Kostiantyn Kvurt

A media and strategic communications expert with over 30 years of experience working at the intersection of media development, public communication, and democratic transformation in Ukraine and across Eastern Europe.

Since 1996, he has held senior leadership roles at Internews Ukraine, the country’s largest media NGO. Under his supervision, the organization has implemented over 850 projects supporting independent media, strengthening the communication capacity of public institutions, and countering disinformation. These initiatives have been supported by the European Union, USAID, NDI, the Council of Europe, UN agencies, and other international partners.

In addition to his work at Internews Ukraine, Mr. Kvurt has served as a Deputy Head of Ukraine’s National Commission on the Establishment of Freedom of Speech and Development of the Information Sphere.

Mr. Kvurt’s expertise spans global media trends, freedom of expression, professional ethics, and strategic communications in complex political and information environments.

Natalya Pedchenko

Senior executive with 20+ years of experience in media development, strategic communications, organizational transformation, team leadership, and scaling institutions in complex and rapidly changing environments.

Leads Internews Ukraine as the Ukraine’s largest media NGO alongside a communications agency Compions as a complementary ecosystem that combines mission-driven impact with market-based sustainability.

Currently heads an 60-person team and oversees a $4M annual budget, driving growth through strategic clarity, operational excellence, and strong organizational design.

Kateryna Yudina

Programme and Project Lead with 10+ years of experience in designing and implementing donor-funded (EU Delegation to Ukraine, EED, Internews Network, GAC, IREX, DAI, the US Embassy, Ukrainian Cultural Foundation, International Renaissance Foundation, etc) initiatives.

Experienced in full project cycle management, team leadership (up to 4 teams in parallel, 30+people), and ensuring high-quality delivery in complex and dynamic environments.

Andriy Kulakov

Program Director

AREAS OF EXPERTISE: STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS, MEDIA DEVELOPMENT, PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Has 18+ years of experience in developing and implementing projects (with a budget of over 500,000 euros) for Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan funded by the EU, USAID, World Bank, UNICEF, UNDP, MATRA, CIDA, EU member state embassies, and other donor institutions.

Mr. Kulakov has helped develop communication strategies for the EU Delegation to Belarus, as well as promoting European integration in Ukraine, along with Public Administration Reform (via the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine). In 2017, he developed and implemented a USAID project on communicating public health and energy reforms in Ukraine. Mr. Kulakov provides communication support to the USAID RADA: Next Generation Program.

An expert on strategic communications, advocacy, and media literacy. An editor and co-author of several study guides and books on media, journalism, and communication issues published by Internews Ukraine.

EDUCATION

MA in Philosophy, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy

LANGUAGES

Ukrainian, Russian, English, Polish.

Volodymyr Yermolenko

A Ukrainian philosopher, journalist and writer, President of PEN Ukraine. Doctor of political studies (France), PhD in philosophy (kandydat nauk, Ukraine). Chief editor of UkraineWorld.org, a multimedia project in English about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine. Associate professor at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Head of board of International Renaissance Foundation (Open Society Foundations).

Winner of Myroslav Popovych Prize (2021), Petro Mohyla Prize (2021), Yurii Sheveliov Prize (2018), Book of the Year prize in Ukraine (2023, 2018, 2015) and others. Author of podcasts “Explaining Ukraine” and “Thinking in Dark Times”. Author of numerous articles in international and Ukrainian media. Published in The Economist, Le Monde, Financial Times, New York Times, Newsweek, gave numerous comments to BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, France 24, France Culture, Radio France International etc. His texts and interviews have been published in Ukrainian, English, French, German, Spanish, Polish, Italian, Russian, Dutch, Norwegian, Czech, Greek, Chinese and others.

Latest books: La vie à la lisière. Être ukrainien aujourd’hui (with Tetyana Ogarkova), Gallimard, 2026 (in French); Eine Kultur des Trotzdem. Wie die Ukraine Europa hilft, edition.fotoTAPETA, 2026 (in German); Eros i Psykheia. Istoria kokhannia v Evropi, Dukh i Litera, 2023 (in Ukrainian).

Nadiia Ushchapivska

Media and communications professional with over 8 years of expertise in developing media campaigns, social media and project management, media research, and personnel management. Successfully contributed to communications projects on socially important topics funded by USAID, the European Union, Internews, UNDP, UNFPA, GIZ, NDI, UN Women, SAFEMed, and other international bodies.

Diana Ishchenko

Communications strategist with 15+ years of experience driving social change through strategic communications, crisis response, and digital engagement. Leads teams designing national campaigns, strengthening institutional communication systems, and equipping government bodies, NGOs, media, and local authorities with practical tools for public engagement and transparency.

A skilled trainer and consultant, having delivered 500+ hours of workshops on strategic communications, crisis preparedness, and social media for government, NGOs, and media organisations. Focused on evidence-based communication, behavioural insight, and strengthening democratic resilience through meaningful public dialogue.

Winner of the Women of Europe Award (Woman in Media, 2025) for strengthening independent media and countering disinformation amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and alum of the Edward R. Murrow IVLP program (U.S. Department of State, 2024) on media responsibility in an age of disinformation.

Ilona Koreiba

International relations expert with over 5 years of experience in the security sector, academia, and non-governmental organizations. Proficient in developing and managing international partnerships, leading project planning and execution, conducting analytical research, and coordinating engagement with high-level stakeholders and events.

Kostiantyn Romashko

EU affairs expert with 15+ years of experience in EU–Ukraine relations and donor-funded projects: Media Support Services for the EU Delegation to Ukraine, Together We Are Europe, Stronger Together, Building Europe in Ukraine campaigns, UkraineWorld initiative.

Experienced in project management, stakeholder engagement, and communication of EU-related policies (EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, including DCFTA, benefits, EU-Ukraine visa-free travel regime introduction, Ukraine’s movement to the EU after Russia’s full-scale invasion, etc.), including analytical work, media engagement, and public speaking.

Dmytro Zinchuk

Team Lead of media-related projects and media development expert with 10 years of experience, specializing in the Ukrainian media market and communication of socially important topics, success stories of reforms, and European integration, with a deep understanding of the principles of operation of both national, regional, and hyperlocal media.

In recent years, cooperated with dozens of local and national independent media outlets; designed and organized more than 80 training sessions and capacity-building events for regional journalists; launched an online school for aspiring journalists; hosted two hackathons for civic activists and journalists; and created three interactive installations.

In addition, participated in the production of a comic book ‘ARTI vs. Fake’ on media literacy for children and a comic book “I’m (Not) Okay” that explains how to choose a qualified psychologist for children.

Has experience working with international donors, including the EU Delegation to Ukraine, USAID, Internews Europe, NED, Journalism Fund, and UNFPA.

Areas of professional interest: media development, media literacy, and media research.

Svitlana Ivashchenko

Has 10+ years of experience in financial project management, reporting to donors, project budgeting, and analytics. She manages the organization’s financial department and oversees accounting activities.

Svitlana Panchuk

Has over 18 years of experience in accounting and financial management, ensuring compliance with budgetary regulations, forecasting, reporting, and auditing.

Olga Batiuk

Project manager and communications professional with 15+ years of experience coordinating projects, managing stakeholder relationships, and delivering clear communication in international and multi-partner environments.

Specialisation: strategic project planning and delivery for international donor-funded projects (EU Delegation to Ukraine, EIB, IOM), stakeholder engagement & partnership building, media relations and external communications.

Юлія Винниченко

Communications and project management professional with 3+ years of experience in the development sector.

Specialisation: project coordination and team leadership for communications initiatives; management of cross-functional teams (5–20 people); delivery of communication projects with measurable reach and audience engagement for GIZ, Detecon Europe, ERSTE Foundation etc.