Eurasian Association of DFW
Sharing and Celebrating Eurasian Cultures
LEADERSHIP TEAM
Leo Velsher, MEDIA MARKETING
214.392.6381
Leo Velsher moved from Central Asia to the US (Dallas, TX) in the late 1980s. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Dallas with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business and brings over 15 years of Information Technology expertise. To unite the Russian community in Dallas, Leo created www.RussianTX.com. Since the site’s establishment in 1999 it has obtained over 2,500 members and continues to grow. Leo is passionate about strengthening the Russian community and believes Eurasian Association of DFW will play a fundamental role in this.
Katy Smith, WEB MASTER
972.50.202.4212
Katy Smith was born in Siberia and raised in Lithuania until immigrating to Israel at the age of 12. Katy served in the Israeli Defense Forces and completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Landscape Architecture at the Technion - Israeli Institute of Technology. She completed studies at the School of Worship and Technical Arts at Christ For the Nations Institute in Dallas, Texas in 2005. Katy is currently the Webmaster for Maoz, Inc., an Israel-based non-profit organization with offices around the world. In addition to maintaining the organization's websites, she also handles online correspondence and fundraising. Katy is married to a native Texan and they have three beautiful children - Seattle, Alexandra, and Anastasia.
Elena Stevens, ARTISTIC COORDINATOR
972.693.0820
Alyona Stevens is a graduate of Kyrgyz State Medical College, The Kyrgyz-Russian Academy of Education and has master degree in Psychology, The Moscow School of Reiki, and is certified by Saint Petersburg Institute of Neuro-Linguistic Programming with the qualification of NLP- trainer. She has work experience as a licensed psychologist practitioner, coach, and Reiki master-III. Conducted business trainings, group psychotherapy trainings, Family Systemic Constellation workshops. With nonprofit organizations was working on different projects to support orphans. In her free time was planning on and participating in local fashion shows and different art projects.In the United States she works as a Russian language, ethics and science teacher at The Russian School at Allen Montessori. She enjoys the arts and is a skilled painter. She looks forward to bringing her artistic talents to the Eurasian Association of DFW and helping with events.
Karine Matevosyan, ART EXHIBIT COORDINATOR
214.476.3939
Karine Matevosyan was born in Baku, Azerbaijan. She spent time as a Mechanical Engineer in Russia and moved to the United States in 1991 with her family. During her time in art course at Collin County Community College she started to expand as an artist and develop a style which encompassed various mediums. She enjoys working with oils, acrylics, and egg tempera. She was blessed to have great mentors such as Frank Covino and Lap Gno, and in 2005 was able to take an art seminar in France. She has worked hand in hand with the Russian Winter Festival, and has shown her work at SMU, the Grace Presbyterian Village, a private Russian exhibit "Moods of Color and Line", and Evol Gallery. Karine looks forward to working with the Eurasia Association, and helping other artists in the community, showcase their work..
Nataliya Krasovska-Cabe, EVENTS COORDINATOR
817.683.7783
Nataliya was born in Yaremcha, the Ivano-Frankovskoi Suburb of Ukraine. She graduated from a culinary institute and gained profession in confectionery and culinary. She is currently studying hotel management, wedding planning, catering management, accounting and bookkeeping.
Nata Batir-Segul, COMMUNITY LIASON
858.926.6286
Nata Batir-Segul was born in Calaras, Moldova. She Studied at Academy of Visual Arts. Worked on architectural projects in water supply and gas companies as well as road constructions. Natalia also worked as a project manager on book productions. She also worked as a wedding planner, stylist for beauty pageants in former USSR countries. Also studies tourism. In 2007 Natalia moved to the United States. She works part-time as a hair stylist and a full-time home maker and a mom. Natalia has been playing an active role in Russian Community events for children such as Christmas parties, assisting at Russian lessons, organizing theme and crafts classes for children.
Ada Tran
TRANSLATION SPECIALIST (RUSSIAN, ENGLISH)
817.217.1939
Ada Tran is a graduate of The University of Texas at Arlington with a B.A.
in German and Russian Language and Political Science. She self taught Russian language when she was 9 years old. Since then, she developed a strong passion for Russian culture and language. She has a passion for traveling, learning languages, translating and volunteering for big and local communities. She lived and studied in St. Petersburg (Russia), Berlin (Germany) and Seoul (South Korea). She taught English and was a guest speaker for English speaking clubs in Vologda, Russia. She is currently an ESL teacher and an online English tutor for university Russian students in Russia. In addition, she is currently serving for AmeriCorps VISTA to fight poverty and help lower-income children to access free education. She once volunteered at Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia! Ada looks forward to help Eurasian Association of DFW with translating and sharing cultures.
Diamond Faucha
PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
972.802.3286
Diamond Faucha is a recent graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, holding a Bachelor’s of Science in University Studies. While she has held a passion for language and culture from the early days of her life, attending the university gave her more opportunities to really explore this passion, exposing her to opportunities to get involved in cultural organizations and to engage in cross-cultural events.
Most recently, Diamond has spent a summer in Egypt and is currently enrolled in the Master’s program at Concordia University where she is studying Education, Curriculum Training and Development. It is her hope that her involvement with the Eurasian Association of DFW with grant her more cultural exposure and will give her further opportunities to exercise her gifts and talents.
Alya Sultanova
Alya Sultanova was born and raised in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. She graduated from the Tashkent State University, faculty of Russian philology. She was an author, editor and host of TV shows of the Broadcasting Company of Uzbekistan. During the time of working there, Alya completed a course of “Leadership Development in Democratic Society” in the Centre of International Partnership “MASHAV” under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel. (Ber – Sheva city, Israel, 1999). Since 2004 Alya Sultanova lived in Almaty, Kazakhstan, where she graduated from Kazakhstan Institute of Management, Economics and Strategic Research with Masters of Arts in International Journalism and Mass Communication majoring in Media Management and Public Relations. Since 2006 she has worked as PR director for Kazakhstan’s largest radio stations “Europa Plus” and “Retro FM”.
Alya Sultanova soon is moving to the United States and looking forward to collaborating with EADFW. Having developed planning skills, understanding of perspectives, value of communication, gives her an opportunity to put an effort in the creation of multi – cultural platform in the new country.
Elena Lang
COMMUNICATIONS/PUBLIC RELATIONS
940.536.8604
Elena Lang was born in Kemerovo, Russia. She is a graduate of Siberian Industrial Academy and Kemerovo State University, and she has a master degree in Civil Law. Elena worked as a Director of Human Resources before she moved to the United States in 2009. She is an owner and founder of Dinner Control LLC.
Elena is married and has three kids and two grand kids. Currently lives in Madison, Mississippi.
Marina Lyashkova
CALENDAR OF EVENTS COORDINATOR
832.729.3457
Marina was born and grew up in Kaluga, Russia. She is an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) and wants to pursue a successful career in finance. At UTA, Marina leads the Russian Cultural Society. She enjoys working out, reading and playing piano. Marina decided to be a leader at EADFW because she wants to keep in touch with her ethnic group and engage in local celebrations and help/educate community about Russian traditions.
