Meet our Team

Board of Directors

Andy Bain

Andy Bain

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CO-FOUNDER

Andy Bain co-founded UFF in 2014 after meeting with Ukrainian officers that he served with in Iraq. Their battalion was stripped by the Yanukovych kleptocracy and, as a result, the Ukrainian battalion was combat ineffective in a hostile environment. Andy, through his company, purchased vehicle batteries and was able to mobilize the battalion overnight.

Realizing a direct connection between volunteers and military units was critical to establishing a supply chain responsive to Russia’s 2014 invasion, the Ukrainian Freedom Fund was founded. Separately, Andy was one of the early founders of the advertising and media industries in Ukraine. He has lived and worked in Ukraine, specifically Kyiv, since 1992 after founding Atlantic Group Limited. Andy received a B.A. degree from Yale University and an MBA from the University of Michigan in the United States. He served in Iraq and retired as a Colonel from the US Marine Corps Reserve.

Alan Merbaum

member, board of directors

Alan Merbaum advises UFF on defense industry modernization and investment topics. He supported the US Embassy in Kyiv with a white paper outlining a roadmap for Ukraine defense industry reform and participated in several Ukraine – NATO defense industry working groups.

Alan serves as deputy chair of the National Defense Industry Association (NDIA) International Division and is a member of the US Delegation to the NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG). During his 35-year career at Lockheed Martin, he supported Air and Missile Defense international business development to include foreign military sales (FMS) and industrial cooperation and lived in Israel for 11 years supporting various corporate growth initiatives. Alan received a Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Engineering from Pennsylvania State University, a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tel Aviv University and a Certificate of Business Management from University of California, Berkeley.

Eric Green

member, board of directors

Eric Green recently retired after 32 years serving as a Foreign Service Officer in US State Department.  His last posting was as  Senior Director for Russia and Central Asia at the National Security Council where  helped craft the U.S. response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine reporting to NSA Sullivan, Secretary of State  Blinken and President Biden.

Prior to that he served in Washington, DC and overseas posts including Kyiv, Moscow, Warsaw, Ankara and other venues of regional importance to Ukraine.

Olha Bosak

Olha Bosak

member, board of directors

Olha Bosak is an award-winning energy business leader who has her own business, Olha Bosak Management Consulting. After almost two decades of continuous progression and achievement she was selected to serve on the Board of Directors of Norwegian energy company AICE Hydro and to foster the development of Ukrainian-Austrian Association as a member of the Supervisory Board.

With the aim to promote an image of new post-Maidan Ukraine to the global community and emphasize the importance of strong inter-country cooperation in preventing aggression in 2016, she launched an international Live Free public diplomacy project at the UN General Assembly Building in New York. Due to her active involvement in Orange Revolution in 2004, Olha was invited by Ukraine’s President Yushchenko to serve in his Administration. Olha managed several international projects and worked at international companies. She contributed to energy industry transformation in Ukraine while working with the largest energy company, Naftohaz of Ukraine, as a Director of the Center for Reforms of Oil & Gas Sector and Corporate Governance of SOEs. Olha has two degrees: in Economics and Management from the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv and in Philosophy and Theology from the Ukrainian Catholic University (Lviv). She also completed training programs in Austria, Germany, France and the US.

Daniel Bilak

Daniel Bilak

member, board of directors

Dan is a Canadian-qualified lawyer with 30 years of professional experience in Central and Eastern Europe and an experienced private sector and institutional reform practitioner. He has advised numerous Ukrainian Presidents, Prime Ministers, and cabinet-level officials. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, Dan has served as a member of the Territorial Defense Forces of Ukraine in battlefield and support roles.

Dan plays a critical role in sourcing supplies for Ukraine’s defenders. Prior to the war, Dan served three years as Chief Investment Adviser to the Prime Minister of Ukraine and established and directed UkraineInvest, the Ukrainian government’s foreign direct investment promotion agency; during his tenure, UkraineInvest unlocked US $3 billion of investment from existing and new investors. As Deputy Chairman of Ukrainian Railways and Supervisory Board member of the State Savings Bank of Ukraine, Daniel gained extensive experience regarding the reform of corporate governance of state-owned enterprises.

Daniel twice served as principal adviser and chief of staff to the Minister of Justice of Ukraine. He was also senior integrity and democratic governance adviser to successive presidents and prime ministers of Ukraine. In these capacities, Daniel obtained intimate knowledge of the machinery of government in transition democracies and the practical application of reforms. He was engaged in the restructuring of the ministries of justice, health, education, agriculture, social policy, environment, and economy in Ukraine.

Morgan Williams

Morgan Williams

member, board of directors

Morgan Williams is the President and CEO of the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC), a member of the Board of Directors of the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE), Senior Advisor, U.S.-Ukraine Foundation (USUF), and member of Phi Beta Kappa. Morgan received a B.A. degree in Economics and Business Administration from Ottawa University and a M.A. degree in Economics from the University of Kansas.

He started working on the economic and private business development of Ukraine in 1992. In January 2007 Morgan Williams was elected President/CEO of the USUBC. He has been awarded three State medals from the Government of Ukraine for his contribution to the economic development of Ukraine. Morgan Williams is the founder/trustee of the “Holodomor: Through the Eyes of Ukrainian Artists” collection.

William Mullen

William Mullen

member, board of directors

MajGen William Mullen III, USMC (Ret), is the former commanding general, US Marine Corps Training & Education Command, and former president of Marine Corps University.

William holds a BA and MA in Political Science from Marquette University, and an MA in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. He is also a graduate of numerous military courses, including Airborne, Ranger, Summer Mountain Leader, and Royal Marine Arctic Warfare Survival courses. He is the author of Fallujah Redux – a tactical analysis of his service as a combat commander in Iraq.

William Mullen spent 10 days in December 2023 meeting with senior Ukrainian leadership in training and education at the Odesa and Lviv Military Academies as well as leaders within the Training divisions of the MOD and Ukraine’s general staff.

He is committed to advancing the cause of freedom and democracy in Ukraine.

Alexa Chopivsky

Alexa Chopivsky

member, board of directors

Alexa brings her valuable knowledge and significant experience to UFF and its mission of supporting a free, democratic and independent Ukraine.

She currently is Executive Director of the Women’s Foreign Policy Group. Previously, she served for five years as the inaugural Executive Director of Ukraine House Davos, Ukraine’s investment promotion platform alongside the World Economic Forum’s weeklong annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. 

She is deputy Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board at Ukraine Invest, and since 2012 serves as Director, Program on the World Economy at the Aspen Institute. Ms. Chopivsky previously served as Adviser to the Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine.

For over seven years, she was a journalist with NBC News where she covered world events from the New York, Washington, and London bureaus. After a period as Associate Director at an international communication consultancy in London, Ms. Chopivsky moved to Kyiv. There she worked as a consultant and as a freelance journalist, traveling across Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. She is also Founder, Transnational Education Group, and served as Executive Director, American Center for a European Ukraine.

Alexa received a BA from Yale University with distinction in Political Science and Russian & East European Studies, an MS from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and an MIPP from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies. 

She serves as a Member of the Board of Teach for Ukraine and the Orchestra of the Americas Group. She was a Council on Foreign Relations Term Member and a Eurasia Foundation Young Professionals Network selectee.

In 2021, the President of Ukraine awarded Ms. Chopivsky the Order of Princess Olga.

He is committed to advancing the cause of freedom and democracy in Ukraine.

Brad Fisher

Brad Fisher

member, board of directors

Brad is a U.S. military officer and aviator volunteering with the Ukrainian Freedom Fund in a personal capacity. He lived in Ukraine for several years where he volunteered as an adjunct advisor to the Ukrainian Government in the development of its National Security Strategy, Military Security Strategy, Air Force Development Strategy, and Future Security Environment. 

He is a PhD candidate at the National University of Kyiv – Mohyla Academy and his research has been presented in Kharkiv, Kyiv, Vinnytsia, to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, the Ukrainian Air Force, the U.S Naval Academy, and at numerous international conferences. Brad is a graduate of Norwich University with a B.S. degree and an MBA. Brad has served in numerous worldwide contingency and combat operations including in Iraq and Afghanistan.

the UFF team

Cierra Fisher

Communications DIRECTOR

Cierra Fisher served as Development Director for UFF in 2023 and helped raise $2M in donations. She now serves in the position of Communications Director and is responsible for overseeing all communications to ensure consistency and effectiveness in promoting our mission.

Cierra has led fundraising initiatives in both the public and private sector in the U.S. and Ukraine, to include as chair volunteer coordinator for events on behalf of the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. She has spent her career advocating for individuals in need, including charitable work in Ukraine since 2018. Cierra received her M.Ed. from the Citadel and holds an Ed.S. from the George Washington University. 

Tova Jaffe

Chief Financial Officer

Tova Jaffe advises family offices and start-ups on growth and investment opportunities. She was previously Treasurer of the Smithsonian Institution where she managed the Institution’s liquidity, and debt and investment portfolios.

Tova has worked in investment banking, high-growth technology companies and venture capital. She has been a board and investment committee member for several non-profits in the education and social assistance sectors. Tova received an MBA from Stanford University.

Iryna Shmanenko

Development Manager

Driven to contribute to Ukraine’s progress, Iryna joined UFF. She relocated to Canada in 2020 and has been spearheading the expansion of a Ukrainian IT company into the North American market. Before this, she lived in Kyiv where she worked at the Parliament of Ukraine focused on legislative enhancements for judicial and constitutional reforms.

Iryna holds a law degree from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and has been a recipient of various international scholarships and grants including Professional Fellows Program (PFP) funded by the U.S. Department of State as well as the ” Young Generation Will Change Ukraine ” initiative started by Bohdan Hawrylyshyn.

Oksana Storozhuk

DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Oksana studied international relations at the Institute of International Relations in Kyiv, graduating from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. 

After the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War in 2014, she served in the units of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, actively participating in the organization of training, international exercises, conferences, and courses within the framework of PFP NATO. She joined the Ukrainian Freedom Fund team in 2023. Oksana is a lawyer with over ten years of experience.

Oksana Nagnichuk

Executive director, Legal counsel

Oksana joined the team in the Spring of 2017. She has been critical to our efforts to increase transparency in Ukraine’s military procurement process. Oksana is a lawyer with over ten years of experience.

She has worked professionally in both the public and private sectors. She received her Advocate Certificate in 2020 and has been working at Atlantic Group Limited since 2017. Oksana was a Board Member of the Committee on Constitutional Law, Administrative Rights, and Human Rights (Association of Ukrainian Lawyers) from 2018 – 2021. She has more than 10 publications related to the protection of human rights. Oksana is a graduate of the National University of Kyiv – Mohyla Academy with a Master of Law degree. She received her MBA diploma from the Kyiv-School of Economics in 2021.

Yana Bilash

Administrative Director

Yana Bilash is a Kyiv native who  stayed in Ukraine to care for family during the most intense battles of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.  She has worked for over ten years in private infrastructure development and is a graduate of the Kyiv Economic Institute of Management. She joins the Ukrainian Freedom Fund, Ukraine headquarters, in the role of Administrative Director. 

Iryna Kalyniuk

Finance Director

Iryna is a Ukrainian citizen that lives and works in Kyiv. She graduated from Kyiv National Economic University and has been working in finance for more than twenty years. Iryna has been working with the Ukrainian Freedom Fund for over four years.
Hanna Nosikova

Hanna Nosikova

Operations lead

Hanna was born in Berdiansk, Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine. At the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Hanna’s entire family was under occupation. She decided to do everything possible to bring Ukraine closer to victory.

Hanna is a graduate of the Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics with a Bachelor of Tourism degree and a graduate of the Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University with a Master of Marketing degree. Prior to joining UFF, Hanna worked as a Human Resources Assistant in the International Customer Care Department of Ilaya Medical Company for 2.5 years.

Anton Rudnitskiy

Purchasing manager

Anton Rudnitskiy is a psychology professor and practical psychologist. Anton was with his family in the city of Chernihiv when the war started. Chernihiv was the first city to be invaded and was shelled by artillery and other means of destruction for months. He took it upon himself and made the decision to evacuate both his mother and grandmother. 

Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, he has dedicated himself to helping others. Anton also holds the position of Logistics Manager at the Ukrainian Freedom Fund and is a graduate of National Pedagogical Dragomanov University.

Eduard Vozniy

Volunteer

Eduard “Edik” Vozniy is a former professional logistics officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He received a degree in Economics from the Odesa Military Institute. In 2003-2004, Eduard deployed to the Middle East and is an honored military officer.

He went to Kuwait as part of the 19th Battalion of Radiation, Chemical and Bacteriological Protection with a humanitarian mission and later to Iraq with a peace-keeping mission. After returning from Iraq, Eduard left military service at the rank of Captain. He has been working at Atlantic Group Limited as Administrative Director since 2005.

© UKRAINIAN FREEDOM FUND 2014-2023

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