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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Cedar Wara is a non-binary high school student who splits their time between the mountains, the ocean, and the stage. They’re the Director of Communications as well as the Director of Human Resources for Dolphin Defenders, where they amplify youth-led conservation work, and a lighting designer and master rigger, bringing stories to life through theatrical production. Whether climbing summits, advocating for the environment, or building shows behind the scenes, Cedar works to connect adventure, art, and activism in ways that inspire others to protect and re-imagine the natural world.
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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. As a Department of Elections Ambassador, she has encouraged youth involvement in the democratic process, and her public testimony before the San Francisco Board of Supervisors highlights her commitment to advocating for underrepresented voices. With a deep interest in both policy and community impact, Emily is passionate about shaping inclusive, informed, and empowered civic dialogue—both locally and within the Slavic diaspora.

Vick Volovnyk is a Ukrainian American youth interdisciplinary researcher, civic advocate, writer and leader. A high school student based in New York City, Vick joined Slavic Voice for Ukraine after meeting the founding duo through Civic Unplugged’s Civic Innovators Fellowship, aiming to help the organization grow and connect Slavic peoples across the globe through Slavic stories.

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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. With a passion for bringing peace and awareness to the Slavic community, Vera is working towards a future where our voices are both heard and united worldwide.

Shira Avidan is a senior at Don Soffer Aventura High School in Aventura, Florida. She has a passion for cross-cultural exchange and learning languages, having mentored Ukrainian peers through ENGin and studied Russian through NSLI-Y.​

I am a senior at Edina High School in Minnesota. My mother is Russian, and my Russian culture has always been very important to me. Raising awareness throughout the US and forstering connections between slavic people is very important to me. This past summer I studied abroad in Latvia with NSLI-Y and was able to connect a lot more to my Russian culture.

Thomas Haws leads outreach, advocacy, and partnership initiatives to strengthen support for Ukraine and amplify Eastern European voices. A passionate high school student, he is dedicated to advancing youth engagement in international affairs, policy, and human rights. He has spearheaded regional campaigns, coordinated collaborations with community organizations, and supported Slavic Voice’s mission to inspire civic action. Thomas plays a key role in developing youth-led advocacy projects and interview initiatives that highlight Slavic identity, culture, and resilience. With a deep interest in law, diplomacy, and global affairs, he is committed to building bridges between communities and shaping a more informed understanding of Ukraine’s struggle for freedom and democracy.

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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 be literate and educated about the history and news going on in region. Beyond the Slavic Voice, I do a lot of advocacy and education in the LGBTQ+ youth sector, interning for my state’s department of education, creating educational resources available for teachers and students to learn about queer history!​​

Sabine Brook is a 16-year-old Ukrainian American activist who has years of experience under her belt in journalism and filmmaking. Working with her father, Jonathan Brook, she’s made 2 trips to Ukraine during the war and has been all over the country working to document russian war crimes and to coordinate aid for vulnerable front-line fire stations. Since a very young age, Brook has been involved in the journalism scene, and since the beginning of the war has been using her expertise to work with her father to document the war. She has worked with a team of military medics to bring Tactical Combat Casualty Care training and to provide bulk medical kits to front line emergency response teams. She also documented the delivery of specialized equipment vehicles to heavily impacted fire stations. 

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, attend the ACU National Ukrainian Summit in Washington D.C., work with immigration/international law firms, and have founded many fundraisers in humanitarian aid during times of the current conflict. At school I play on 3 varsity sports and serve as a leader in numerous clubs and serve a role in student government. I believe everyone deserves to feel heard, with a right to hold their own opinon. I hope through Slavic Voices to give those individuals a chance, a chance for recognition.

Daniel Troshin is a student-athlete at Saint Ignatius College Preparatory with a strong passion for finance, economics, and community leadership. A first-generation Russian speaker, he joined Slavic Voice in 2025 to help unite European communities across the Bay Area. As founder and president of the SI Investing Club and an active member of the San Francisco Junior Economic Club, he seeks to apply his financial expertise to strengthen Slavic Voice’s planning and organizational growth.