Born and raised in Canada, to parents of Ukrainian ancestry, I grew up speaking Ukrainian, learning French and English in school. I completed my undergraduate degree at Queen’s University (Canada) with a strong dedication to social justice organizing and a keen interest in the intersection of rights to health and disability rights. I was fortunate to have opportunities to work on advocacy addressing HIV/AIDS amongst people with disabilities soon after graduation. Eventually this led me to completing a Master of Science (MSc) in Public Health in Developing Countries from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (UK) in order to help develop more critical work around disability, data, and access to health from a rights-based framework. This allowed me to work both in longer-term development contexts in Canada and sub-Saharan Africa as well as in situations of humanitarian emergencies. Through this work I have lived and worked in several of the countries where DRF currently has grantees including Haiti, Malawi and Uganda. For the past 6 years, I have been practicing the “art and science of grantmaking” by managing disability rights grants at the Wellspring Philanthropic Fund.  

In addition to my day-to-day work, I love music and the outdoors. I’m currently a proud board member of the Ottawa-based disability arts organization, Propeller Dance, a frequent visitor to the National Arts Center, and a big fan of the Ottawa Public Library.  I’m thrilled to share these loves with my son who frequently joins me on the Kitche Zibi (Ottawa River) in our kayak.  

Book recommendation: The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline