Lifelong resident Hovanes Tonoyan today announces his campaign for Burbank City Council. The only Millennial candidate at age 28, Tonoyan eyes transforming Burbank into the next mecca of entrepreneurship and innovation, leveraging the momentum of local grassroots interest groups and private-public partnerships throughout the community.
“I’m as true a product of Burbank as anyone can find, and I am proud to say this is the only city on the planet I call home,” said Tonoyan, who serves as a cybersecurity professional for The Walt Disney Company, where he protects the magic from emerging threats across its multibillion-dollar global portfolio of theme parks and streaming services.
Raised in Burbank since early childhood, Tonoyan graduated in Burbank High School’s class of 2014 before going on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to joining Disney, he served as a project manager for New Frontier Data, one of the world’s first market research firms devoted to the emergence of legal cannabis in the United States and across the world.
“My life, my sense of community and my drive to grow as a person changed immensely 10 years ago on this very weekend, and everything I’ve done since then has been driven by a desire to serve this community and care for and support my fellow neighbors of Burbank,” said Tonoyan. “My grandparents and I experienced the joy of graduation, but this was followed days later by the pain of being a victim of violent crime when our family home was tragically destroyed in a fire as a result of crime targeted against us and our hillside neighbors. We had to rebuild our lives independently, and helping Burbank do more to prevent crime and support victims are among my top priorities.”
Tonoyan acknowledges the significance of pursuing public office for the first time in 2024. Not only is it the 10th anniversary of a life-changing turn of events for him; this year also marks the the 20th anniversary of the Crime Victims’ Rights Act, the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act, and the 40th anniversary of the Victims of Crime Act.
If elected, in serving Burbank residents as a City Council representative, Tonoyan plans to bring the same professional excellence he has developed in the private sector to a new role in local public service. Prior to his two most recent project manager roles, his decade-long career also includes experience gained with the California State Assembly, the Burbank Chamber of Commerce and the City of Burbank. Tonoyan aims to put this experience to work solving real problems for Burbank by elevating the discussions and mission of the City Council.
