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Iryna Solomko has joined Leleka Foundation’s team as the Head of Strategic Communications. In the organization Iryna is responsible for implementing Leleka’s communication strategy, focused on reaching potential donors and stakeholders; leading fundraising efforts; collaborating with leadership to align communication goals with fundraising, advocacy, and programmatic objectives; supporting leadership with media engagements; and serving as the primary spokesperson for the nonprofit.
With over 20 years of experience in journalism and communication, Solomko has worked for prominent Ukrainian media: Hromadske Radio, the Correspondent magazine, ICTV, and most recently Voice of America covering New York City and the tri-state area.
“I am proud to join Leleka Foundation. The organization’s mission and goals echo my personal beliefs and purposes. Since 2014 Leleka Foundation has helped battlefield medics save the lives of countless Ukrainian defenders. It’s an honorable mission, and I want to contribute as much as I can,” said Solomko.
“We are proud and excited to welcome Iryna to the team. As a highly accomplished journalist and communicator, deeply committed to advocacy for Ukraine in the US, she will take Leleka’s outreach, engagement, and fundraising efforts to a new level”, said Vadim Geshel, Leleka’s President.
Before moving to the USA in 2018, Iryna was Head of Communications for the NGO coalition Reanimation Package of Reform. Prior to this, Iryna was Editor-in-chief of the Department of Special Projects for the Ukrainian broadcast media channel ICTV, responsible for documentary production. Iryna was among the first journalists to cover the Russian invasion in the spring of 2014, filming the documentaries on the east of Ukraine. In June 2015 she received an Award for Merit from the President of Ukraine for covering the war in the East of Ukraine. In April 2016, she received the Award Honor of Profession for the Best Material with Civil Position for her documentary Volunteers.