Yana Matviychuk

Yana Matviychuk (born September 26, 1982) is a Ukrainian creative entrepreneur, philanthropist, public figure, blogger, and podcast host best known as the founder of ARENA CS, MICE agency and professional conference organizer.
Matviychuk Yana is actively involved in public activities, focusing on business, politics, and social issues in Ukraine. Matviychuk is the co-founder of Women's Aid International, a charitable fund supporting the mental health and humanitarian needs of elderly individuals and IDPs in Ukraine. She also supports various educational and charity initiatives aimed at having a positive societal impact and contributing to the post-war development and reconstruction of the Ukrainian community.
==Early life and education==
Yana Matviychuk was born on September 26, 1982, in Budapest, Hungary. Her father was a military veteran. During her formative years, she relocated to Otar, Kazakhstan, and later to Kyiv, Ukraine, in 1993, anticipating the collapse of the Soviet Union.
In 1999, Matviychuk enrolled at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, earning a bachelor's degree in European history and a master's degree with a major in the history of the Slavs, graduating in 2004.
In 2015-2017, she completed an executive MBA in business administration and general management from the International Institute of Business (IIB, Assosiation of AMBAs accredited). Matviychuk Yana also pursued various certification courses, including an executive certificate in policy communication, a corporate director program, and technology and transformation.
==Career==
===Early years===
Matviychuk started her career during her sophomore year at the university by working at the Museum of Hetmanship and later as a sales manager for a company specializing in courses and team-building activities. She also serves as an assistant to the chairman of the committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
In 2003, while serving as the sales and marketing director at Riviera na Podol, Matviychuk secured an event management project for international organizations. She organized the Fifth Assembly of the World Movement in 2008 in Kyiv, Ukraine.
===Entrepreneurship===
ARENA CS — creative agency of Yana Matviychuk
In 2004, she founded ARENA CS, an event management company that has since collaborated with significant international organizations and NGOs, including the UN (since 2008), UNDP, USAID, OSCE, WHO, FAU, UNICEF, and the Council of Europe (since 2010). The agency specializes in project management, coordination, logistical organization, and budget planning, executing over 1,500 events annually.
ARENA CS holds the position of the largest national agency in professional event organization, consistently participating in the IMEX America exhibition from Ukraine since 2007. Additionally, the agency has been the annual logistics partner for the Kyiv Security Forum since 2007. ARENA CS has hosted all Presidents of Ukraine since 2004, alongside ambassadors, prime ministers, ministers, and heads of various international missions.
Due to its reputation and success, ARENA CS is a member of various international business and tourism organizations, such as:
* Kyiv Convention Bureau 
* European Business Association (EBA) 
* ACTE Global – Association of Corporate Travelers (2013-2016). 
* Member of MPI - International Association of Event Professionals - 2013-2016 
Affiliate member of the World Tourism Organization since 2014.
In 2020, Matviychuk founded Nixwood, a website development and web design agency providing website and landing page design services. Other ventures include Enercell, which specializes in rental and sale services for charging and disinfecting stations for phones and electronic devices. WEDOITBM, established in 2008, offers outsourcing business accounting services in Ukraine. Matviychuk is also a co-founder of Monbar, a beverage company producing craft drinks in Ukraine.
===Public activities===
In 2013, Matviychuk began her involvement in public activities, focusing on business, politics, and social issues in Ukraine. She advocates for a free-market economy, foreseeing its potential for economic growth and improved well-being.
In 2022, Matviychuk joined the EU scholarship program for civil society leaders, securing funding for her project, "Standards of Quality Volunteer Assistance to the Elderly." She also participated in the Forum for Civil Society Leaders of the Eastern Partnership countries in Prague.
Elimination of the permit system for weapons in Ukraine
Yana Matviychuk advocates the elimination of the permit system for weapons in Ukraine
In June 2022, Yana Matviychuk began actively advocating for the elimination of the weapons permit system in Ukraine. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine confirmed that Ukrainians need weapons for self-defense. After the introduction of martial law, the process of obtaining weapons was questioned - fewer documents had to be submitted, but the licensing authorities continued to deal with bureaucracy, delayed the issuance of weapons permits and demanded bribes.
That is why Yana Matviychuk started to promote the initiative to eliminate weapons licensing authorities. On the Business Arena YouTube channel, Yana Matviychuk began to actively raise the topic of arming Ukrainians. One of the first to support Yana Matviychuk in the fight for the elimination of the weapons permit system was Serhiy Gaidai, a Ukrainian entrepreneur and political consultant.
Also, Yana Matviychuk actively wrote about the elimination of the permit system for weapons in her blog on "Ukrainian Pravda". Entrepreneur and public activist Yana Matviychuk gave the following arguments "for" the elimination of the permit system: the development of the military-industrial complex and the economy, bribery in the permit authorities, the positive experience of other countries, the illegal circulation of weapons in Ukraine, the government's desire to control Ukrainians.
In March 2023, Yana Matviychuk registered a petition to the President of Ukraine with a proposal to eliminate the permit system for obtaining hunting weapons. Such an initiative gained considerable publicity in the Ukrainian media.
Yana Matviychuk's petition collected 8,838 signatures and failed. However, even after that, the discussion about the elimination of the permit system continued actively.
As a result, in June 2023, the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that it would eliminate the licensing authorities for obtaining weapons. Thus, it is now possible to obtain a permit for a weapon directly in the military market or submit documents online.
===Charitable initiatives===
Women's Aid International Foundation
In 2022, Matviychuk established the Women's Aid International Foundation, a charitable organization assisting elderly individuals aged 60+ and internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by conflict in the Dniprovskyi and Darnytskyi districts of Kyiv.
The foundation is currently carrying out the "School of Social Worker" project with support from the US Embassy, which aims to train 100 forced migrants in a new profession and provide opportunities for employment in the social sector to outstanding students.
Additionally, the foundation is engaged in various initiatives, including establishing volunteer communities with high-quality standards, promoting women's leadership in Ukrainian society, developing social entrepreneurship projects, supporting corporate social responsibility programs, and providing humanitarian aid.
===Save Ukraine Fund===
In February 2022, Matviychuk co-founded the Save Ukraine Fund, a swift-response initiative for military operations, in collaboration with members of the CEO Club.
===Soborna Ukraine===
In the same year, she became the co-founder of the US nonprofit Soborna Ukraine, contributing to the reconstruction of Ukraine initiated after the Russian invasion.
Matviychuk also engages in the annual "Greening of the Planet" project and has served as a funded observer at the 14th Annual Assembly of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, emphasizing "Sustainable Civil Society for a More Ambitious Eastern Partnership."
===Educational Projects===
Business education project (supported by USAID)
In 2015-2018, Matviychuk established the Business Arena project to motivate individuals to initiate their businesses. From 2016 to 2018, Business Arena collaborated as a partner of Ukrainian Women Fund in the "Economic opportunities for people affected by conflict (EOPAC)" project.
During 2 years, Yana Matviychuk and her team prepared 800 participants for the opening of small and medium-sized enterprises. More than 400 project participants started their own businesses, and 100 participants received grants to open or expand their enterprises and create jobs in 7 regions of Ukraine.
Matviychuk created the Business Arena YouTube channel and podcast to complement these efforts, focusing on enhancing economic and political literacy among Ukrainians. The platform aims to inspire entrepreneurship and dispel myths about the economy. Between 2013 and 2018, she conducted over 120 interviews with successful Ukrainian entrepreneurs, earning recognition as the best Ukrainian business podcast according to iTunes in 2015.
The Generation+ project is designed to provide support to teenagers transitioning into adulthood. The project targets teenagers aged 15–17 from vulnerable families and facilitates professional orientation to assist them in making informed choices for their future.
===Great Event School===
In 2018, Matviychuk founded the Great Event School. The school offers an author’s program to train aspiring event managers by incorporating practical tasks and real-life cases.
In 2020, Matviychuk initiated a blog on Ukrainian Pravda, analyzing contemporary events in Ukraine, the anti-corruption efforts targeting officials, and advocacy for the rights of the military. Through her blog, Matviychuk stimulates discussions within Ukrainian society on critical and challenging issues.
===Other works===
In 2021-2022, Matviychuk participated as a jury member in the annual HR BRAND PREMIA, evaluating projects from diverse enterprises in personnel work and HR-brand marketing.
She also engaged in the business selection process for the 2022 UN Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme, Economic Recovery, and Restoration of Critical Infrastructure Components. Additionally, in collaboration with the ARENA CS team, she executed contracts in 2021 and 2022 for 65 enterprises, focusing on developing creative marketing strategies and online stores.
==Personal life==
Matviychuk resides in Kyiv, Ukraine. She is married to her husband, Maksym Sitailo, and they have two daughters, Melissa and Leona.
==In the media==
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==References==
==External links==
* Women's Aid International
* ARENA CS
* Great Event School
* Nixwood
* Enercell
* WEDOITBM
* EcoTiki
* Monbar
* Yana Matviychuk's Blog
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* Yana Matviychuk on YouTube
Category:1982 births
Category:Entrepreneurs from Ukraine
Category:Ukrainian philanthropists
Category:Ukrainian people
Category:Ukrainian bloggers
Category:Ukrainian bloggers