Mykola Murskyj is Director of Razom’s Advocacy Team. Before coming to Razom, Mykola was an International Affairs Specialist at the Department of Justice Criminal Division and a program analyst at the U.S. Secret Service. Previously, Mykola was a Managing Editor of the Harvard Kennedy School Review and a U.S. Presidential Management Fellow. He was also a lecturer at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, Ukraine, in the Program on Ethics, Politics, and Economics. He holds degrees in physics from MIT and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, and in international affairs from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Mykola also serves as Archivist for the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus.

Doug Klain is a Policy Analyst on Razom’s Advocacy Team. Before joining Razom, he worked as Assistant Director at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, where he currently remains a Nonresident Fellow. He holds an MA in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science. 

Melinda Haring is the Senior Advisor on Razom’s Advocacy Team, and a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. Previously, she was the deputy director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center and editor of the Atlantic Council’s popular publication, the UkraineAlert blog. She is the author of the report Reforming the democracy bureaucracy (FPRI, 2013) coauthor of Biden and Ukraine: a strategy for the next administration (Atlantic Council, 2021), Biden and Belarus: a strategy for the next administration (Atlantic Council, 2021), Ukraine’s internally displaced persons hold a key to peace (Atlantic Council, 2017), and a contributor to Does democracy matter? (Rowman & Littlefield, 2017). Haring has worked for Superhumans Center, Eurasia Foundation, Freedom House, and the National Democratic Institute, where she managed democracy assistance programs in Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Russia. A graduate of Georgetown University, she holds an MA in Government with a certificate in Russian, Eurasian, and East European Studies. Haring is chair of the board of East Europe Foundation in Kyiv, Ukraine, and a member of the supervisory board of Right to Protection in Kyiv, Ukraine. She tweets @melindaharing.

Daniel Balson is the Director of Public Engagement at Razom for Ukraine. Before coming to Razom, he served as Advocacy Director for Europe and Central Asia at Amnesty International USA, where he worked with Congress and the Executive Branch to ensure that human rights across Eurasia are prioritized and protected. Previously, he also worked at Accion International to protect microfinance clients entering the formal financial sector across Eurasia and at the National Democratic Institution supporting civil society and governance development in Central Asia. Daniel has been named among The Hill’s top lobbyists in Washington for three consecutive years. His commentary and analysis has been published in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, BBC, The Hill, Newsweek, Foreign Policy Magazine, and other outlets. Daniel received his Master’s in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and his Bachelor’s from Cornell University. He speaks fluent Russian and Spanish and conversational Arabic and Hebrew.

Yuliya Ziskina is the Legal Advisor on Razom’s Advocacy Team. A public policy and intellectual property lawyer focused on international law, open access information policy, and ethics, she was previously a Fellow at the World Bank Integrity Vice Presidency and the U.S. Department of Justice, where her legal work consisted of investigating and prosecuting international financial crime. She is also former Enforcement Counsel at the New York City Conflicts of Interest Board, where she prosecuted violations of New York City’s anti-corruption laws. Yuliya has authored briefs in the U.S. Supreme Court, DC Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Southern District of New York. Her work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Law, Ars Technica, and Wired. She holds a JD from the University of Washington, where she led a successful campaign for a campus-wide open access to research policy. 

Kira Chernenko is the Operations Manager on Razom’s Advocacy Team. She was born and raised in Kyiv, Ukraine. She moved to the U.S. 10 years ago splitting her time living and working between New York and Washington DC. Before joining Razom, Kira had extensive experience in finance working in property management in New York, and a privately owned investment fund in Maryland specializing in banking and loans. Later she joined the office of Maryland state senator Jim Rosapepe (former U.S. Ambassador to Romania) as an operations manager. Kira holds a Bachelor of Marketing Strategy from National University of Food Technology (Kyiv, Ukraine) and a Marketing Certificate from Bernard M. Baruch College of NY.

Julian Hayda is an Associate Director of Public Engagement with Razom for Ukraine where he works on raising awareness of Ukraine policy with faith communities and other affinity groups across America. Before joining Razom, Julian was NPR’s coordinating producer in Ukraine and had the privilege of establishing the network’s Kyiv bureau. Julian’s work of the war in Ukraine—both in front of and behind the microphone—was heard on 1,000 radio stations across America to which nearly 30 million tune in per day. Earlier, Julian worked with several public radio stations and journalism nonprofits as a talk show producer, project manager, and engagement strategist. He’s won multiple accolades, including from the Society of Professional Journalists and Catholic Press Association of America,  for his work covering the 2013-2014 Euromaidan Revolution in Ukraine, President Yanukovych’s participation in the 2012 NATO Summit in Chicago, among others. He’s also worked on extended projects about the psychological effects of the Chornobyl disaster and Romani human rights in Europe. The son of a priest, Julian has long-term plans to serve in ministry, having attended the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic seminary in Kyiv before Russia’s full-scale invasion. He also holds an M.A. in International Studies from DePaul University, where he researched Ukraine’s religious politics, and a B.A. in Journalism and Film production, also from DePaul. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Summer, and newborn daughter, Theophania.

Anastasiia Sliusarenko is a passionate advocate for Ukraine, dedicating much of her work to supporting Ukrainian sovereignty and victory in the ongoing war. With a strong focus on global awareness, Anastasiia has organized numerous demonstrations, rallies, and community events to mobilize support for Ukraine and raise awareness about the importance of defending its independence. In addition to her advocacy work, Anastasiia is the founder and owner of Dance with Anastasiia business, where she applies her entrepreneurial skills to drive success in the ballroom dance industry. Anastasiia’s leadership in both business and activism reflects a deep commitment to fostering positive change, whether through supporting local communities or championing the international cause of Ukrainian freedom. As a former founder of World for Ukraine NGO, Anastasiia led initiatives focused on standing strong with Ukraine. With a profound dedication to both civic engagement and entrepreneurship, Anastasiia remains a steadfast advocate for justice, peace, and the future of Ukraine.

Oksana Barchuk is a dynamic and accomplished international business professional with over a decade of experience in leadership, strategic planning, and public diplomacy. Currently serving as the Associate Director of Government Affairs at Razom, she is a driving force behind advocacy initiatives that support Ukraine. Oksana’s passion and pride for Ukraine is evident in her work to advance human rights and support humanitarian efforts amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine. Oksana held roles such as Vice President for External and International Affairs at Ukraine Focus, where she forged critical partnerships, sourced funding, and led more than 10 aid missions to Ukraine. She also held significant positions at Ukraine Friends and Sunset Group, Inc., where she specialized in external relations, regulatory compliance, and cultural exchange programs. Oksana’s hands-on experience in liaising with U.S. and Ukrainian officials, combined with her fluency in English, Ukrainian, and Russian, positions her to continue to contribute to impactful international collaborations that make a real difference for Ukraine and beyond.

Daniel Vaynshteyn is an Advocacy Associate on Razom’s Advocacy team. Prior to Razom, Daniel worked on Capitol HIll most recently as a Legislative Director overseeing policy related to Foreign Affairs, National Security, Armed Services, and served as a liaison to the U.S. Helsinki Commission. He currently holds a Bachelors in Interdisciplinary Studies from American University.

Lev Zinchenko was born and raised in Kyiv, seeing and living through the Orange Revolution and the Revolution of Dignity. Ukraine’s struggle for independence, democracy, and fight against Russian aggression since 2014 became his main drivers on both academic and professional paths. Before joining Razom, Lev worked as a translator and reporter for the Associated Press on the investigation of Russian war crimes in Ukraine. Most recently, Lev was a Programme Assistant in the Europe in the World Programme at the European Policy Centre, working on Ukraine’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration, security of the Black Sea region, and European defence and security development. Lev has extensive knowledge of the EU and NATO’s political landscape and European and Ukrainian domestic politics.

Lev holds an Associate’s degree in Liberal Arts from the Northern Virginia Community College, a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and International Development Studies from McGill University, and a Master’s Degree in International Relations with a concentration on globalisation and public policies from the Université Libre de Bruxelles.

Daryna Lesniak is a Public Engagement Coordinator on Razom’s Advocacy team. Before joining Razom, she co-founded Tutors4Ukraine, a platform that connected Ukrainian refugees with volunteer language tutors to help them adapt to their new homes abroad. Before Russia’s full-scale invasion, she launched and ran a premium tea business in Ternopil, Ukraine. Daryna holds dual BAs in Political Science from Columbia University and European Studies from Trinity College Dublin. She is fluent in Ukrainian, English, and Mandarin and is conversational in Spanish.

Ostap Yarysh is a Media Advisor at Razom for Ukraine. Born and raised in Ukraine, he brings over 15 years of experience in journalism and media communications. Before joining Razom, he worked at Voice of America, where he covered U.S.-Ukraine defense cooperation and the relationship between Washington and Kyiv. His reporting also spanned major U.S. political events, including the 2020 and 2024 presidential elections, the 2018 and 2022 midterms, and racial justice protests across the country. In 2021, Ostap published This is America, a nonfiction book that examines social and political issues in the U.S. through the stories of everyday Americans.