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In Focus: Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine | A View from Kyiv

The unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine has been catastrophic for the Ukrainian people. Millions of refugees have fled to neighboring nations to the west, horrendous war crimes have been committed in areas controlled by Russian forces and nation-wide attacks against civilian areas and infrastructure have caused extreme hardships in cities large and small. We continue our “In Focus” series on Russia’s invasion with a conversation with Anna Novosad, former Minister of Education and Science from Ukraine and an education activist working to rebuild and restore schools and education infrastructure. She will join us from Kyiv where she is among her countrymen under constant Russian bombardment.

Anna Novosad

Ukraine | Educational Activist & Minister of Education and Science 2019-2020

Anna Novosad is a Ukrainian educational activist. She used to serve many years in various positions at the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, including being a Minister in 2019-2020. Anna contributed and led the comprehensive school reform in Ukraine, as well as was a leader of the higher education funding reform. Currently Anna leads various projects that aim at education access renewal in Ukraine amidst the war.

Elena and Madeleine Byrd

Mother-daughter duo, Mrs. Elena and Dr. Madeleine Byrd have spent most of the past year volunteering in Warsaw, Poland, providing humanitarian aid and medical services to Ukrainian refugees. Following the outbreak of war, Madeleine and Elena began volunteering at a major refugee center in Warsaw where they assisted in the development of the refugee center’s “Medical Point.” Through many months of working in the “Medical Point,” they have come to better understand the vast medical and resource needs of refugees. They gained additional experience as community volunteers for other medical, educational, and humanitarian services, with a focus on children displaced by war.

Elena Camacho Byrd

Elena Camacho Byrd, born in Lausanne, Switzerland, grew up in Cuba before she and her family fled during the Cuban Revolution to move to the United States. Elena received a BA in English and Sociology, as well as a Master of Science in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. She studied Land Economy at the University of Cambridge. She received an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Elena spent over fifteen years working in public health writing grant proposals and assisting physicians in patient care, primarily in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.  In the United States, she has served as a teacher and tutor for students of all ages. She is now an active volunteer in the Nashville community, where she is a long-term Board member of the Tennessee Poison Center. Elena is fluent in English and Spanish. She is married to Barney Byrd, and has three grown children.

Dr. Madeleine Byrd, M.S., M.D.

Madeleine Elizabeth Byrd, M.S., M.D. was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, where she attended The Harpeth Hall School. Madeleine received her B.A. in neuroscience from The University of Pennsylvania. She completed her Master’s in Pharmacology and M.D. at Georgetown University. Madeleine has strong family ties to medicine on both sides of her family, and is a fourth generation “Dr. Byrd” in Nashville. Madeleine has wanted to be a pediatrician since age 7, inspired by her maternal grandmother who was a pediatrician and global public health specialist. After graduating from medical school, she went to Charleston, South Carolina for pediatric residency training. Madeleine has a lifelong passion for pediatrics and public health. Most recently, Madeleine has served as a volunteer physician for Ukrainian refugees in Warsaw, Poland.