Founded in 2024 by Lesli Robertson and Ashkhen Khudaverdyan, Nexora Group is a collaborative design agency based in the United States and Armenia.
With a combined three decades of experience in the cultural sector, we are harnessing our expertise and vast network of global collaborators to offer creative, programmatic solutions for international partners.
Our adaptive project management approach brings together diverse disciplines, applying creative design strategies to shape sustainable projects. With a focus on community-driven design and encouraging innovative collaborations, Nexora Group guides projects from concept to completion, ensuring their success every step of the way.
“Our strength is helping project partners develop a framework around their big idea, then bringing together each part to make it happen - from engaging key collaborators, to developing innovative education curricula, to facilitating creative exchanges. We ask important questions, work to understand what the outcomes and deliverables are, then tailor an approach that pulls together each key element in a creative and impactful way.” - Lesli Robertson, Co-Founder
Our Values
BUILDING LONG TERM RELATIONSHIPS
FOSTERING EQUITABLE COLLABORATIONS
BRINGING TOGETHER DIVERSE DISCIPLINES
ADAPTING TO ANY PROJECT
SHAPING SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS
APPLYING CREATIVE DESIGN APPROACHES
More about Ashkhen…
Ashkhen Khudaverdyan is an experienced project manager and enterprise specialist with over a decade of experience in cultural heritage, tourism, and business development. Alongside her role as co-founder of Nexora Group, she also serves as a Project Manager at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. In Armenia, Ashkhen has been instrumental in fostering community-based tourism and cultural sector enterprise development.
Beginning in July 2016, Ashkhen worked as Enterprise Specialist at the Smithsonian Institution in Yerevan, Armenia. In this role, she specialized in strategic planning, business development, value chain analysis, and capacity building for rural cultural and tourism sector representatives.
Prior to joining the Smithsonian, Ashkhen worked as a Management Consultant at BSC Business Support Center from 2013 to 2016, where she honed her skills in project management, monitoring and evaluation, and providing consulting services to clients.
Ashkhen holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the American University of Armenia, she completed additional training through the Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification from the Project Management Institute.
With a strong background in both project management and enterprise development, Ashkhen continues to contribute significantly to the cultural and tourism sectors in Armenia, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Central Asia, leveraging her expertise to drive sustainable growth and preserve cultural heritage.
More about Lesli…
Lesli Robertson is a textile designer, educator, and global project developer, leveraging her two decades of experience in the field as co-founder of Nexora Group. In addition to this role, she has served as a Senior Advisor for the Smithsonian Artisan Initiative since 2018, where she contributes to programs supporting sustainable craft practices worldwide. Her work spans multiple countries, including projects in Oaxaca, Central Asia, Kazakhstan, and Armenia.
In her consulting work, she also serves as the Outreach Director for Around the World in 80 Fabrics, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, innovating with educational programming and community exhibits that explore the science, culture, and ecosystems behind healthy fabrics. Her craft based expertise extends to her role as founder of Mekeka Designs, a bespoke textile design studio focusing on contemporary approaches to Ugandan textiles.
Her expertise has been recognized through the Fulbright Specialist Program, where she worked on projects in Uganda and Kuwait. Lesli's experience includes collaborations with USAID, Global Mamas, and the Bhavana World Project, focusing on sustainable textile practices and women's economic empowerment.
From 2009 to 2017, Lesli was a Principal Lecturer in Fibers at the University of North Texas, where she developed curriculum linking textile practice with real-world initiatives. Her work as an independent artist and consultant has been exhibited nationally and internationally.
Her diverse background encompasses research, education, and a deep commitment to preserving and innovating creative traditions across cultures.
