Kira is a dedicated member of the Ukrainian community in Canada. Kira was the co-founder and first president of the Queen’s University Ukrainian Students’ Association (QUUSA). She developed QUUSA’s constitution, securing its ratification by Queen’s University, and organized events including informational booths, documentary showings, invited speakers, and fundraisers.

For twelve years, Kira has been actively involved with Plast at the local and national levels. In Toronto, Kira volunteered as a youth counsellor throughout the year and at summer camps. As a Camp Program Director, she organized and implemented an overnight program for over 100 children and counsellors. As a member of Plast’s Structure and Strategy Committee, Kira developed programming and implemented Leaders-In-Training workshops for counsellors from across Canada. For her dedication, Kira was awarded the Ontario Volunteer Service Award.

Kira began volunteering for Help Us Help (HUH) in 2014. As a volunteer, she mentored orphaned children in Ukraine, and, within Canada, organized and executed fundraising events and communications plans. In 2019, Kira began her employment with HUH, first as Communications and Development Officer, and subsequently as Director of Operations. Due to the success of her virtual fundraising efforts, Kira was an invited speaker at the bbcon 2021 International Conference. Kira is currently the Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program’s Communications Manager.

Academically, Kira graduated with Distinction from her BSc (Honours) in Life Sciences from Queen’s University, and earned a MSc in Medical Science with a Specialization in Neuroscience from the University of Toronto. She co-authored two scientific research articles and presented at nine conferences. Kira was awarded the Institute of Medical Science Entrance Award, Ontario Graduate Scholarship, School of Graduate Studies Conference Grant, and The Hospital for Sick Children’s Research Training Competition award. Currently, she is in her first year of Medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

Born in Winnipeg to immigrants, the Ukrainian community has always been a focus in Nadia’s life through organizations such as Plast, Rusalka Dance Ensemble, Sts. Volodymyr and Olha Cathedral Choir, among others. Upon moving to Montreal to pursue science and medical studies, joining the Ukrainian community there was a priority for Nadia. She soon became active through student organizations like the McGill University Students’ Association (MUSA), eventually serving as President, as well as the Ukrainian Canadian Students’ Union (SUSK) as Secretary, Executive Vice President, and Alumni Director. Throughout her student years, she organized and participated in many film screenings, protests, awareness campaigns, book launches, concerts, policy meetings, and congresses. She also performed in a joint MUSA and McGill Faculty of Music concert as a soprano soloist and sang recreationally with the ensemble Surmy for multiple years. She was a youth counsellor for both Help Us Help the Children and Plast camps.

Since becoming a physician, Nadia joined Ukrainian National Federation (UNF) Montreal, first as an active donations committee member and now as a board member and the first chair of the cultural committee. Since early 2021, Nadia has organized multiple cultural events, both virtual and in person, with the aim of showcasing professional Ukrainian artists and high-calibre Ukrainian artforms. Notably, she co-organized a concert marking the 30th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence last year that showcased Ukrainian classical and jazz music. This led to the increased use of Montreal’s UNF hall, including recent fundraising concerts for the war relief effort.  Since the start of Russia’s horrific war in Ukraine, Nadia has also been a strong advocate on the cultural front of Russia’s war in Ukraine publishing in Montreal’s La Presse (“Cessons la guerre culturelle contre l’Ukraine”) as well as the classical musical journal La Scena (“Russia’s Cultural War Against Ukraine – A Montreal Story”), which was republished in French for La Parole Ukrainienne de Paris.

Based in Toronto, Raya is a consulting analyst at McKinsey and previously worked as an investment banking analyst at TD Securities. She completed university in 2021 with an Honours Business Administration degree, focused on Finance, and a Bachelor of Science, focused on Epidemiology and Biostatistics.

Raya was involved in the Western Ukrainian Student’s Club and SUSK throughout university. Within SUSK, she was External Relations Director where she led SUSK’s Postcards for Prisoners campaign that sent over 200 postcards to Ukrainian political prisoners. Later, she organized a national buddy program for 59 Ukrainian Mitacs students completing internships in Canada. In her last two years on the SUSK board, Raya acted as Alumni Director leading various initiatives. Some of her initiatives included initiating a monthly video series with SUSK alumni highlighting accomplishments and capturing institutional memories, and leading a team of eight in organizing SUSK’s 2021 National Congress. Raya’s main role, however, was leading the SUSK Endowment Fund, designing the strategy, preparing donor materials, and presenting to potential donors, raising over C$120,000.

Within PLAST, Raya has been a leader for 6-18 year old girls, both during the year and at summer camp. Further, she was head counsellor (бунчужна) for PLAST’s overnight camp for 6-11 year old girls and later managed the pioneering and camping program teaching 11-year old girls skills required for PLAST’s next level. She is a member as the Zeleni Husky group (курін) within PLAST.

Raya’s main involvement in the Ukrainian community has been through PLAST and SUSK; however, she has been involved in other initiatives including organizing a clothing drive at TD to benefit UCC Toronto’s Ukrainian Canadian Parachute store. Throughout university, Raya was also significantly involved in the Western Triathlon Club, student council, and consulted for non-profit corporations. 

Roman is the Manager, of Energy Market Operations Canada for Rodan Energy, a leading North American provider of DER asset optimization, demand response, energy intelligence, and metering solutions. Roman holds a Bachelor of Arts, Honours Economics degree from Wilfrid Laurier University.

Roman works part of the Rodan leadership team on delivering on our mantra, Making Sustainable Attainable. In his role, Roman leads a team dedicated to delivering best-in-class energy solutions, across North American deregulated markets. Roman’s regulatory knowledge in different ISO’s and a team of strong energy analysts have helped Rodan continue to be the largest Demand Response aggregator in Canada.

Roman actively contributes to the community and was recognized as one of the top 30 under 30 in the Ukrainian Diaspora in 2021 and bestowed the Lieutenant Governor′s Community Volunteer Award in 2016. He served as President of the Ukrainian Canadian Students Union from 2019 – 2021. His duties included popularizing organizations in the country and the world and providing assistance to Ukrainian students. In particular, Roman initiated SUSK Connect, an online database that lets talented youth unite and collaborate on projects, as well as find out about career opportunities and networks. Besides these activities, Roman organized the first virtual national awareness campaign about the Russian-Ukrainian War. During his time as president, SUSK has been successful in raising over $100,000 for the SUSK Endowment fund.

Mark has been actively involved in the Toronto Ukrainian Community through his extensive volunteer work and appreciation of Ukrainian culture.

He has dedicated over 10 years of volunteer service with the Plast Ukrainian Youth Association on local and national levels. Nationally, Mark worked as a youth camp counsellor at numerous national youth jamborees. Mark also served as a judge for Orlykiada; a North American competition for Plast youth members, focusing on leadership and Ukrainian culture and history. He also prepared and mentored youth for the Orlykiada competition. At the local level, Mark served as a youth counsellor at weekly meetings for 7 years. As well as, continuously participated in the preparation and execution of overnight summer camps over the past 10 years. During COVID, despite numerous challenges and restrictions, Mark and a small team planned and executed a very successful overnight youth camp. For this camp, they each received the 2021 Community Recognition Award – Covid Hero. Mark is also the recipient of the Ontario Youth Volunteer Service Award for 5+ Years of Service.

Mark’s commitment and love of Ukrainian culture also manifests itself through his 18-year career with the Ukrainian Academy of Dance and Arkan dance group, with whom Mark toured internationally on many occasions.

Most recently, as the war broke out in Ukraine; Mark began to utilize his design background to help support Ukraine during these turbulent times. Saint Javelin inspired him to create and produce various stickers and decals which he sells on his Etsy store; MarkerMarkStudio, with all proceeds going to various humanitarian organizations supporting Ukraine. He also volunteered with Perogies for Peace, in which he made and sold perogies to raise funds for Ukraine.

Born and raised in Mississauga, Ontario, Zoriana has always been fiercely proud of her Ukrainian background. For almost two decades now, Zoriana has been actively involved in the Ukrainian Youth Association (CYM). She has served various functions in the organization including counselor, program director, and now Vice-President of the Mississauga branch. Through her involvement in CYM she has assisted with organizing countless leadership seminars, camps, and fundraisers. Some notable projects Zoriana has been involved in include creating a colouring book, organizing a 50km Bike-A-Thon, organizing a nationwide youth jamboree, organizing a car-parade for Ukrainian retirement homes and care centers during the Covid-19 pandemic, and running a book club for Ukrainian youth. Zoriana has also had the opportunity to attend and help run youth camps all over Canada, the US, and Ukraine.

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February, like most of us, Zoriana is constantly looking for ways to help. She has organized numerous fundraisers, both privately and through CYM. As soon as the war broke out, Zoriana has been coordinating CYM youth to fight russian propaganda online, to attend local rallies, and to write letters to their MPs on a weekly basis. This past summer, Zoriana volunteered at a day camp for over 250 children from Ukraine at CYM’s campground Veselka in Acton, Ontario. Through the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Zoriana also volunteers at the welcome table for Ukrainian families at Toronto Pearson Airport.

In her professional life, Zoriana works as a radiation therapist at the Durham Regional Cancer Center in Oshawa. Zoriana is also owner and director at Carswell Music Studios.

Zoriana thanks her family and community for instilling in her a love and a passion for all things Ukrainian, and she is planning on continuing to dedicate her time to the Ukrainian cause for many years to come.

Julia Metelitsa has been an active member of Toronto’s Ukrainian community since childhood. She’s an outgoing and hard-working leader, who volunteers within various organizations. At age 4, she began Ukrainian dance lessons and shared her passion for dance at international festivals in Canada, USA and Indonesia with Arkan Dance Company. Julia taught dance for several years, inspiring a new generation of dancers.

Most of her volunteer work is with Plast Ukrainian Youth Association, which she joined at age 7 as a young scout. As she grew up, so did her involvement in Plast, where she took on various leadership roles. She has been a counsellor for youth in a variety of settings, including summer camps throughout Canada and most recently, in Great Britain.  She has mentored younger scouts and was a trainer at the internationally recognized camp “Golden Mace” (Золота Булава) in July 2022. Plast Toronto’s signature event, the Malanka, has had the benefit of Julia’s event coordination talent since 2019. Additionally, she is co-lead for creating and managing the content for Plast Canada’s national social media platforms.  Julia has been an active volunteer with Ukrainian Canadian Congress and part of the organizing committees of the Invictus Games and Roman Waschuk Galas.

She also joined St. Vladimir Institute’s cultural committee in 2020, managing and moderating their virtual events. In 2022, Julia was awarded with a Plast Certificate of Accomplishment and also the Yvan Baker Award for Leadership. She is a graduate of George Brown College in Special Event Management with Honours and works as an Event & Marketing Professional. Her optimism, positive energy and detail-oriented eye are just a few characteristics that allow her to succeed in the events industry.