UNWLA presents awards to nine Young Women Achievers (06/12/05)

UNWLA presents awards to nine Young Women Achievers

by Tamara Stadnychenko

ALBANY, N.Y. - During the banquet of the 27th UNWLA Convention, nine young women were presented with a Young Women Achievers Award in recognition of their individual talents and accomplishments. A brief biographical sketch of each award recipient follows.

Christina M. Duzyj graduated with a B.S. from the University of Michigan with highest honors. She is pursuing graduate studies at Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, researching maternal illness and fetal outcomes/international health development. Her previous endeavors included work as a research fellow in the field of rheumatology. Ms. Duzyj has also contributed her skills and talents to diverse community programs. She served as an intern with the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund and as a director of adolescent leadership camps with Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization. She was also a member of Columbia University's Health Science Campus theater troupe.

After earning a B.S. from Hunter College, Orysia Woloszyn Dmytrenko completed graduate courses at New York University, Columbia University and the State University of New York. Before assuming her current position as spokesperson for the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. in charge of communications, she served as deputy director of the New York State Department of Economic Development. She was seminar trainer for the International Republican Institute and now serves on the executive board of The Ukrainian Museum in New York City.
An accomplished actress, Vera Farmiga studied theater and acting at Syracuse University and graduated with honors in 1995. She is featured in Paramount Pictures' recently released remake of "The Manchurian Candidate," starring Denzel Washington and Meryl Streep, and will soon be appearing in a Martin Scorsese film starring Leonardo DeCaprio and Matt Damon. Her television credits include starring roles in "UC: Undercover" and "Touching Evil." Ms. Farmiga has won major recognition at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival and received the 2005 Independent Spirit Award.
After earning a B.A. from the University of Southern California, Roksolana Luchkan worked for several years as an educational sales consultant in Sydney, Australia. Currently, she is senior business development manager with eMarketer Inc. Ms. Luchkan is also founder and director of the Coalition Against Trafficking-USA and has organized "Natashas" and "Lilya 4-Ever," special events that publicize the trafficking problem. She performs with the Yara Arts Group and is an active member of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America and the Ukrainian Institute of America. She also serves as a volunteer teacher at the New York Museum School. Committed to universal human rights, she is also a member of Amnesty International.
With a Ph.D. from Columbia University, Larysa Halyna Pevny is an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She has received four study grants and was honorary lecturer at the University of Sheffield, U.K. Her research field is neural stem/progenitor cell fate. She holds two patents that reflect her interest in this field. Dr. Pevny is contributing author to 22 publications and is a reviewer for two journals on the subject of developmental biology. She currently serves as director of the Pevny Laboratory.
Olenka Z. Pevny earned a Ph.D. in art history from New York University and is assistant professor at the University of Richmond. She has presented numerous papers and lectures on art, and her articles have been featured in several art publications. Dr. Pevny has been awarded eight fellowships and grants; she was a Fulbright visiting professor at Kyiv University and a Mellon post-doctoral fellow at Emory University. She has served as consulting curator with the prestigious Guggenheim Museum and as a research associate with the Metropolitan Museum in New York City.
Actress and writer Lusia Strus holds a B.S. from Illinois State University. In 2002 she won the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Performance of the Year; she was also named best supporting actress at the Mexican International Film Festival. Her theater credits include appearances in "Go Away, Go Away," "History of the Devil," "Our Town" and other productions. Ms. Strus has also appeared on television, in independent films and in several Hollywood feature films.
Nadia Tarnawsky holds a master's in music history and is professor of Delacroze eurhythmics at the Cleveland Institute of Music. An accomplished vocalist, her professional engagements include Apollo's Fire, Divchata Kukhni, and appearances with the Baroque Music Ensemble, as well as the Ukrainian Folk Ensemble. Her voice can also be heard on the soundtrack recording of "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors." Ms. Tarnawsky was recently awarded an Artist's Project Grant from the Ohio Arts Council.
Holding a B.S. from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, Christina Zinycz also successfully completed a certificate program with International Business Institute in Nancy, France. She serves as Brand Manager for GRI Asia, Ltd. in New York, which boasts a chain of more than 280 stores, and as main manager between the GRI buying team and NWG sales team, advising on all aspects of merchandising. She has also worked as retail director for Nine West Group, Inc., and was a sales representative for Enzo Angiolini. She is a member of Plast's Spartanky sorority, the Carpathian Ski Club (KLK) and the Ukrainian National Association.

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