My STORY

Ukraine-born, NY-raised, and London-based - with 35+ countries in between - culture is in my DNA. A cultural curiosity has defined my life and work from the age of 6, when I found myself figuring out the hidden “codes” of NYC first-graders as an awkward Soviet immigrant desperate to assimilate. Since then I’ve channeled this unique vantage point - teetering on the edge of cultures - to figure out what truly makes people tick, uncovering the hidden ties that bring people together as well as set communities apart.

To this end, I approach strategy as something of a (low-level) diplomat, helping different groups of people understand each-other: from helping clients gain perspective on all- elusive “consumers” to demystifying client motives for creative teams. Over the years I’ve helped a broad range of clients - from some of the world’s most famous brands to scrappy small businesses - widen their aperture and weave in the perspectives of “real” people into the strategies defining them.