Elena Sapelyuk

Elena Sapelyuk, from Brooklyn, New York, is pursuing a master’s degree in international policy at Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences. She graduated with a bachelor of science in foreign service from Georgetown University in international politics, and was named a Pelosi Scholar. A former refugee, she is passionate about creating economic opportunities for forcibly displaced people outside of humanitarian systems. For two years, Elena worked at the Refugee Investment Network in Nairobi, Kenya, where she collaborated with governments, investors, and private sector leaders to promote refugee economic integration. She has contributed to organizations such as the International Rescue Committee, HIAS, and Oxford’s Refugee-Led Research Hub. In 2022, she received a Projects for Peace grant to implement Peace Authors, a creative writing and peace-building summer camp for Ukrainian refugee youth in Montenegro.