Olga is an Advocacy and Citizen Engagement Specialist specialist with more than 30 years of diversified experience as an adult educator and communications practitioner with the Coady International Institute in Canada. This includes overseas consultancies with local, national and international NGOs in Asia (Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Philippines), Africa (Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zambia and Egypt), South Pacific (Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu and New Caledonia), Caribbean (St. Lucia, Antigua, Barbados), Europe (Ukraine, Moldova), as well the US and Canada.

 

The main focus of Olga’s work is to help citizens and their organizations strengthen their capacity to participate actively in the governance cycle in their countries and communities. Areas of specialization include designing and facilitating courses in Gender & Power Analysis, Co-operative Inquiry & Storytelling, Communication for Social Change, Promoting Accountable Democracies, Advocacy & Citizen Engagement, and Social Accountability Tools & Processes for Transparency. She also conducts skill building workshops in areas such as transformative adult education, collaborative facilitation, presentation skills and local fundraising.

 

Olga holds a MA in Journalism and a BA (Honours) in Psychology, both from the University of Western Ontario, and has completed course work and research towards a PhD (ABD) in Adult Education from the University of Nottingham in the UK.