Experience

Elmbridge CAN

• Non-profit Organization Management
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Community Liaison

  • Apr 2022 - Present

  Currently serving in a voluntary capacity as a community liaison for Ukrainian refugees at ElmbridgeCAN, a well-established local charity that aims to support refugees and newcomers to the UK. Among the work since March 2022: -- Establishing a network of actively staffed hubs across towns in Elmbridge Borough for weekly meetings by Ukrainian refugees -- Organising key events around holidays and special commemorative days, as well as outings to museums (Ukrainian Day Out at Brooklands Museum on Aug. 7) -- Actively helping Ukrainians to settle into schools, housing, NHS, jobs and dealing with local authorities -- Outreach to media, including interviews with print and television -- Refugee sector liaison, including appearance at Tory conference in Birmingham on Oct 3 along with Enver Solomon of Refugees UK, and speakers from Together for Refugees Show less



Self Employed

• United States
• 700 & Above Employee

• Creative Writer, Fiction and Poetry

  • 2002 - Present

  Creative writing includes novels, memoir and poetry. My novel Forty One was published in Oct. 2015. See website, www.lesiadaria.com. For book and publisher: https://www.troubador.co.uk/bookshop/contemporary/forty-one/, where you can view published blogs and magazine articles. My work on book marketing included writing articles for Woman & Home, three regional interviews for BBC Radio (Brighton, Bristol, Oxford), a top 20 books listing on NetGalley in October 2016, presentations at ReadFest and various libraries. Show less



Ukrainian Institute London

• International Affairs
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Communications Adviser

  • Sep 2017 - Jan 2023

  Russia's war against Ukraine has put a spotlight not only on Ukraine and current events there but also on its global impacts and geopolitics. Understanding this war and Ukraine's resistance means also understanding the country's long history and culture, and the Institute has long been at the forefront of the effort to highlight Ukraine to the world. The Institute creates, runs and promotes a variety of events — talks, exhibits, performances, fundraisers — featuring key international speakers, such authors, artists, politicians and activists. The Institute also works with other organisations to put on events held at various venues in London. Topics covered in recent years and special focus has included contemporary literature, Crimea, Donbas, the impact of Kremlin propaganda and disinformation, as well as Ukraine's health care reforms, elections and Ukrainian-Jewish relations. With the war front and centre now, we are beyond busy in our outreach on every aspect dealing with the war, including humanitarian efforts, refugee issues, war crimes, propaganda and media, the future of the war and post-war reconstruction. My role has been involvement at every level of UIL events and content, from idea to implementation, as well as help with financing as a benefactor, media outreach and writing/editing external reports, notices and promotions. Show less



Weybridge Society

• Surrey

• Editor, Communications Coordinator and Executive Board Member

  • May 2017 - Apr 2022

  As an executive committee member until December 2021, I participated in setting and driving forward the organisation’s strategies and projects, especially key initiatives such as the design and implementation of a new social media strategy, a project to rebuild local NHS services within a new community hub and our membership campaign. As editor of the bi-yearly magazine (previously a quarterly newsletter), with a distribution of 2-10K, my role included acting as managing and commissioning editor, reporter, writer, copy editor and proof reader, as well as overseeing production and liaising on advertising copy. I also mentored young people locally who were interested in journalism and oversaw their work as new reporters. I worked in this capacity for five years. Show less



Wellnorth Enterprises and Surrey County Council

• Weybridge, England, United Kingdom

• Project Champion

  • Oct 2020 - Jun 2021

  Worked to deliver a holistic, integrated town centre regeneration project that sought to bring together local authorities, community organisations, local businesses and the National Health Service. The regen project focused on rebuilding and re-provisioning NHS health services (local GP practices and related services and outpatient services from nearby hospital), but also rehousing Surrey County Council health and social services (including local library) and Elmbridge Borough Council social services. Stakeholders also included diverse charities, not-for-profit organisations and local businesses. The goal of this project was to build and house all of these local authority, health and private and not-for-profit services in an integrated set of buildings in Weybridge town centre, with commuter, parking and traffic issues also resolved. My role included community liaison, senior comms work (lead on press, publicity and marketing) and driving the project forward. Appointed by the Leader of Surrey County Council Tim Oliver and reporting to Lord Andrew Mawson, Chief Executive of Wellnorth Enterprises, I was a key member of the delivery team, the steering Project Board as well as all task groups. Show less



Thames Estuary Partnership

• United Kingdom
• Environmental Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Strategic Communications Manager

  • Apr 2020 - Dec 2020

  Editor and adviser on communications strategy at not-for-profit environmental consortium counting hundreds of member organisations and companies advocating for a cleaner and more biodiverse River Thames. As temporary editor of 'Talk of the Thames' magazine, I delivered a 24 page online magazine during COVID in a tight span, taking over in May and completion in June 2020, with publication July 1, 2020. I worked with the senior management team on communications strategy and media campaigns and greatly assisted in the launch of a new website (text, images, podcast) for a live boat trip re-imagined as a virtual online experience. I also assisted staff with writing and editing on projects. Show less



Financial Times

• United Kingdom
• Newspaper Publishing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Reporter

  • Jul 1999 - Jun 2001

  US stock market reporter and Wall Street columnist for world's leading business and financial newspaper; covered the late 1990s tech market boom and crash, including front page news and features; wrote humorous column 'Off the Wall' about events, trends and personalities on Wall Street. US stock market reporter and Wall Street columnist for world's leading business and financial newspaper; covered the late 1990s tech market boom and crash, including front page news and features; wrote humorous column 'Off the Wall' about events, trends and personalities on Wall Street.



Futures World News

• London, United Kingdom

• Reporter

  • Mar 1997 - Jun 1999

  Reporter for commodity and financial news wire service; specialised in energy and crude and oil markets, including covering OPEC conferences in Vienna, also covered EU events in the lead-up to the creation of the euro. While working full time also completed master's degree at LSE. Reporter for commodity and financial news wire service; specialised in energy and crude and oil markets, including covering OPEC conferences in Vienna, also covered EU events in the lead-up to the creation of the euro. While working full time also completed master's degree at LSE.



The Times, CBS News Radio, CBS News '60 Minutes,' Kiev Post

• Kyiv, Ukraine

• Freelance Journalist

  • Nov 1995 - Oct 1996

  The Times: foreign correspondent/stringer for UK national daily on politics, economy and human interest stories. CBS News Radio, New York and affiliates: radio correspondent with extensive coverage of Chernobyl anniversary. CBS '60 Minutes' television program: originator, researcher, production assistant and translator for hour-long investigative tv documentary show that aired twice in US in 1996. Kiev Post: reporter and temporary editor-in-chief for Kiev's only English language weekly newspaper. Show less



IFC - International Finance Corporation

• Minsk, Belarus

• Country Director for Public Relations

  • Apr 1995 - Oct 1995

  World Bank project to promote small-scale privatisation in former Soviet Union. Six month contract. Supervised press, radio and tv promotional activities in four city branch offices. Developed proposals, allocated and monitored monthly budget. Restructured PR personnel and reviewed staff performance. Created, directed and produced 20-minute nationally televised video. World Bank project to promote small-scale privatisation in former Soviet Union. Six month contract. Supervised press, radio and tv promotional activities in four city branch offices. Developed proposals, allocated and monitored monthly budget. Restructured PR personnel and reviewed staff performance. Created, directed and produced 20-minute nationally televised video.



The Washington Times, Intelnews, Utel, Soros IRF, Elections94 Press Centre

• Kyiv, Ukraine

• Freelance Journalist

  • Feb 1994 - Mar 1995

  The Washington Times: Foreign correspondent/stringer for US national daily. Covered first post Soviet parliamentary and presidential elections in newly independent state of Ukraine. Wrote features on politics, economy and human interest stories. IntelNews: Senior editor and reporter for small English language news agency. Wrote and edited news stories and features. Commissioned articles from freelancers, assigned news stories to staff and organised publications schedules. Utel: Contract writer for corporate brochures for Deutsche Telekom/Ukraine joint venture. Soros International Renaissance Foundation: Editor of annual report and quarterly bulletins, created first IRF brochure. Elections94 Press Centre: English language editor for daily and hourly press releases during first parliamentary elections. Show less



Insight Magazine

• Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Reporter

  • Nov 1992 - Oct 1993

  Reporter for national weekly news and opinion magazine: wrote features on international political and environmental affairs and tech policy. Responsible for short weekly national interest pieces and Congressional vote summaries. Occasional book reviews for The Washington Times. Reporter for national weekly news and opinion magazine: wrote features on international political and environmental affairs and tech policy. Responsible for short weekly national interest pieces and Congressional vote summaries. Occasional book reviews for The Washington Times.



National Endowment for Democracy

• Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Administrative Assistant

  • Aug 1991 - Sep 1992

  Assistant to Director of Programs in East European section of NGO supporting democratic development abroad. Reviewed and developed project proposals and monitored grants. Met foreign grantees and visitors, conducted research, translated articles and performed admin duties. Assistant to Director of Programs in East European section of NGO supporting democratic development abroad. Reviewed and developed project proposals and monitored grants. Met foreign grantees and visitors, conducted research, translated articles and performed admin duties.