Veronika Sentsov-Velch

Veronika Sentsov-Velch
Born
Veronika Dmytrivna Velch

March 26
Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine
Alma materVasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University (BA), Chernivtsi National University, Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University (PhD), George Washington University (MA)
OccupationsLawyer, civic activist, human rights advocate
Known forExecutive Director of Amnesty International Ukraine
SpouseOleh Sentsov
Children2 (Lev, Demyan)
AwardsMark and Debbie Kennedy Frontiers of Freedom Award (2018)

Veronika Sentsov-Velch, PhD (née Velch; born 26 March[1]) is a Ukrainian advocate and a specialist in corporate and crisis communications, as well as international lobbying.[2][3] She holds a PhD in international relations. Since April 2024, Veronika has served as Country Director of Amnesty International Ukraine.[4][5] She previously worked as Senior Advocacy Director at the U.S. public affairs consulting agency Ridgely Walsh and as co-coordinator of Euromaidan SOS (Ukraine).[6][7]

Since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine, she has worked in Washington and Kyiv to strengthen support for Ukraine and increase arms supplies.[4][8] As head of Amnesty International Ukraine, she focuses on documenting war crimes, human-rights education, and the protection of prisoners of war and civilian hostages.[9][5][10]

Biography

Sentsov-Velch was born in Ivano-Frankivsk.[11] She graduated with distinction from the Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University in 2009.[12]

In 2015, she defended her PhD's dissertation “International election observation in the post-Soviet space (Ukraine, Russian Federation, Republic of Belarus)” at the Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University.[13]

In 2018, she completed a master's degree in International Advocacy and Strategic Communications at the George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management.[14]

Her specialization includes advocacy in East Asian[15] and Southern African countries,[16] with a focus on the relationship between technology and human rights.[10][17]

Professional activity

She began her career as an expert in Ukrainian election law.[18] In 2013, she worked as a correspondent for the Voice of America Ukrainian Service in Washington.[1]

During the Revolution of Dignity (Euromaidan), she returned to Kyiv and led communications for the Chesno civic movement.[19][20] In 2015–2016, she helped organize the nationwide “Follow the Money” campaign,[21][22] promoting transparency in political finances, including work related to the mayoral race in Ivano-Frankivsk.[23]

Since 2018, she has worked in corporate communications and international advocacy with U.S. lobbyist Juleanna Glover at Ridgely Walsh.[7][24]

After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, she orchestrated volunteer advocacy projects in Washington D.C. in support of Ukraine, lobbying for the supplies of F-16s, drones, artillery, and armored vehicles.[25] Between 2019 and 2024, she worked to develop a media strategy and advocacy campaign on behalf of Paul Whelan, a U.S. citizen imprisoned in Russia.[26][27]

In 2024, she returned to Ukraine and became executive director of Amnesty International Ukraine.[4][28]

Academic and civic activity

Sentsov-Velch is a Senior Research Fellow on national security and innovation at the Rainey Center (Washington D.C.).[18][29] She served as an expert observer in the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election and is a member of the Transatlantic Democracy Working Group.[30]

She also sits on the supervisory board of Samizdat Online, a Canadian digital platform that combats propaganda and promotes access to information under censorship.[31]

In Ukraine, she co-coordinated Euromaidan SOS, documenting human-rights violations during the 2013–2014 protests.[6]

Awards and recognition

  • 2018 – Mark and Debbie Kennedy Frontiers of Freedom Award for contributions to democracy and human rights.[32]
  • 2020 – Named among Washington D.C.’s “Up-and-coming young leaders” by Washington Life Magazine.[33]

Family

In 2022, she married Oleh Sentsov, a Ukrainian film director and civic activist.[11]

Her first husband, Andriy Kruglashov, is a political consultant and former coordinator of the Chesno movement.[34]

She has two sons: Lev (born 2012)[34] and Demian (born 2022).[35]

Selected publications

  • Velch, Veronika (2022). "How is life in Ukraine?". Washington Examiner.
  • Velch, Veronika (2021). "TikTok vs Putin: An Unexpected Clash". RealClear Defense.
  • Velch, Veronika (2021). "Telegram: A Growing Social Media Refuge, for Good and Ill". Just Security.
  • Velch, Veronika; Miskyi, Vadym (2020). "Fighting Russia's Disinformation Pandemic". RealClearWorld.
  • Hunt, Sarah; Velch, Veronika (2019). "The Future of Data Privacy?". Protego Press.

References

  1. ^ a b ""Яка гарна пара". Сенцов, який служить у теробороні, показав фото з коханою / Новини / Бульвар Шоубіз". gordonua.com. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  2. ^ Oprysko, Caitlin. "Walden will lobby for Fox and Disney on privacy bill". POLITICO. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  3. ^ "Ridgely Walsh Volunteers for Ukraine". O'Dwyers PR. Retrieved 2023-01-25.
  4. ^ a b c "Український офіс Amnesty International очолила відома юристка". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  5. ^ a b "Вероніка Вельч очолила Amnesty International в Україні" [Veronica Welch has become the head of Amnesty International in Ukraine]. 26 April 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Режисер Олег Сенцов одружився. Хто обраниця режисера? (Фото)". stars.segodnya.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2022-07-06.
  7. ^ a b "Veronika Velch - Ridgely Walsh LLC (Feb. 2018-), Senior Advocacy Director - Biography | LegiStorm". www.legistorm.com. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
  8. ^ "Registration Statement. Pursuant to the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended" (PDF). U.S. Department of Justice.
  9. ^ ""Яка гарна пара". Сенцов, який служить у теробороні, показав фото з коханою / Новини / Бульвар Шоубіз". gordonua.com. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  10. ^ a b "Вероніка Сенцов-Вельч - Українська правда". www.pravda.com.ua. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  11. ^ a b Кравчук, Анна. "Олег Сенцов вдруге одружився. Фото наречених". OBOZREVATEL NEWS (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2023-01-25.
  12. ^ "Про підсумки проведення Всеукраїнського конкурсу студентських наукових робіт з природничих, технічних і гуманітарних наук у 2008/2009 навчальному році". Офіційний вебпортал парламенту України (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  13. ^ "Каталоги - НБУВ Національна бібліотека України імені В. І. Вернадського". www.irbis-nbuv.gov.ua. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  14. ^ "Hail to the 2018 College of Professional Studies Graduates | College of Professional Studies | The George Washington University". www.cps.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  15. ^ "Institute of Business Law and Comparative Law & Politics, University of Tokyo Graduate Schools for Law And Politics". www.ibc.j.u-tokyo.ac.jp. Archived from the original on 2023-01-30. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  16. ^ "Gw impact fall 2017". Issuu. Archived from the original on 2025-01-25. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  17. ^ "Muck Rack | For journalists and public relations". muckrack.com. 2023-02-22. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  18. ^ a b "Veronika Velch Joins Rainey Center as Associate Fellow for National Security | Rainey Center News". www.raineycenter.org. Archived from the original on 2023-01-31. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  19. ^ Espreso.TV (2014-11-08). Інтерв'ю із керівником та координатором руху "Чесно". Retrieved 2025-12-16 – via YouTube.
  20. ^ "У Києві стартує школа реформаторів". day.kyiv.ua (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 2025-01-26. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  21. ^ ТРК РАІ (2015-10-09). Новий погляд - ЧЕСНО, Стеж за грошима. Retrieved 2025-12-16 – via YouTube.
  22. ^ "Стеж за грошима | Громадський рух ЧЕСНО". www.chesno.org (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 2025-01-22. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  23. ^ "Кандидати на посаду мера Івано-Франківська у прямому ефірі розкажуть про гроші". gk-press.if.ua. 2015-10-08. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  24. ^ The Editors of GQ (2018-02-22). "The 50 Most Powerful People In Trump's Washington*". GQ. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  25. ^ Guyer, Jonathan (2022-07-05). "Inside Ukraine's lobbying blitz in Washington". Vox. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  26. ^ "Read the full statement from Paul Whelan's family following his release from Russian prison - CBS Detroit". www.cbsnews.com. 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  27. ^ "В обміні ув'язненими між США та РФ свою роль зіграла дружина Сенцова ТСН новини". ТСН.ua (in Ukrainian). 2024-08-02. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  28. ^ Баранівська, Марина (2024-04-26). "Адвокаційниця Вероніка Вельч очолила український офіс Amnesty International". detector.media (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  29. ^ "Rainey Center". www.raineycenter.org. Archived from the original on 2023-01-30. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  30. ^ "Expert Interview: Dr. Veronika Velch Analyzes Ukrainian Presidential Election | Rainey Center News". www.raineycenter.org. Archived from the original on 2023-02-02. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  31. ^ "Samizdat Online". samizdatonline.org. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  32. ^ "Hail to the 2018 College of Professional Studies Graduates | College of Professional Studies | The George Washington University". College of Professional Studies. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  33. ^ "Feature: Young & the Guest List 2020 – Washington Life Magazine". washingtonlife.com. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  34. ^ a b ""Навчив мене любити по-справжньому". Дружина Сенцова показала свого 10-річного сина". gordonua.com. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  35. ^ ""Дякую, кохана". 46-річний Сенцов учетверте став батьком і показав новонародженого сина". Гордон | Gordon (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2025-12-16.
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