Early foundations

I started out with a solid scientific foundation: a BSc and MSc in Environmental Science, followed by several years in research and consultancy. I worked on environmental impact assessments and biodiversity projects across Europe, from monitoring Natura 2000 sites to marine research and citizen science.

🔑 What I gained: analytical thinking, research synthesis, systems perspective and the ability to translate technical data into insights for decision-makers.

But alongside my studies, I was also an entrepreneur. What began as a student hobby making DIY cosmetics turned into Jovis Cosmetics, one of Romania’s very first natural handmade cosmetics brands. Throughout my 20's, I built a thriving business with an online shop, a nationwide retailer network and thousands of loyal customers. Jovis was featured widely in national media (online, print, TV) and ran for over a decade.

🔑 What I gained: the full spectrum of business skills, from product development and branding to digital marketing, e-commerce and media relations. More importantly, Jovis taught me resilience, adaptability and how to grow an idea into a recognised national brand.

From science to storytelling

For a long time, my “science career” and my “business & marketing career” felt like two separate tracks. Then came a pivotal experience at the EU’s Joint Research Centre. There, I applied my digital communications skills to talk to the public about science and realised I loved communicating research far more than producing it!

It also struck me how crucial this work is: science doesn’t exist in a vacuum. If it stays locked in reports and journals, it risks never reaching the people who need it most: decision-makers shaping policy and citizens whose daily lives are affected. Bridging that gap is essential and I discovered I had the skills and passion to do it.

It was the moment things clicked: I didn’t have to choose between science and storytelling. My strength was at their intersection.

Strategic communications

Since that discovery, I’ve dedicated the past 8 years to climate communications and campaigning. Working in international organisations such as the European Climate Foundation, the Global Strategic Communications Council and the Meliore Foundation, I design communication strategies that drive real-world change, influence decision-makers and mobilise communities.

Highlights:

• Partnered with dozens of climate organisations to design and deliver campaigns, report launches and events

• Supported global science-policy platforms including the IPCC and IPBES

• Led winning campaigns across climate, energy, food systems and nature

• Managed a team of international campaigners and budgets of $350,000+

🔑 What I gained: strategic thinking, campaigning, project management and stakeholder relationships, leadership, cross-cultural collaboration and the ability to distill complexity into narratives that move people.

Reviving heritage, building opportunity

Alongside my international work, I never lost sight of where I come from. In 2022, I restored my grandparents’ house in a small Danube village in Romania and opened La Grisha, a family gastropub serving traditional fish-based dishes from my Russian-Lipovan heritage.

What started as a personal project became a driver of local tourism and rural development:

• Thousands of visitors each year, transforming a little-known area into a destination

• New business for local producers we source from: fishermen, beekeepers, farmers, bakers, artisans

• Recognition as “Custodian of Creative Tradition” in 2025

• Coverage across national media and invitations to present La Grisha at conferences as a best practice case study (Slow Food Romania, National Gastronomy forums)

In 2024, I also founded a grassroots NGO to preserve and celebrate the culture of the Russian-Lipovan community.

🔑 What I gained: community engagement, cultural preservation, rural development, sustainable tourism and the ability to design initiatives that strengthen and uplift communities.

Grounding the global in local

Looking at my path, it might seem like I’ve taken on “too many things.” But the truth is, the challenges of the environmental crisis demand both vision and grounded action.

My projects keep me grounded. They remind me that change isn’t only measured in tons of CO₂ or new legislation, but also in small, tangible moments: a meal savoured, a tradition revived, a community strengthened.

For me, the long game is about weaving global urgency with local impact. It’s why I embrace multiple paths and why I bring the same energy, focus and commitment to every project I take on.