Who we are - koloHUB

koloHUB is a non-profit 501(c)(3) public benefit organization registered on October 3rd, 2022 in Knoxville, Tennessee which operates exclusively for charitable and educational purposes.

In Ukrainian “kolo” (коло) means “circle” and represents the group of dedicated volunteers working together towards the mission – to assist and improve the lives of devastated Ukrainian people and animals through qualified foreign and domestic charitable organizations and verified animal shelters and veterinarians. koloHUB increases awareness about the impact of the on-going war in Ukraine and provides immediate medical and humanitarian aid by adapting their contributions based on the changing situation in Ukraine. koloHUB charitable support is not tied to any specific foreign charity on an exclusive basis and is not provided to any sanctioned countries. Charitable donations and gifts to koloHUB (EIN: 88-4151098) are tax-deductible to the extent allowable under IRS regulations.

Stay up to date by following koloHUB on Facebook (@koloHUB) and Instagram (@kolo.HUB).

Olena Korotych

Founder and President

was born in Cherkasy region, Ukraine and currently resides in Knoxville TN. Olena holds M.S. in Physical Chemistry (2009) from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and Ph.D. (2014) in Colloidal Chemistry from Ovcharenko Institute of Biocolloidal Chemistry.

Open Position

Vice President

Ivy Lalonde

Co-founder and Secretary

was born and raised in Oak Ridge, TN and currently resides in Knoxville, TN. Ivy recently retired after 42 years of combined service in Environmental Compliance at the ORNL and Y-12 National Security Complex.

Oksana Gerlits

Co-founder and Treasurer

was born in the USSR and currently resides in Knoxville, TN. Oksana is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at the Tennessee Wesleyan University (Athens, TN). She and her husband have been in the United States since 1999.

Alina Anderson

Board Member

was born in USSR and currently resides in Knoxville, TN. Alina is a quality engineer for a medical device manufacturer. During the past 10 years Alina has been working for manufacturing companies of Knoxville Metropolitan Area serving various industry sectors including automotive healthcare and consumer products.

Tania Chernenko

Graphic Designer

was born and raised in Kyiv region, Ukraine where she currently resides. Tania has been working as a Graphic Designer for 10+ years.

Marki Lukyniuk

Music Coordinator

grew up in Western Ukraine where he went to music school. During his school years he won several national and international competitions, and performed on different events and festivals in Ukraine and Europe. He had been pursuing his Bachelor's degree at Kyiv Music Academy when in spring 2022 he got a scholarship to study at the University of Tennessee School of Music. Marki has been in the USA since September 2022 and have already performed in three states: New York, Florida, and Tennessee.

Olya Popova

2022 Vice President and Co-founder

About koloHUB

Executive Board of Directors