Sport instills discipline, resilience and passion, teaching us to learn from mistakes and accept loss as part of the game. I played chess from 1993 to 2004 and became the European champion among girls under 16 in 1999, sharpening my problem-solving and critical thinking skills. I also did triathlon from 1998 to 2001, which taught me resilience, commitment, and discipline. Although I no longer play professional sports, these skills have shaped my life and career.

I graduated in 2011 from Taras Shevchenko State University in Lugansk, Ukraine, as a teacher and then moved to the Emirates, where I joined the International SOS. Advancing to the position of operations manager in less than three years, I led a team of nearly 40 people across North Africa, the Middle East and Russia. Despite a successful career, I felt unfulfilled and left the corporate world in 2021 to become the change I want to see. Inspired by Gandhi's faith in gentle change, I focused on the education, well-being and passions of children.

Since 2019, I have been volunteering at Special Olympics, Dubai Cares and other NGOs, leading initiatives to raise funds for education. I gained entrepreneurial experience in a start-up environment and became a certified business and leadership coach from ICF, with an additional certificate from Philanthropy University for fundraising and social enterprise management.

In 2013, my daughter encouraged me to learn ice skating, and in 2023, my family moved to Serbia to contribute to The Ice Movement Foundation and finally master skating.