Shahnoz Rustamova, MD

Founder and President of Central Park Angels

Born in Uzbekistan, Dr. Shahnoz Rustamova came of age at the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union. She has witnessed chaos, extreme poverty, and human trafficking. This was when she realized that desperation can lead to truly horrific outcomes. Fortunately, young Shahnoz was spared the worst hardships and was able to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. To pursue a medical degree and advocate for human rights, freedoms, and personal empowerment, Dr. Rustamova immigrated to the US and currently owns and runs a women's health clinic in New York. She has also founded a nonprofit organization Central Park Angels aimed at helping vulnerable populations all over the globe.

“Prosperity and happy life are our birthrights, which we are in power to create. All you have to do is dream big and take inspired loving action”

Victoria Levinson

Chair Of The Board

Ms. Levinson is an experienced and decisive business executive, specializing in managing business transformation and scaling operations. She served as the Chief Operations Officer of a strategic holding company for over 15 years, where she was responsible for building, restructuring and growing the subsidiaries within the group, structuring and negotiating deals, managing the operations and new market expansions. The group’s portfolio of subsidiaries encompassed healthcare marketing, biotech investments, media selling, travel and tourism marketing and business consulting firms. Throughout her career Victoria also had significant exposure to media, PR and government relations, financial services, pharma, airline and other sectors. She is currently consulting companies in these industries on business strategy and operational excellence. Since the Russian invasion into Ukraine Victoria has been actively involved with a number of volunteer organizations, assisting with evacuation efforts, fundraising and delivering food and critical supplies to people in Ukraine.

Valeria Goldstein

Controller and Secretary

Valeria moved to the United States in 1999. After obtaining a Master of Science in Accounting and working in a public accounting company, she followed her passion for community-organizing and charity work. In the past 12 years Lera was a leader of Russian-speaking diaspora in Westchester County, New York, organizing events and building friendships among her diaspora. Valeria has also been a volunteer-treasurer of the Orange Penguin Foundation that provides assistive technologies to people with disabilities. Together with her Westchester community she organized numerous fundraisers and projects for her charity and for other people in need.

Olga Szwed

Operations and Marketing Director

Olga came to America at the age of 20. She has then earned a degree in fashion design, owned her own businesses, and put in years working in the corporate world. With the rapidly changing political landscape, Olga’s priorities are changing too, and she has now transitioned to full-time nonprofit work. Outside of her day job she is also running a coaching business for beginning entrepreneurs, which she is currently transforming into a practice dedicated to mental health for the victims of the war in Ukraine. Over the years, Olga has volunteered countless hours to various charities and nonprofits. She is a founder and creative designer for all Compassion with Fashion events hosted by the Central Park Angels. She has also designed a clothing line for the Angels to spread awareness and bring the community together. Angels are proud to have her on board.

Yuliana Kelley

Fundraising Director

Yuliana moved to the United States 20 years ago. After obtaining her MA in Philology from Zaporozhye University in Ukraine, she decided to follow her true passion for creativity and arts. To that end, she went back to school and got her second degree in Interior Design. Although she has spent over 20 years working in the fashion industry as a model, Yuliana's true calling has always been in being a mother and helping disadvantaged children. In the past 15 years, Yuliana, alongside her two kids, has taken an active part in numerous national and international fundraisers and humanitarian aid projects. Working together as a team, they have raised money for nonprofits and orphanages and helped provide medical supplies, install water pumps and solar panels, build shelters, collect food, school supplies, clothes and toys for children in the US, Ukraine, Russia, Africa, India, Middle East, and Haiti.

She volunteered for many non-profit organizations

Aneta Kosciarz

Operations Manager

Aneta is one of the most hard-working, dedicated Angels and a loving mother of two. At the Central Park Angels, she is in charge of all project payroll and management as well as the direct daily contact with all of our on-the-ground teams. A vital part of the team, Aneta has been with the organization from the very start, organizing the Nepal and Haiti earthquake relief operations, helping orphanages in India, and, in 2017, initiating the Hurricane Harvey Relief Caravan for the state of Texas.

``Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind``

Cassandra Wallace

Treasurer

Cassandra Wallace was born and raised in Washington State. At 13, she went on her first trip overseas to spend her summer volunteering in a remote village in West Africa. Throughout her junior high and high school years, she has spent every summer in Africa helping distribute food and clothing, build playgrounds, provide childcare, and serve in soup kitchens in the Gambia, Senegal, Morocco, Uganda, and South Africa. Having earned her business management degree from DeVry University, Cassandra turned her attention to the accounting field. She is currently a licensed accountant and tax consultant and owns her own tax practice. In an effort to be more involved in her local community and to seek new avenues for her volunteer work, in 2019 she became involved in pageantry. She has earned the titles of Miss World America, Ms. World International, Mrs. Washington and many, many others. Her high profile is instrumental for her volunteering and nonprofit efforts: it enables her to draw public attention to the many humanitarian causes she is passionate about. The unique blend of her skills and experience makes her a perfect CFO for the Central Park Angels, and we are fortunate to have her.

Ms World America 2020 Ms World International 2020, World Class Beauty Queens, North America Ambassador 202

Svitlana Sokolova

Project manager

In her day job, Svitlana Sokolova is a Project Manager in IT. Born in Crimea, she grew up in Kharkiv, Ukraine and has always considered herself a Ukrainian. Now that she lives far away from her beloved motherland, she’s thrilled to be a part of the Central Park Angels team, helping Ukrainian people during the devastating war that the Russian government unleashed on her country.

``It's about what you've given back``

Anna Alba

Project manager

Anna Alba is a Co-Founder and CEO of a nonprofit learning center Kot da Vinci, which she has created to bring families together and create lifelong memories, experiences, and connections for children. With Anna's 20+ years in international education, she sees that despite our backgrounds, languages, and cultures, the life skills needs are universal if we want our children to reach their goals and create strong relationships, abundance, and wellbeing. As a mindset and mindfulness coach for teens and adults, she helps families build confidence, lasting connections, motivation, and stress regulation and foster healthy habits through emotional intelligence, mindfulness, empathy, and leadership skills. Her vast skill set and expertise are particularly valuable to the Central Park Angels in this time of crisis in Ukraine, where families are struggling to survive, stay together, and manage the daily deprivations and anxiety from the war. In addition to coordinating our volunteers, both locally and overseas, Anna is in charge of emotional support services for the victims of the war in Ukraine. She also plays a vital role in organizing and carrying out various projects and fundraising events, including our Compassion with Fashion.

``Leave a legacy by leading by example``

Olha Charuk

Visual Communications Specialist

Olha Charuk is a talented graphic designer with 5 years of experience. She loves to work with visual communications and makes this world more beautiful. In late 2021, shortly before the war, she moved to the United States from Ukraine and, as a patient, first met Dr. Rustamova at her medical practice in New York City. Once she learned about the Central Park Angels' mission and activities, she was immediately on board. She is happy and grateful to work with the Angels team to contribute her skills and talents in the service to her home country.

``No matter what happens in life, be good to people``

Lesia Wilcox

Project Manager & Photographer

Lesia was born and raised in Ukraine. She still has family and friends there. She earned a teaching degree in Mykolaiv and stayed there to teach kids. Lesia graduated from photography school a few years later. She moved to the USA more than 8 years ago with her 2 daughters where she created her own photography business. Lesia loves hiking and baking. She is grateful to work with the Angels organization and contribute her talents in the service to her home country. Lesia is actively involved in fundraising and coordinating logistics with food delivery to people in Ukraine.

Tatyana Kravtsiv

Food Drive Manager

Tatyana is a Ukrainian-American woman who was born in Ukraine and immigrated to the United States after graduating from Kiev university. In her professional life Tatyana Kravtsiv is a highly experienced Technology Executive with a career spanning 25 years in the field. She has expertise in software development, quality assurance, and identity access management. Tatyana is known for her strong leadership skills and innovative approach to technology. Even after moving in the United States, Tatyana has remained closely connected to her motherland and has a strong attachment to Ukraine, particularly during times of conflict. Her parents still live in Ukraine, and Tatyana has made efforts to stay connected to her homeland and support its people, through volunteering with YOU ARE THE ANGEL organizations that help raising donations for food, medicine and other essential supplies. Despite the challenges of living far from home, Tatyana has remained dedicated to her motherland and has worked to make a positive impact on the lives of the Ukrainian people.