancer has touched her life deeply—she watched her aunt bravely battle and lose, saw her mother fight fiercely and survive, and walked alongside two of her closest friends as they faced diagnoses as young mothers with so much life ahead of them. These experiences opened her eyes to the painful gaps in care: where families needed more support, more relief, and more hope.
Professionally, Aileen has spent over a decade in the nonprofit sector, designing and leading programs in health education, fitness, and community wellness. She currently serves as National Placement Director at HCC, where she builds workforce programs that help students uplift their communities. With a Master’s in Public Health from California State University, Northridge and a Bachelor’s in Kinesiology, Aileen brings both expertise and lived experience to Play for Hope.
For her, this work is personal. It’s about honoring those who are no longer here, standing with those still fighting, and creating a community where no woman or family has to carry the weight of cancer alone.
Narina Minassian
Co-Founder
Nar Minassian is a nutritionist and personal trainer with degrees in Exercise Physiology and Nutrition. A lifelong athlete and coach, she has dedicated her career to helping people feel stronger, healthier, and more confident through simple, sustainable approaches to fitness and food. Nar is the co-founder of Healthy Eating at Trader Joe’s, a meal plan system designed to make healthy eating simple, realistic, and sustainable.
Her perspective deepened after her own cancer journey. With the support of her community, and by leaning on her knowledge of nutrition and fitness, she was able to navigate treatment more smoothly than she ever imagined. That experience sparked a calling: to make sure no woman has to face cancer alone. Through Play for Hope, Nar combines her expertise, compassion, and firsthand experience to provide women and their families with resources, guidance, and unwavering support.
Linet Danoukh
Co-Founder
Linet Danoukh has been a passionate advocate for youth in Los Angeles County for over twenty years. Her expertise spans both micro and macro social work practices—from school-based counseling with at-promise youth to leading program development and implementation within the second largest school district in the nation.
Professionally, Dr. Danoukh designs, implements, and facilitates training that emphasize the critical role school personnel play in protecting youth from the dangers of human trafficking. Her work reflects a deep commitment to prevention, growth, and wellbeing for vulnerable populations.
Linet’s own experience walking alongside close friends through their cancer journeys, she witnessed firsthand the power of care, community, and hope. Play for Hope embodies her belief that no one should face cancer alone and reflects her passion for resilience, unity, and meaningful connection. Through her professional advocacy and nonprofit leadership, Dr. Danoukh leverages her networks and voice to raise awareness of critical social issues and to champion justice, healing, and support for the communities she serves.
