Yana Zhambekova is the Ukraine Country Director at Veterinarians Without Borders North America/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Amérique du Nord.
Yana Zhambekova has joined VWB/VSF in July 2025 as Ukraine Country Director. Yana brings more than twenty years of professional experience in strategic leadership and program oversight of international technical assistance and humanitarian programs funded by donors/agencies and finance institutions. Yana is a certified Project Manager, and her areas of expertise encompasses the design, project implementation, monitoring and evaluation and assessment of needs and opportunities. During this time, she has worked with leading donor and humanitarian organizations, USG, GOU and civil society developing sustainable community-led interventions and initiatives and responding to emergencies.
Yana holds MBA degree from Kyiv National Economic University and a MA degree in Humanities and International Relations from Kyiv National Linguistics University.
Join the VWB community for a virtual look at the stories, people, partnerships and progress that shaped our work this year — and hear what’s ahead for Veterinarians Without Borders as we continue working for healthier animals, people and communities around the world.
In recognition of World Humanitarian Day, this blog explores what humanitarian work looks like beyond the immediate emergency. Through the perspectives of two of VWB's local partners in Ukraine, it examines how restoring livelihoods, preserving compassion, and strengthening community resilience are all essential to long-term recovery.
In this edition of #VETSVolunteerVoices, we shift perspective—from the experiences of VETS volunteers to the voice of one of VWB's longest-standing partners in Ghana. Meet Dr. Anthony "Akunz" Akunzule, Executive Director of the Ghana Poultry Network (GAPNET), who has spent more than four decades strengthening animal health systems, empowering rural communities, and mentoring the next generation of veterinary professionals.
