Tatiana Sunak

Speaker's bio

Tatiana Sunak is a prominent figure in the field of Ukrainian education in Canada, serving as the President of the Ukrainian Canadian School Board, Toronto Branch, Principal of the St. Volodymyr Ukrainian School, Vice Principal at the Toronto District School Board, and Chair of the UCC National Ukrainian Educational Council.

Tatiana arrived in Canada in 1993 and has since dedicated herself to the educational system, both in public schools and within the Ukrainian community. She began her career in public education as a teacher of mathematics, computer science, and business, working from 1999 to 2007 as a teacher. In 2007, she transitioned to an administrative role, becoming a vice principal within the Toronto District School Board, a position she continues to hold.

Since 2005, Tatiana has been the principal of St. Volodymyr Ukrainian School in Toronto. Her leadership has been instrumental in the school's growth and success. In 2007, she was elected President of the Ukrainian Canadian School Board, and in 2019, she became the Chair of the UCC National Ukrainian Educational Council.

From 2020 to 2022, Tatiana worked as the principal of Novopecherska School in Kyiv, where she built valuable connections with educational organizations in Ukraine. Her experience in Ukraine has been crucial in fostering collaborative projects between Canada and Ukraine, particularly after her return when the war started. Among these initiatives are:

• ‍Learning to Be: A project where Canadian teachers provided on-line lessons for students in Ukraine.‍
• Teachers of Canada for Teachers of Ukraine Canadian teachers offered sessions and training for Ukrainian teachers on how to teach in multi-level classrooms.‍
• Angels of Ukraine, aimed at remembering the innocent children killed during the war.

Since the war started, Tatiana has been instrumental in supporting Ukrainian families and students in both Ukrainian schools and the Toronto District School Board. She has planned a series of workshops for teachers, parents, and students to help them adapt to the new system, ensuring a warm and welcoming environment. For the last three years Tatiana organized and supervised NMT test for Ukrainian students in Canada.

Throughout her career, Tatiana has worked tirelessly to enhance Ukrainian education in Canada. She collaborated with teachers and administrators in Toronto to develop a unified system of evaluation for students in Ukrainian studies courses. Her efforts also included developing and improving programs for learning Ukrainian as a foreign language.

One of her significant achievements was coordinating the development and adoption of the "Let's Speak Ukrainian" textbooks for grades 1 to 11, which are now used in both Toronto and Canadian schools. Tatiana has also been a driving force behind professional development for teachers, organizing and facilitating workshops and national conferences in 2012, 2016, 2021, 2024, and 2025 .

Her contributions to the Ukrainian community are numerous and impactful. As the chair of the Ukrainian Canadian School Board, she has developed programs and resources for teaching Ukrainian as a second language, organized teacher seminars and workshops, and facilitated community events such as Children Corner during Ukrainian Independence Day, the Shevchenko Concert, and Svyato Knyzhky. She has provided steadfast support for teachers and coordinated the work of 12 Ukrainian schools and multiple kindergartens in Toronto.

In her role as Chair of the National Ukrainian Educational Council, Tatiana has organized teacher conferences, workshops, and webinars across Canada and internationally. She has also played a crucial role in supporting students displaced by the war in Ukraine, ensuring they receive the educational support they need.

Tatiana Sunak's dedication, leadership, and tireless work have made her a cornerstone of Ukrainian education in Canada. Her efforts have not only supported the Ukrainian community in Toronto but have also had a lasting impact on Ukrainian education nationwide.

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