OUR TEAM

Nellie Fouksman is a Ukrainian American youth organizer, writer, and advocate for cross-cultural connection. A high school student based in San Francisco, Nellie co-founded Slavic Voice for Ukraine with a vision of creating a space where Slavic youth around the world could speak freely and be heard widely.

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Leah Mordehai is a Ukrainian American writer, youth journalist, and advocate for cultural justice. A high school student based in San Francisco, Leah co-founded Slavic Voice for Ukraine to create a home for Slavic stories often overlooked in Western media—and to build bridges between diaspora communities through language, memory, and truth-telling.

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Emily Gorodetskiy is the Vice President of Policy and Advocacy at Slavic Voice for Ukraine, where she leads efforts to elevate the political engagement and civic awareness of Slavic communities. A dedicated senior at Lowell High School, Emily brings a strong background in voting rights, democracy, and public policy. Emily has worked to increase civic participation across San Francisco. 

Raised in the US, Tonya Maximova is a Russian Ukrainian youth leader, writer, and advocate for global connection. She co-founded the Slavic Student Association at her high school in San Jose in hopes of creating spaces where Slavic youth can share stories, celebrate identity, and strengthen connections.

Gavin Hernandez is a Senior at Richland High School in Prosper, Texas. Passionate about cross-cultural exchange, language learning, and public policy, he leads statewide outreach and partnership initiatives to expand youth engagement in international dialogue.This past summer, he studied Russian abroad in Latvia with NSLI-Y.

Anna is a senior at Edina High School in Minnesota. Her  mother is Russian, and  Russian culture has always been very important to her. Raising awareness in the US and fostering connections between Slavic people is very important to her. This past summer, she studied abroad in Latvia with NSLI-Y and was able to connect a lot more to Russian culture.

Thomas Haws leads outreach, advocacy, and partnership initiatives to strengthen support for Ukraine and amplify Eastern European voices. He is dedicated to advancing youth engagement in international affairs and human rights. He has spearheaded regional campaigns and coordinated collaborations with community organizations.​​​

Danica is a senior at Dakota Valley High School. She is passionate about learning languages and new cultures and is hoping to work in National Security. She studied Russian in Latvia through NSLI-Y and hopes to learn some new languages soon!​​

Hi guys, I’m Raphael Capangpangan, the Slavic Voice regional director for the state of New Jersey! Although I do not have heritage hailing from the Slavic nations, I find it important to aware of international affairs, especially in that region. Beyond Slavic Voice, I do a lot of advocacy and education in the LGBTQ+ youth sector, interning for my state’s department of education, 

Hi everyone, I am a junior at Red Bank Catholic from Central New Jersey. I am a first generation Ukrainian-American in the United States. Within the Ukrainian community, I am in professional Ukrainian dance ensembles Yunist and Syzokryli. Throughout the Ukrainian community, I've graduated from St. Andrew's Ukrainian School, was apart of CYM, and attend the ACU National Ukrainian Summit in Washington D.C.

Olivia DeMarsh is a sophomore at Scituate High school and is a regional director in Massachusetts. She is especially committed to making a difference in her community from environmental issues to human rights. She is about oceanography and advocacy, aiming to help her community through volunteering. She participates in Journalism, the Women's business association, and key club. 

Oscar Shelton is a senior at Cranbrook Upper School in Michigan. He works to build a membership base for the organization in Michigan and advocates for the civic and social objectives of Slavic Voice. This past summer, he studied Russian abroad in Latvia with NSLI-Y.

Leah Finney is a sophomore at Scituate high school and a regional director for Massachusetts. She is involved in many extracurriculars including HOSA, debate team, and journalism. She is passionate about inclusive education and healthcare and she is excited to join Slavic voice for Ukraine and work for education advocacy and spreading awareness. When not at school she plays soccer and tennis and enjoys swimming.

Platon is a high school student from Kharkiv, Ukraine, who watched his street get destroyed by Russian rockets in the first week of the invasion and decided, from that moment on, that doing nothing was never going to be an option. He volunteered with Ukrainian refugees in Germany, taught English to children from frontline regions,, and is now in Los Angeles serving as a Communications Manager for a Model Congress program.

​Alina Schwetz is a first-generation Ukrainian-American student with a strong passion for journalism, international affairs, and law. She publishes articles and poetry, using her voice to highlight global issues and amplify Ukrainian perspectives. She aims to connect Southern California with SV4U, and to expand opportunities for advocacy, awareness, and engagement.

Benjamin Lavine is a youth leader working across international affairs, public policy, civic engagement, and advocacy. He serves as Board Secretary and Communications Director of the United Nations Association of San Francisco and previously directed its Summer Fellowship Program, leading youth engagement and outreach initiatives. Ben has interned with the California Superior Court and has experience supporting legislative and policy work in California.

Luke is a senior at St. Louis University High and a regional director for Missouri. Passionate about spreading Slavic culture, he leads the SLUH Russian Club and aims to spread awareness about the importance of Ukraine in Russian history. He is also studying Russian abroad in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia this summer.

Natalie is an incoming freshman at Baylor University planning to major in International Studies on the pre-law track. She is interested in pursuing law and continuing her study of the Russian language. Through the NSLI-Y program in Daugavpils, Latvia, she developed her Russian skills and deepened her passion for international affairs and learning other cultures.

Hi! My name is Andrew. I moved to the United States from Ukraine two years ago, and I'm currently a high school junior in the Bay Area, also taking college courses at Foothill College. I'm passionate about programming and app development I've already published my own app on the App Store. Right now I'm building "Razom Together," a mobile app for Slavic Voice 4 Ukraine that will help connect volunteers, share news, and organize events.

Ekakshya Singh is a student leader from Virginia who is passionate about connecting people through education, service, and cultural exchange. He has experience leading teams, organizing community projects, and volunteering through Sewa International, PRCS, and local community organizations. 

I’m very delighted that people throughout the world get interested in Ukrainian, and other Slavic cultures, so I believe I can add an authentic perspective to it, by writing articles and coordinating other writers from Ukraine, to create thematic content for Slavic Voice!

Hello! My name is Tram, and I am a senior from Texas! My favorite hobbies are swimming and watching movies— especially comedy and action ones, and of course I love anime c: I am excited to contribute to Slavic Voice 4 Ukraine and help outreach youths and build connections in the community and nationally!

I am 14 years old and a freshman at Windermere High School. I have been launching a project, Shine Bright Ukraine where we collect letters to send to Ukrainians for love and support! I love to dance, travel, play the harp, and learn languages. I can speak German and I am learning Ukrainian. 

Hello! I'm Benjamin Butsko and currently attend Brooklyn Technical High School in New York City. As a first generation Ukrainian-American student, I've seen the biases and misconceptions that people often have about Ukraine and the Slavic world. I believe that it is important to advocate for the truth and put light onto important issues to better let people understand the history and struggles that Slavic people have. I'm excited to contribute as Slavic Voice's New York Regional Director and hope to meet many new people!