NATALIA KRYLOVA
Pittsburgh
Summary
Academic program coordinator and student services professional with extensive experience supporting federally funded language and international education programs, including direct work with U.S. Department of Defense–affiliated populations (cadets, National Guard, Air Force, and Navy servicemembers). Proven ability to manage daily program operations, student advising, recruitment, co-curricular programming, partnerships, and compliance-driven reporting. Brings strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and a collaborative approach to working with faculty, students, and local and national partners. Deep expertise in Russian language education, intercultural programming, and U.S. government–supported initiatives.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Board Member and Program Manager
East-West Connections
Minneapolis, MN
02.2023 - Current
- Led strategic planning sessions that enhanced East-West Connections' citizen diplomacy initiatives, resulting in a 25% increase in cross-cultural program participation.
- Developed and managed programs that connected individuals from the U.S., Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Baltics.
- Engage in outreach and partnership building with like-minded organizations to expand the impact and reach of East-West Connections' mission.
- Developed strategic initiatives to enhance organizational goals and foster international partnerships.
- Created and managed dialogue platforms, allowing diverse voices to share stories, cultures, and ideas in an inclusive environment.
- Represented East-West Connections at community events and public forums, facilitating discussions and building goodwill among diverse stakeholders.
- Oversee program logistics, including speaker arrangements, venue coordination, and participant communications, to ensure smooth program delivery.
- Engaged with community members and stakeholders to design three inclusive educational programs, resulting in significant increase in participant satisfaction.
- Collaborated with other board members to develop and execute programs and initiatives to advance organizational mission.
Associate Director for Academic Affairs
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA
09.2023 - 01.2025
- Coordinated educational programs across 5 departments, developing strategic plans that enhanced cross-departmental collaboration and improved program enrollment by 15%.
- Managed daily administrative and operational support for federally funded academic programs, including FLAS, Project GO, CLS, ensuring compliance with institutional and sponsor requirements.
- Provided academic advising and full‑service student support, including guidance on academic requirements, program pathways, and educational options.
- Coordinated recruitment, onboarding, orientation, and co‑curricular programming for undergraduate students across multiple units.
- Maintained student and program records; assisted with reporting, documentation, and budget tracking.
- Served as liaison to faculty, staff, and external partners to support program delivery and student success.
- Represented UCIS at the University DEIB committee by initiating inclusive policies, resulting in increased student engagement and support for underrepresented groups in academic programs.
- Coordinated 5+ student engagement initiatives, including career development tours for over 70 students, enhancing program coordination skills and fostering stakeholder relationships.
Russian Language Instructor
Defense Language Institute (DLI)
Monterey, CA
01.2023 - 06.2023
- Developed comprehensive Russian language curricula aligned with military training objectives to U.S. military personnel, supporting mission-driven proficiency goals.
- Implemented innovative teaching methodologies to enhance language acquisition and retention.
- Led immersive cultural workshops to deepen understanding of Russian-speaking environments.
- Mentored junior instructors to improve instructional techniques and engagement strategies.
- Adapted curriculum and assessment to the needs of adult, professional learners in a high-stakes training environment.
Program Coordinator and Lead Russian Instructor
Concordia Language Villages
Bemidji, MN
04.2018 - 01.2023
- Coordinated immersive language programs supporting undergraduate and adult learners in a federally affiliated context.
- Designed and implemented co‑curricular programming and enrichment activities aligned with academic objectives.
- Supervised instructional staff and student employees; supported scheduling, training, and performance management.
- Evaluated program effectiveness and recommended improvements to leadership.
- Designed and delivered learning assessments and training evaluations to measure instructional effectiveness, including OPI and DLPT testing.
- Supervised dozens of instructional teams and successfully led the transition to virtual learning for 300+ students, demonstrating effective leadership and adaptability in managing change.
- Created targeted upskilling strategies for 20+ teaching staff, focusing on digital pedagogy and inclusive education, resulting in improved instructional delivery.
Cultural Outreach Coordinator
TPT - Twin Cities PBS
St. Paul, MN
09.2016 - 04.2018
- Enhanced cultural equity and awareness by designing educational outreach programs focused on Russian-American history and immigrant experiences, resulting in increased community engagement.
- Supported the ECHO Program at TPT by creating culturally relevant content that expanded outreach to the Russian-speaking community in Minnesota, and contributed to video production as a researcher and voice-over artist.
- Developed outreach programs and educational materials for diverse and multilingual communities.
- Coordinated events and maintained strong community partnerships.
Lecturer of Russian Language and Culture
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
08.2014 - 06.2016
- Developed and taught a variety of courses in Russian Language, Culture and Literature.
- Supervised directed study projects for the Russian majors.
- Actively collaborated on the Proficiency Assessment for Curricular Enhancement project (funded by Language Flagship).
- Initiated and organized a number of extracurricular events at the Department, such as: guest-lectures, field-trips, online translation contest; Russian-American conversational partnership; hands-on workshops, et cetera.
- Supervised the Students' Russian Club.
- Participated as an editor in the multilingual translation project 'Transforming the United Nations System: Designs for a Workable World' (led by Dr. Joseph Schwartzberg, Director of The Workable World Trust).
Educational Programs Manager
Learnix Center
Vienna, VA
02.2014 - 08.2014
- Increased the company's growth by securing new partners, consulting engagements, and by delivering new projects.
- Executed and maintained program management processes in the areas of: program schedule and quality management, communications management and marketing.
- Established and maintained an online Project Management Office.
- Developed, designed and distributed promotional materials for the Center, including banners, flyers, booklets and brochures.
- Advertised the offerings of the Center via various media resources and social networks.
- Maintained continuous alignment of program scope with strategic business objectives, and made recommendations to modify the program to enhance effectiveness toward the strategic intent.
- Managed the budget of the Center. Produced project status reports, managed the team and resolved day-to-day issues.
- Assisted in conducting educational boot-camps and provided career coaching to the students of the Center.
- Developed and implemented community outreach strategies, increasing the center's audience engagement by 30%.
- Organized and led 5 public events and workshops that enhanced training delivery and increased community engagement.
Center Director
American Councils for International Education
Washington, DC
07.2011 - 01.2014
- Directed daily operations of federally funded Russian language and international education programs.
- Managed budgets, approved expenditures, and prepared narrative and financial reports for internal and external stakeholders.
- Built and maintained academic partnerships with universities, government‑affiliated organizations, and local partners.
- Oversaw recruitment, admissions coordination, alumni engagement, and program communications.
- Assisted various American Councils’ programs in their operations, e.g.: Edited and reviewed the materials for “Russian Language Journal”; Proof-read and developed Russian test materials; Reviewed grant applications; Developed and edited the content for RussNet.org portal
- Represented the organization at high-level embassy events and secured 10+ strategic partnerships with mission-aligned organizations.
Visiting Assistant Professor of Russian Language and Literature
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN
08.2008 - 05.2010
- Provided full-time undergraduate instruction in Russian language and culture.
- Advised students on academic progress and supported co-curricular and enrichment programming.
Education
Certificate of Completion Professional Leadership - undefined
International Institute of Minnesota
St. Paul, Minnesota01.2023
Certificate of Completion Community and Medical Interpretation - undefined
CCHI
Washington, DC01.2017
Master of Arts - Russian Studies
Petrozavodsk State University
Petrozavodsk, RussiaCertificate of Completion Multilanguage Assessment Training - undefined
American Councils for International Education
Washington, DC01.2013
Ph.D. - Russian Philology
St. Petersburg State University
St.-Petersburg (Russia)Skills
- Educational Design Program development Instructional leadership
- Stakeholder engagement and cross-functional collaboration
- Learning assessment and curriculum evaluation
- Virtual and in-person training and event coordination
- Basic Microsoft Office and Google Suite
- Project Management: MindMeister, Teamwork, Smartsheets, Asana, Monday
- Presentation: MS PowerPoint, Prezi, VoiceThread
- Learning Management Systems (LMS): Blackboard, M'Canvas, VoiceThread, Discord, Google Classroom
- Social Media: Facebook, Flickr, Google, LinkedIn, Twitter, Wikipedia, YouTube, Eventbrite, Surveymonkey, MeetUp, and others
- Database and spreadsheet experience: Excel
- Organizational leadership
- Strategic planning
- Nonprofit experience
- Leadership experience
- Global perspective
- Digital transformation
- Diversity and inclusion
- Conflict mediation
- Talent development
- Financial administration
- Regulatory compliance
- Sustainability practices
- Relationship and team building
- Community outreach
- People and culture
- Program oversight
- Effective communicator and public speaker
- Consulting
- Marketing and advertising
- Portfolio management
- Project oversight
- Program administration
Languages
English
Full Professional
Russian
Native or Bilingual
Polish
Professional Working
Serbian
Limited Working
Timeline
Associate Director for Academic Affairs
University of Pittsburgh
09.2023 - 01.2025
Board Member and Program Manager
East-West Connections
02.2023 - Current
Russian Language Instructor
Defense Language Institute (DLI)
01.2023 - 06.2023
Program Coordinator and Lead Russian Instructor
Concordia Language Villages
04.2018 - 01.2023
Cultural Outreach Coordinator
TPT - Twin Cities PBS
09.2016 - 04.2018
Lecturer of Russian Language and Culture
University of Minnesota
08.2014 - 06.2016
Educational Programs Manager
Learnix Center
02.2014 - 08.2014
Center Director
American Councils for International Education
07.2011 - 01.2014
Visiting Assistant Professor of Russian Language and Literature
Purdue University
08.2008 - 05.2010
Certificate of Completion Professional Leadership - undefined
International Institute of Minnesota
Certificate of Completion Community and Medical Interpretation - undefined
CCHI
Certificate of Completion Multilanguage Assessment Training - undefined
American Councils for International Education
Master of Arts - Russian Studies
Petrozavodsk State University
Ph.D. - Russian Philology
St. Petersburg State University