Olga Sotiriadi is a talented and creative acting instructor from Portland, Oregon, with over nine years of teaching experience and more than 25 years in the acting profession. Passionate about her work, she is dedicated to fostering the intellectual, emotional, physical, and social development of her students through personalized lesson plans and a hands-on teaching approach. In September 2015, Olga founded the Scarlet Sails Theater, where she has since directed and produced three to five performances annually. Her exceptional leadership skills and commitment to the theater’s growth have turned Scarlet Sails into a significant cultural hub. In 2019, alongside like-minded colleagues, Olga transformed the theater into a more structured and efficient organization by registering a nonprofit entity under an LLC. This transition enabled the theater to host cultural and educational events, competitions, and performances on a new level. The first board meeting took place on May 9, 2019, and on September 4 of the same year, the Scarlet Sails Cultural Foundation was officially registered. Olga holds a bachelor's degree in acting from the Vakhtangov Theater Institute in Moscow and a master's degree in computer and information sciences from Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics. Her expertise includes project management, script development, creative problem-solving, and the implementation of modern teaching methodologies to enhance educational programs.

Galina is an elementary school teacher by profession, having dedicated much of her life to working with children. Choosing this career was an obvious decision for her, as she has always loved children and knows how to connect with them. In her professional work, Galina places special emphasis on a personalized approach for each child, aiming to unlock their potential and ignite a spark that awakens a love for learning and exploring the world. In her free time, Galina enjoys spending time with her family outdoors, fishing, mushroom picking, and traveling.

Yulia is originally from Blagoveshchensk, a city in Russia’s Far East. Her teaching journey began in 2013 during her university practicum, and she has been dedicated to working with children ever since. Her experience includes teaching in Russian schools and summer camps, tutoring, and a year of teaching English at an international preschool in Beijing. A special highlight of her career has been working in residential summer camps, where she spent several consecutive seasons creating a warm, inspiring environment for children. One of the most impactful chapters in her life was the incredible year in China, where she not only taught preschoolers but also immersed herself in a rich cross-cultural teaching experience. Today, Yulia combines her professional path with the joys and challenges of raising her three-year-old son. Motherhood has given her a unique perspective on child development, deepening her empathetic and thoughtful teaching approach. Outside of work, Yulia is passionate about inline skating — not just as a hobby, but as a way of life. She enjoys teaching others to skate and sees it as a joyful form of self-expression and connection.

I studied at the Odessa College of Arts and later graduated from Odessa Pedagogical University with a degree in Philology. I have six years of experience teaching piano and music theory. Along with private lessons, I’ve worked in children’s camps, directed a children’s choir, and organized fun activities as a kids’ event host. I was also an active member of a church youth team, where we created trips, events, and educational programs for teens. In my work with children and teens, I focus on finding an individual approach to each student — this makes learning more engaging and effective. In my free time, I love reading, traveling, and discovering new experiences that broaden my horizons. I’ve also completed acting courses as a hobby, which continues to inspire me and bring creativity into my teaching.

Sasha has been teaching educational classes based on the LEGO® Education program for over 5 years. She strives to build honest, supportive, and respectful relationships with children, aiming to help them develop a deeper understanding of the world, foster curiosity about how everything interacts, and engage them in processes, all while igniting a lifelong love of learning. After earning a degree in information technology and economics, she enhanced her education with a creative profession—becoming a digital designer. In addition to her LEGO classes, she leads creative workshops for children, teaching handmade crafts and organizing educational quests. Sasha loves hiking, being outdoors, practicing yoga, and rock climbing.

Svetlana Aleksandrovna Evchenko graduated with honors from the Mykolaiv State Higher Music School with a degree in "Musical Art." She is qualified as a choir conductor, choir and ensemble performer, as well as a music teacher. Svetlana also earned a second higher education degree from the Mykolaiv State University named after V.A. Sukhomlynskyi, where she specialized in psychology in general education institutions. She worked as the music director at the "Vishenka" kindergarten in the village of Krasne, Simferopol District, Republic of Crimea. In her lessons with children, Svetlana focuses on creating a creative and positive atmosphere where children joyfully and eagerly explore the world and confidently express their creative abilities. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her family.

With a background in fine arts from the Abramtsevo Art and Industrial College, where I studied drawing, sculpture, composition, folk art, and metalwork, I later moved to the United States, to Portland. Here, together with my family, we opened an art studio, organized exhibitions, and hosted creative evenings. I truly enjoy helping people discover and express themselves through art. Back in college, I was part of a theater club, and now I continue to participate in a theater project here. I would be happy to share my knowledge and experience with children!

Natalia Alieva graduated from the Astrakhan Cooperative Technical School and the Astrakhan Technical School of Light Industry. In the USA, she worked at WIS International Inventory Counts, and for the past seven years, she has been employed at the "Scarlet Sails" Theater. In addition, Natalia works as a nanny and thoroughly enjoys caring for children, as she finds it fascinating to watch them grow, develop, and explore the world. Together with her family, Natalia loves traveling, hiking, and cycling. She is also passionate about crafts and creativity: she enjoys sewing, painting, designing, and creating new things.

Viktoria Rybkina was born and raised in Dnipro, Ukraine. She graduated from high school in 1985 and entered Dnipro Technical University the same year, where she completed her studies in 1990, earning a degree in engineering. During school, Victoria actively participated in extracurricular activities: she sang in the choir, enjoyed ballet and folk dancing, and played basketball on the school team. Throughout her student years, she worked in pioneer camps as a counselor and supervisor during the summer. Working with children brings Victoria great joy, as children are a unique world full of energy, creativity, new ideas, and their implementation. She enjoys sharing her experience and knowledge with children, helping them distinguish right from wrong, developing their talents, and supporting their belief in themselves and their abilities. She loves playing with them and being "on the same wavelength," remembering the taste of childhood. Children are our present and a wonderful future!

Our administrator is an experienced music educator and organizer with deep roots in the professional arts. She graduated from the Primorsky Regional College of Arts (Department of Academic Piano) with a degree as a performer, teacher, and accompanist. For more than 10 years, she has worked as a piano instructor and also has administrative experience as an academic coordinator at a State Music School in Russia. In addition to teaching, she actively performs as a pianist and session musician with various musical ensembles. At our organization, she serves as the administrator, attentively and thoughtfully assisting in the organization of the educational process and coordination of programs. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, cycling, attending concerts, and doing embroidery.