about us
APEN is a 501(c)3 organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. APEN was founded in 2007 by a collective of young and ambitious Albanian-Americans in New York City. Led initially by Andi Ballta and Etrita Ibroci, APEN sought to bring together like-minded professional Albanians in order to advance our community in the United States.
The first APEN meeting was held as an open forum, where over 100 young Albanian professionals came together to meet, network, and talk about the needs of young professional Albanians. What was expressed was a real need to meet like-minded Albanian-Americans and grow the power of our professional and personal connections.
Currently led by Enxhi Cuni and Amelda Pllumaj, APEN continues to organize events, happy hours, panels, and workshops to promote Albanian-American talent. Notable events have included an annual dignitaries event, art events, film screenings, entrepreneur fireside chats, and an annual signature holiday party.
APEN hopes to expand its mentorship and scholarship programming as we move into a new decade of service. As our organization grows, APEN also hopes to grow in its mission and membership.
2024 INITIATIVES
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Develop a formal mentoring program that matches mentors and mentees according to their professional goals
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Raise and allocate funds to scholarship efforts for Albanian-American college students
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