Liana had been working to advance social cohesion initiatives in Eastern Ukraine since 2015 when Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Shortly after the invasion, she connected with CORE and quickly stepped into her role as Executive Director for what has become one of our most robust emergency responses to date. Today, Liana leads a diverse team of 25 people based across the country, many of whom have been displaced from their hometowns since the war began yet continue to show up for millions of Ukrainians in need.  

Liana, born and raised in Kyiv, is an instrumental leader, providing critical strategy and insight that have evolved CORE’s programmatic priorities to reflect the needs of the different communities we’re serving. Whether it’s providing home repairs or restoring schools in small communities on the front lines or providing rental assistance for displaced families in the West, Liana and her team consistently find innovative solutions. She actively cultivates partnerships at the highest levels, engaging with national government, central and local authorities, as well as collaborating closely with UN agencies, international partners, and other key stakeholders. Liana’s voice has been critical in informing donor countries and entities on the shifting priorities in Ukraine. Her background and experience have put her in international conferences and opportunities to highlight the continued political and material support needed in Ukraine focusing on emergency demand-driven response in the East and South and long-term support in the West of the country.  

Liana joined CORE with over 15 years of experience working in the public sector and humanitarian field, nearly a decade of which was spent implementing OSCE projects among communities experiencing conflict and instability in the East of Ukraine. She holds a Master in International Law from the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.