Hello. Привіт.

It seems that my life has always revolved around three things: science, writing, and Ukraine.

I graduated in 2015 from the University of Manitoba with a bachelor of science before attending Red River College to study journalism. My work has appeared in Canada’s History, What’s On Kyiv, the Winnipeg Free Press, CBC Manitoba, and weekly newspapers in Manitoba's Interlake and surrounding areas.

Having studied both science and journalism, I like the challenge of exploring difficult questions about the world around us and telling stories that connect people to issues that matter. That’s what led me to publish Planted: Stories From Manitoba’s Natural World, a book that made it to number one on McNally Robinson’s bestsellers list in 2017.

And now to tie in that third word: Ukraine.

I’ve been a Ukrainian dancer for 25+ years and an instructor for 12. Dance was my introduction to Ukrainian culture, inspiring me to learn more about the music, traditions, and language. I visited Ukraine in 2014 for a few days and met some of my relatives for the first time. Though I was there for a short time, the people, culture, and overall feeling had me dreaming of when I could go back.

Three years later in August 2017, I found myself there again, travelling across Ukraine, training with professional dance ensembles for two months at a time before moving on to the next city. While abroad, I wrote a monthly column about a Canadian's take on the Ukrainian lifestyle for What's On Kyiv, an English magazine based in Ukraine.

Since returning to Canada in 2018, I continue to blog about Ukrainian culture, focusing not only on stories from my year abroad but also from Canada’s Ukrainian diaspora. I also co-host Vsi, a Ukrainian dance and culture podcast.

In 2022, I released an updated edition of Planted, with proceeds going toward humanitarian aid in Ukraine.

I’m available for freelance writing and editing, which you can learn more about on my services page.

Thanks for stopping by. I look forward to connecting with you on my blog and Instagram.