People of Various Ages and Backgrounds, We Are United in Our Dedication to Support Children’s Education
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dr. Martha Hildebrandt, Ph.D.
has a wide background in Mathematics Education and is a retired Professor of Mathematics at Chatham College (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA).
She has been a Mathematics Consultant, grades K-6 and Middle School Department Chairman, as well as having taught mathematics at the middle school, high school, and college levels.
She is known as a frequent speaker at teacher in-service workshops. Dr. Hildebrandt was an active contributor to Carnegie Mellon University’s C-MITES program, where she conducted classes for gifted elementary students as well as area teachers and presented at both national and regional meetings of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Additionally, she has been a seminar leader for the Pittsburgh Teachers’ Institute. She was also the editor of the column Post Scripts, which appears monthly in the NCTM publication Teaching Children Mathematics.
Dr. Martha Hildebrandt holds her B.S. from Wheaton College (Wheaton, IL, USA), M.A. from Northwestern University (Evanston, IL, USA), and Ph.D. from Northwestern University (Evanston, IL, USA). After she retired from academia, Dr. Hildebrandt moved to Reston, VA and, effective May 2025, started serving as a Director on the Board of the Alexander Berdus Foundation for Education of Displaced Children (AB-FEDC), where she contributes decades of her professional experience in multi-level education to shaping and implementing the Foundation’s mission in a way to ensure it addresses the most topical needs of children who should quickly adjust their learning processes to demanding standards of school and public education in the United States. Dr. Hildebrandt is married, with three children and many grandchildren, whom she helps raise to be caring and responsible members of global society.
Mrs. Manjula Majeti
is a professional who thrives at the intersection of creativity and organization.
With a degree in Business Administration from Madras University in India, she has built a strong foundation in managing projects, leading teams, and solving problems in smart, strategic ways. But what really drives her is helping others grow, whether that’s teaching adults or kids of all ages.
Having spent time in both the classroom and the conference room, Mrs. Majeti has developed a unique ability to connect with people from all walks of life, making complex concepts feel approachable and engaging. Her experience as a Project Manager has also given her a knack for turning ideas into action, ensuring things run smoothly while keeping the bigger picture in mind.
Additionally, Mrs. Majeti is passionate about photography, capturing moments and stories in a way that brings out the beauty in the everyday. This creative outlet feeds into her professional life, bringing a fresh perspective to everything she does, whether it’s managing a project or mentoring someone.
At the heart of it all, Mrs. Majeti is driven by a love for learning, teaching, and making a difference wherever she can and, as a Director on the Board of the Alexander Berdus Foundation for Education of Displaced Children, she hopes to contribute all her passion to education and vast managerial skills to steering the Foundation’s operations to successfully reaching its goals and objectives.
Dr. Arif A. Mamedov, Ph.D.
earned his first joint Master’s degree in Chemistry and Education from the Belarusian State University in Minsk, Belarus.
Later, as an invited young scientist, he continued his studies and graduated from Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA) with a PhD in Chemistry, authored multiple patents and publications in scientific magazines such as Langmuir, the Journal of the American Chemical Society, Nature Materials, and received the Research Excellence Award for his contribution to advancing nanochemistry research.
After starting his collaboration with industry as an applied science expert, Dr. Mamedov has gained decades of technology transfer management experience through his work for various hi-tech businesses in the United States, and now he serves as the Chief Executive Officer and President at Regula Forensics, Inc., a member of the Regula global group, providing identity verification solutions and forensic equipment to B2B and B2G customers worldwide.
As a business executive, Dr. Mamedov has a solid history of closing multibillion-dollar sales, spearheading the go-to-market strategy design and implementation to deliver bottom-line results to accelerate the company’s growth, managing large-scale innovative projects, and cultivating long-term partnerships with enterprise-level companies and government authorities. As a customer-oriented CEO and an innovation champion, he seamlessly translates customers’ expectations directly to the Regula R&D team, which helps the company introduce breakthrough technologies ahead of time to meet and exceed the needs of its customers.
To give back to his community, Dr. Mamedov volunteers as a fully trained and certified Scout Leader for the U.S. Scouts BSA organization (Troop 7, Herndon, Virginia), helping raise a new generation of young leaders, and he also serves as a Director and Chairperson of the Board of the Alexander Berdus Foundation for Education of Displaced Children (AB-FEDC), where Dr. Mamedov contributes his organizational and management skills to ensure the Foundation successfully reaches the goals and objectives set out in its mission.
Arif is married and a devoted father to three daughters, all of whom are pursuing careers in public health.
Mrs. Alexandra O’Leary
brings an unusual and uniquely rich set of tools to the Board of the AB-FEDC Foundation.
Her early education in France emphasized literature, language, and the arts, while her subsequent education and professional path included ecological conservation and computer science.
Mrs. O’Leary joined the MITRE Corporation in 1980 and, for the following 33 years, provided consulting services to multiple government agencies (FAA, FBI, CBP, and DOI).
As manager of a team providing systems engineering support for IT programs, she participated in all aspects of program development, from initial requirements definition and documentation through development, testing, and implementation.
During this time, Mrs. O’Leary also served on the Fairfax County Arts Council’s Board of Directors, and she continues to be a passionate art supporter, painter, and glass artist, widely recognized and loved by her community and, in particular, by her grandchildren, whom she lovingly teaches art, literature, history, and other humanities subjects at home.
Alexandra O’Leary is a true believer in the importance of continued education, even if it requires you to go beyond a typical route and push your limits, as evidenced by her having started her education in France (Université de Tours) and continuing in the United States (Rutgers University, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree, and George Washington University, where she graduated with her Master’s degree).
She is also a strong supporter of the idea that education begins at home and continues through schools and universities.
Mr. Richard G. Rosenman
is a retired U.S. Foreign Service Officer, who from 1988 to 2017 served in diplomatic assignments overseas and domestically, focusing on Consular Affairs and international environmental issues.
After initial training in Washington, he served as Vice Consul at the U.S. Consulate in Recife, Brazil (1989-1991), and as Vice Consul at the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines (1991-1993). Returning to Washington, he was assigned as International Relations Officer at the State Department’s Bureau of Oceans and Environment (1993-1995), and as a Consular Officer at the Bureau of Consular Affairs (1995-1997).
From 1997 to 2000, he served as Consul at the U.S. Consulate General in Halifax, Canada, and from 2000 to 2003 was assigned as Consul to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, Mexico.
In 2003, Mr. Rosenman was transferred to the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, Canada, where he served as Environment Officer through 2006. He was then assigned as Consul to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia, from 2006-2009. He subsequently again served as International Relations Officer at the State Department’s Bureau of Oceans and Environment (2009-2011). In 2011, he was assigned as Consul to the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou, China, via language training domestically and in Taipei, Taiwan.
He returned to the United States in 2015 and finished his career in the State Department’s Foreign Service Board of Examiners, where he continued to work for an additional seven years after his retirement from the Foreign Service in 2017.
Mr. Rosenman is the recipient of three Department of State individual Superior Honor Awards and three individual Meritorious Honor Awards. He is professionally fluent in Portuguese, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, and conversational in French and Russian. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, he worked as a magazine editor in Los Angeles and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from California State University, Northridge, a Master of Arts in International Relations from The American University, and completed a semester of French language studies at the Sorbonne University in Paris. He is married, with two children and two grandchildren.
Effective May 2025, Mr. Rosenman joined the Board of Directors of the Alexander Berdus Foundation for Education of Displaced Children (Reston, Virginia, USA), where he will contribute his outstanding skills gained during almost four decades of governmental service in various overseas missions to ensure the Foundation’s operations are conducted according to the best practice of multicultural tolerance, global policy considerations, and regulatory compliance.
FOUNDATION OFFICERS
Mrs. Tatsiana Seliazniova, Esq.
PRESIDENT
is an internationally educated attorney, holding her first “Jurist” degree (J.D. equivalent) from Polotsk State University (Polotsk, Belarus), Master’s degrees in law (LL.M.) from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA) and Master’s degree in technical science (M.Sc.) from the Royal Institute of Technology (Stockholm, Sweden).
She started her legal career as an Assistant Professor in Law at the Polotsk State University School of Law, where Mrs. Seliazniova founded and led as a Director the first Pro Bono Legal Aid Clinic in Belarus that was aimed at educating community members about their rights, providing free advice to those in need, and promoting unlimited access to justice.
Mrs. Seliazniova authored numerous publications on comparative law and legal education in European and U.S. magazines, including the U.S. Journal of Legal Education and Journal of Law and Commerce.
After exercising academic freedom, freedom of speech, and teaching law students about the state based on the rule of law was no longer safe in her home country, Mrs. Seliazniova switched to practicing international business law. Since then, she has been counseling her hi-tech corporate clients as an expert on commercial law, international trade, corporate governance and reorganization, technology transactions, IP protection, multijurisdictional employment, government contracting, and legal compliance matters.
Admitted to practice law in New York, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and several foreign jurisdictions, Mrs. Seliazniova has accumulated 20 years of extensive hands-on experience in handling complex transboundary business transactions, export/trade control compliance, corporate reorganizations, and business development projects for global businesses located in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Since 2017, she has been serving as the General Counsel and Vice President for the U.S. companies of the global technology group Polimaster®, providing radiation detection solutions to Federal, State, and commercial customers in North and South America.
Mrs. Seliazniova enthusiastically supports the development of Virginia’s legal community as a member of the Board of Governors for the Business Law Section and International Practice Section of the Virginia State Bar. She is a frequent speaker at the Virginia State Bar and American Bar Association professional conferences. Mrs. Seliazniova also takes pride in helping provide equal access to the justice system to the most vulnerable community members as a pro bono attorney volunteering for the Northern Virginia Pro Bono Law Center in Fairfax County, Virginia.
In 2025, Mrs. Seliazniova was appointed to serve as the President of the Alexander Berdus Foundation for Education of Displaced Children, hoping to convert her deep understanding of diverse cultures, global issues, and the interconnectedness of the world, into successful operations of the Foundation, enabling children who lost the comfort of their homes to quickly adapt to challenges and thrive in a new education environment.
Mrs. Maryna Kavaleuskaya, Esq.
VICE PRESIDENT
is serving as Special Assistant to the Vice President of the Integrity Department of the World Bank Group (WBG), a department focused on investigations and prevention efforts within WBG operations.
Over the past two years, Mrs. Kavaleuskaya worked as Senior Integrity Counsel, Lead for Africa, at the WBG’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) Business Risk and Compliance Department, based in Kenya. Prior to joining IFC, she practiced at an international law firm, specializing in global anti-corruption and investigations, business and human rights, and other areas of international compliance. Before obtaining her master’s degree at Harvard Law School (HLS), Mrs. Kavaleuskaya practiced law in her native Belarus, focusing on high-profile criminal cases.
Mrs. Kavaleuskaya has served as a human rights and development consultant at the WBG and as a rule of law consultant at the American Bar Association’s Rule of Law Initiative. She completed Transparency International’s School on Integrity, Eurasia Foundation’s Young Professionals Program, and the Pathfinder Program of the Leadership Council for Legal Diversity.
Mrs. Kavaleuskaya is a board member of the Harvard Law School Women’s Alliance and has contributed to numerous pro bono matters, including training judges and prosecutors from developing countries and representing minors as guardian ad litem.
Personally, since her teenage years, she has benefited greatly from educational programs—from an exchange year at a US high school to a scholarship at HLS—and is committed to supporting talented young students in achieving their greatest potential, including mentoring a student in Kenya who, with her support, transitioned from living on the streets to becoming a top performer at a boarding school. She is deeply committed to the mission of AB-FEDC and is supporting the Fund in her personal capacity.
Mrs. Evgeniya Bondareva, CPA
TREASURER
earned her Master of Science degree in Control and Systems Engineering and Computer Science from Moscow State Technical University of Radio Engineering, Electronics and Automation (Moscow, Russia).
She gained over ten years of experience working as a technical consultant in the field of sales, marketing, finance, inventory, and supply chain management for small and medium-sized European companies engaged in retail and international trade. Upon relocation to the United States, Mrs. Bondareva continued her education and received the Associate of Applied Science Degree in Accounting from Northern Virginia Community College (Sterling, Virginia, USA) in 2014, which allowed her to take and successfully pass the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam and become a duly licensed by the State Board of Accountancy of Virginia CPA in 2017.
Mrs. Bondareva joined a global technology company, Polimaster®, in 2014, where she worked as a bookkeeper, operations manager, and accounting manager for the U.S. member of the group, Polimaster Inc. (Sterling, Virginia, USA), until Mrs. Bondareva was ultimately promoted to serve as the CFO and Treasurer of Polimaster Inc. in 2019.
Focusing her professional interest on the U.S. International Taxation aspects, as confirmed by the Certificate issued by the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, Mrs. Bondareva demonstrates solid knowledge of advanced international tax issues and transactions, such as U.S. transfer pricing, tax treaties, global BEPS, reorganizations, stock acquisitions, inversion rules, and more.
As an experienced Certified Public Accountant having years of valuable experience as an IRS-registered tax preparer, Mrs. Bondareva founded a women-owned small business firm, FAST, LLC (Aldie, Virginia, USA) to assist local taxpayers and small businesses with filing taxes involving transboundary financial aspects and requiring deep expertise in international taxation. The firm helps clients with tax preparation, tax planning, bookkeeping, accounting, estate and trust taxes, financial reporting, and so much more.
In 2025, Mrs. Bondareva, who deeply shares the concern for low community support of the educational aspirations of relocated children often lacking parental support and facing financial difficulties, joined the Alexander Berdus Foundation for Education of Displaced Children to serve as the Foundation Treasurer, overseeing its compliance with financial regulations, accounting best practices, and additional nonprofit requirements implemented by the IRS for Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations.
YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS
Ariana Mamedova
AB-FEDC Founder and Chair of the Youth Advisory Council
I am a senior student at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia, USA, where I focus my studies on biotechnology, biochemistry, and biomedical engineering.
At school, I contribute to our student community as a youth leader by serving as a Founder and President of the TJHSST Citizen Science Club (connecting aspiring student scientists with actual local research projects), President of the TJHSST Earth Club (conducting both analytical and fieldwork tasks to preserve sustainable development), peer tutor at the TJHSST Writing Center, active member of the TJHSST Science Olympiad Team, and Captain of the TJHSTH Varsity Golf team
I am a senior student at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia, USA, where I focus my studies on biotechnology, biochemistry, and biomedical engineering.
At school, I contribute to our student community as a youth leader by serving as a Founder and President of the TJHSST Citizen Science Club (connecting aspiring student scientists with actual local research projects), President of the TJHSST Earth Club (conducting both analytical and fieldwork tasks to preserve sustainable development), peer tutor at the TJHSST Writing Center, active member of the TJHSST Science Olympiad Team, and Captain of the TJHSTH Varsity Golf team.
After school, I work as a part-time tutor at Kumon North America (Reston), teaching kids Math and Reading in a fun and friendly yet effective way. As a strong advocate for equal access to education, I volunteer as a SAT, Math, Statistics, and Biology peer tutor at Schoolhouse.world (an affiliate of Khan Academy, providing free educational support to students worldwide). I also inspire free and open conversation and moderate respectful discussion among the global community of students as the President of a Dialogue Club at the same nonprofit organization.
I am proud to be one of the first female Eagle Scouts in the United States. During my Eagle Scout Project focused on organizing and running a series of donation drives for a charity supporting foster children, I realized for the first time how many children my age and younger lack support and guidance from their parents. Through meeting and talking with many refugee children who fled conflict zones in their home countries and were temporarily resettled in the United States, I heard their heartbreaking stories, learned about their hopes to continue interrupted education here, and supported their beliefs to eventually return to their home countries and use the knowledge they gained to restore and rebuild their own homes and communities.
Inspired and empowered by these children, I started the AB-FEDC Foundation by building a team of like-minded people of various ages and backgrounds and leading our joint efforts in providing support, resources, and funding to facilitate access to education for displaced children. In the first year of the Foundation’s operations, I raised over $16,000 to fund the initial Scholarship program for such children, and my team and I will continue our mission until we help the last displaced child whom we can reach to continue the educational journey
Arnav Majeti
Youth Advisory Council Secretary,
Adviser on Information Technology
I am a student leader with experience in managing teams, building collaboration, and motivating peers.
As Co-President of TJHSST Mock Trial and Captain of the Swim & Dive Team, I strengthened team culture, resolved conflicts, and created outreach initiatives to grow participation. These roles developed my leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Alongside leadership, I gained technical and professional experience through an internship at Capital Edge Technologies, where I supported the development of an AI financial assistant and conducted real estate market analysis. I also participated in Harvard Undergraduate Ventures-TECH, working with peers to design a mock startup and pitch to investors, further connecting my interests in technology and business.
I’ve volunteered with non-profits like Food For Neighbors, where I organized food for distribution to a local high school. I also helped restore a local field by removing invasive plants and planting a tree to support the ecosystem.
Beyond academics and internships, I enjoy mentoring and creative pursuits. As an SAT Tutor with Schoolhouse, I guided students through personalized strategies to build confidence and improve performance. As a Guitar Club officer, I organized events and supported peers in strengthening their skills. Together, these experiences highlight my passion for combining engineering, computer science, leadership, and mentorship.
Ian Kavaleuski
Vice Chair, Advisor on Finance
Ian Kavaleuski, a senior at George C. Marshall High School, has deep appreciation for social-justice causes.
Ian’s life was reshaped when his family received U.S. asylum after fleeing his native country because of his parents’ engagement in the pro-democratic and human rights movements. Since very young age, Ian has attended numerous protests and other events dedicated to raising awareness of gross human rights violations and advocating for the rule of law. While in Kenya, he taught programming as a volunteer teacher, and volunteered at a Nairobi rehabilitation Center for homeless children, supporting the Center with day-to-day tasks and leading two fundraisers that raised more than $2,500 for urgent educational needs and critical sports equipment.
Ian served as president of his school’s Business & Entrepreneurship Club, focusing on socially responsible ventures to lift marginalized communities. He has also served as a certified referee and is currently working closely with the CEO and founder of a leading business intelligence company focusing on further development of his business knowledge and leadership skills, among other leadership engagements.
He plans to study business in college, aiming to promote international business in conflict-affected areas.
Having escaped political persecution himself at the age of three, Ian has witnessed first-hand how education and targeted support can change lives. He is excited to contribute his unique cross-cultural perspective, fundraising skills, finance knowledge, and leadership to the Youth Advisory Council.
Antonio Villavincencio
Advisor of Information Security
I am a 17-year-old high school senior at Thomas A. Edison High School in Alexandria.
I am a 17-year-old high school senior at Thomas A. Edison High School in Alexandria, graduate of the Global STEM Challenges Program, IB Diploma Candidate, and member of the National Honor Society.
I am a Cisco Certified Networking Associate, and CompTIA Security+ certified IT security specialist. I am president of the Edison Cyber Club, former stage manager and current tech crew member at the Edison Theater Company, trained and somewhat experienced in roofing, and skilled in programming and IT in general.
I have had the great privilege to have access to a good education, and parents who have worked hard to provide one for me. When I was little, my parents moved to Reston for better educational opportunities. Later in high school my parents helped me apply to the Global STEM Challenges program at Edison High School, 20 miles away from home, and we worked hard to make the program work despite the distance. I think this is a great opportunity to help those less fortunate than me access vital educational resources, and better serve the global community.
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