Ukrainian National Foundation Board Member Valentyna Tabaka wears any number of hats – but to most, she is simply the beloved “Pani Valya” (Ms. Valya). Ms. Tabaka is the second vice president of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America. She works as wound care manager at the Jersey City Medical Center in Jersey City, N.J., and she is in close contact with the chiefs of medicine of many nearby hospitals.
Ms. Tabaka coordinated with the Ukrainian Ministry of Health to distribute medical equipment to the front lines, and to numerous hospitals in Kyiv, Dnipro, Lviv, Zhytomyr, Kharkiv, Vinnytsia, Uman, Truskavets and other cities throughout Ukraine. She has organized the purchase and transfer of complete medical labs to Ukraine.
In addition, Ms. Tabaka also managed and oversaw all of the booking and scheduling for the artists and singers for this year’s cultural festival. She said that for this year’s festival, she received so many offers from artists who wanted to take part in the festival that she had to turn back other artists from Ukraine who wanted to help. Each performer generously pledged to appear for a fraction of their normal fees.
Ms. Tabaka is also a rousing speaker. During various events and rallies, she has moved Ukrainians to respond to today’s huge challenges, and she leads Ukrainians in celebrating their shining spirit, culture and heritage.