Veronika Sentsov-Velch
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March 26
Veronika Sentsov-Velch | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Veronika Dmytrivna Velch March 26 Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine |
| Alma mater | Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University (BA), Chernivtsi National University, Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University (PhD), George Washington University (MA) |
| Occupations | Lawyer, civic activist, human rights advocate |
| Known for | Executive Director of Amnesty International Ukraine |
| Spouse | Oleh Sentsov |
| Children | 2 (Lev, Demyan) |
| Awards | Mark and Debbie Kennedy Frontiers of Freedom Award (2018) |
Veronika Sentsov-Velch, PhD (née Velch; born 26 March[1]) is a Ukrainian advocate and a specialist in corporate and crisis communications, as well as international lobbying.[2][3] She holds a PhD in international relations. Since April 2024, Veronika has served as Country Director of Amnesty International Ukraine.[4][5] She previously worked as Senior Advocacy Director at the U.S. public affairs consulting agency Ridgely Walsh and as co-coordinator of Euromaidan SOS (Ukraine).[6][7]
Since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine, she has worked in Washington and Kyiv to strengthen support for Ukraine and increase arms supplies.[4][8] As head of Amnesty International Ukraine, she focuses on documenting war crimes, human-rights education, and the protection of prisoners of war and civilian hostages.[9][5][10]
Professional activity
Sentsov-Velch was born in Ivano-Frankivsk.[11] She graduated with distinction from the Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University in 2009.[12]
In 2015, she defended her PhD's dissertation “International election observation in the post-Soviet space (Ukraine, Russian Federation, Republic of Belarus)” at the Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University.[13]
In 2018, she completed a master's degree in International Advocacy and Strategic Communications at the George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management.[14]
Her specialization includes advocacy in East Asian[15] and Southern African countries,[16] with a focus on the relationship between technology and human rights.[10][17]
She began her career as an expert in Ukrainian election law.[18] In 2013, she worked as a correspondent for the Voice of America Ukrainian Service in Washington.[1]
During the Revolution of Dignity (Euromaidan), she returned to Kyiv and led communications for the Chesno civic movement.[19][20] In 2015–2016, she helped organize the nationwide “Follow the Money” campaign,[21][22] promoting transparency in political finances, including work related to the mayoral race in Ivano-Frankivsk.[23]
Since 2018, she has worked in corporate communications and international advocacy with U.S. lobbyist Juleanna Glover at Ridgely Walsh.[7][24]
After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, she orchestrated volunteer advocacy projects in Washington D.C. in support of Ukraine, lobbying for the supplies of F-16s, drones, artillery, and armored vehicles.[25] Between 2019 and 2024, she worked to develop a media strategy and advocacy campaign on behalf of Paul Whelan, a U.S. citizen imprisoned in Russia.[26][27]
In 2024, she returned to Ukraine and became executive director of Amnesty International Ukraine.[4][28]
Academic and civic activity
Sentsov-Velch is a Senior Research Fellow on national security and innovation at the Rainey Center (Washington D.C.).[18][29] She served as an expert observer in the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election and is a member of the Transatlantic Democracy Working Group.[30]
She also sits on the supervisory board of Samizdat Online, a Canadian digital platform that combats propaganda and promotes access to information under censorship.[31]
In Ukraine, she co-coordinated Euromaidan SOS, documenting human-rights violations during the 2013–2014 protests.[6]