Motria Melnyk is an educator and leader in arts management. She is the author of a collaborative online educational exchange program between Chicago and Kyiv that served as a model for schools in Illinois. She accompanied Chicago’s mayor on his visit to Kyiv and led his delegation to visit Kyiv’s Harmony School. Her focus has been on the study and innovation of education. She is a recipient of the Golden Apple Award for best teacher and the Building Bridges Award for creating outstanding diversity programs.

Motria serves as president of the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art in Chicago, where she fulfills a strategic and unifying role for the organization. She serves as Education Committee chair for the Chicago Kyiv Sister Cities Committee. She also serves on the boards of the Heritage Foundation of First Security Bank, St. Nicholas Cathedral School, Ukrainian Congress Committee of America Illinois Division, and Ukrainian Genocide Famine Foundation. She serves the Kyiv-Mohyla Foundation of America as corporate secretary. Motria graduated from Roosevelt University in Chicago with a degree in education.