Svitlana Romanko: Visionary leader creating positive change through innovative strategies

Svitlana Romanko

Founder and Executive Director

Svitlana Romanko is the Founder and Director of the Ukrainian campaign group Razom We Stand, which grew out of the successful #StandWithUkraine campaign to end the global fossil fuel addiction that feeds Putin’s war machine. Ms. Romanko launched and coordinated both groups once the Russian war against Ukraine began. She has been an environmental lawyer for over twenty years and a high-impact climate justice campaigner for a decade. In 2024, Svitlana joined the Obama Foundation Leaders Program, becoming one of only 36 Leaders selected to participate in the Leaders Europe cohort.

Svitlana holds a PhD in Environmental, Natural Resources, Land and Agrarian Law and a doctorate in Climate Change Law, Climate Governance and Climate Policy. She worked for 350.org and the Laudato Si Movement and has been a senior consultant for a Just Green Recovery and Green Deal in Eastern Europe. Ms. Romanko’s work at the Laudato Si Movement resulted in the largest-ever divestment from fossil fuels by faith institutions, worth over $6 billion. She regularly writes for and interviews with international top-tier press, including Bloomberg, The Nation, Washington Post, CNN, NBC, Rolling Stone , Newsweek, Politico, The Hill, Financial Times, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, Le Monde and more.