Current trustees

Andrii Smytsniuk — Chair, Co-Founder & Partnerships Lead 

Andrii is Chair and Co-Founder of Cambridge4Ukraine. As Partnerships Lead, he is responsible for general communication with various teams within our organisation, building relationships with other organisations, universities, communities, and donors, and for overseeing the organisation’s finances. In the past, he oversaw the Accommodation team, which helped bring over 160 Ukrainian families to the UK, and worked on initiatives to bring Ukrainian academics to Cambridge. In his professional life, Andrii is an Associate Teaching Professor in Ukrainian, Bye-Fellow at Homerton College, and Year Abroad Director at the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics, University of Cambridge. His hobbies include reading, boxing, and running.

Valentyna Shkuro — Trustee, Operational & Finance Support

Valentyna ensures the smooth running of organisational processes. She is responsible for maintaining regular documentation, supporting financial matters, and coordinating the practical aspects of trustee meetings, such as preparing minutes and operational guidelines. She also manages partnerships with organisations that arrange activities for children. In her professional life, she is a Visiting Research Fellow at the Engineering Design Centre, University of Cambridge, where she continues to develop her academic career.

Yaryna Yemets — Programme Development & Community Engagement Lead

Yaryna develops the organisation’s strategic directions, initiates and designs new projects and programmes, launches initiatives, builds strong and friendly relationships with volunteers (45+ engaged), fosters partnerships, and manages the organisation’s communication platforms, including the website, Viber community, Facebook, Instagram, and Eventbrite. She coordinates the Cambridge4Ukraine project Borshch Time fundraising lunches, which unite the community in Cambridge and raise funds for Ukrainian volunteer paramedics, the Hospitallers. Yaryna also supports the YOUkraine Teens in Cambridge programme with concept, strategy, methodological, and creative development. Professionally, she works as a learning experience designer, creating educational content for corporate training.

Maryna Povkh — Youth Programme Lead 

Maryna leads the YOUkraine Teens in Cambridge programme, coordinating educational, social, and recreational activities that support the integration and personal growth of Ukrainian teenagers in Cambridgeshire. She manages logistics, works directly with participants and lecturers, and creates a safe, supportive, and inspiring environment for young people to learn, connect, and thrive. With over 15 years of experience in business management and as a mother of two, Maryna combines strong organisational skills with a deep understanding of young people’s needs. Professionally, she is developing her own business project in the UK, blending entrepreneurial expertise with active community involvement.

Olha Kushniruk — Music Programme Lead 

Olha actively organises musical events in Cambridge, inviting world-class Ukrainian classical musicians to perform. These concerts not only raise funds but also promote greater awareness of Ukrainian music and culture among international audiences.

In her professional life, Olha is a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge, where she focuses on the music of Alexander Jacobchuk, a composer who created postcolonial works challenging Soviet narratives of Ukrainian history.

👉Previous Trustees of Cambridge4Ukraine

👉Our volunteers