Mariia

MARIIA ILCHENKO
Educated in Ukraine and in England, with leadership experience in South Korea and Scotland. Over 7 years’
teaching English to adults and 1 year of interpreting in multicultural environment, I bring strong organisational,
problmem-solving, and creative skills to empower and support others. I specialise in intercultural
communication, adult teaching, languages such as English, Ukrainian, and russian, and have a genuine
enthusiasm for visual design. As an international specialist, I bring cross-cultural awareness, a result-driven
mindset, and eagerness to learn with and from my colleagues.

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South Devon, UK

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
KAIST International Leadership Programme, South Korea July 2025

Participant
As part of an international team focused on how to make cities sustainable and resilient, I engaged with
Korean government bodies and enterprises to learn about their actions to achieve Sustainable
Development Goal 11.
I led a team of seven people which presented a project about inclusivity and the struggles of the senior
generation to adapt to rapid technological progress.
I gained experience working in unfamiliar cultures and environments and learnt how to lead by
empowering people to perform based on their skillsets. Strong leadership is not necessarily about being
the smartest, but about identifying and platforming others’ abilities.

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WWLR Ltd., England Aug 2023 -
Military Interpreter Aug 2024

I interpreted NATO training for Ukrainian soldiers, including lectures for over 100 people and field exercises
for up to 50. I was immediately given responsibility for more senior-level courses due to my language skills
and professionalism.
This role strengthened my discipline and resilience under difficult physical and emotional conditions where
making a mistake would have serious consequences on the battlefield.

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Ukrainian Women’s Leadership Programme, Scotland July 2024

Participant
I undertook a programme delivered by the John Smith Trust to strengthen leadership skills and help
revitalise communities and rebuild Ukraine.
We learnt about post-conflict societies and collaborated on project ideas such as addressing veterans’
mental health and reintegration.
The programme introduced me to a network of inspiring Ukrainian professionals who I continue to
collaborate with and learn from.

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 Torbay Ukraine Host & Visitor Support Group, England Mar 2022 -
Mar 2023
Volunteer Interpreter
I interpreted refugee support meetings organised by the local host community. The number of refugees
rose from 10 to over 100, and I helped to ensure they had access to everything they needed to integrate
into British society.
I was also asked to interpret and mediate several conflicts between host families and refugees living in the
same house. Using my knowledge of all relevant languages and cultures, I helped each side understand
the other and resolved their disputes.

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Kyiv City Hall, Ukraine April 2019 -
Sept 2023
English Teacher
As a corporate English teacher, I delivered lessons to the sivil cervants, including staff from the law and IT
departments.
During COVID, I successfully adapted teaching to an online format.
Teaching enriched me with the ability to organise, deliver, and evaluate my lessons, as well as trained me
in being highly attentive and able to explain difficult things in a simple way.

EDUCATION

University of Leeds, England Sept 2024 -
Sept 2025
MA Professional Language and Intercultural Studies
I completed an MA programme with distiction including the following modules: Gender, Globalisation &
Development; English in Intercultural Communication; International Organisations: Context, Theory &
Practice; Managing Business Across Cultures; Skills & Issues in Intercultural Studies.
I also completed a dissertation focused on language and identity in Ukraine. Through conducting
interviews, I researched how displacement has affected language choice among Ukrainians who have left
the temporarily occupied territories since 2014. I received 90 for my work and am publishing it as a chapter
in a forthcoming book by Routledge.
Studying at Leeds not only sharpened my critical thinking and writing skills but also gave me valuable
insights into the differences between the UK and Ukrainian educational systems.

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Sept 2014 -
National Pedagogical Drahomanov University, Kyiv, Ukraine. July 2019

BA Philology
I completed an educational programme “Language and Literature (English)” and gained a professional
qualification Teacher of the English language and Foreign Literature.

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Gymnasium №6, Kremenchuk, Ukraine. Sept 2003 -
June 2014
Complete secondary education