Maria holds a degree in Finance from the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation. She also completed postgraduate studies in “Regional Economics” and is a certified early childhood educator as well as completed the Leading School Strategy and Innovation course at Harvard Business School Online. Having dedicated 7 years to charity work in Russia and Cyprus, Maria founded the charitable project “Yutka.” In Cyprus, she co-founded the extracurricular club Gecko, focusing on robotics, mathematics, and art education. Alongside her finance background, she also teaches economics to IB students today. Maria has been involved in THE ISLAND project since its inception, contributing to the school’s establishment, effective operation and growth.