We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated staff, who are the driving force behind our daily progress. We are equally proud and appreciative of our selfless volunteers who make a significant impact.

* As President of the organization, Mihai Lehene is not taking a salary, but he is still engaged full-time in building RUF.

Mihai Lehene

Board of Directors 
Honorary Member 
RUF Founder & President
Founder  Volunteer (full)  Teacher 
Mihai is the Owner of MDL Investments, a real-estate and VC family-office with a focus on emerging technologies, including fintech, biotech and crypto. In 2020 Mihai resigned his business roles to run RUF, and in 2022 he was elected as President of FORA.
 
Dragos Iliescu

Board of Advisors 
Member 
ROCO Biz
Community builder and sustainability advisor
Staff 
Finance professional with more than 12 years of experience in sustainable/impact investment
 
Irina Nedeljkovic

Member 
RUF Core Team Member, "Trips To Romania" Program Manager
Staff 
I am a dedicated member of the Romanian United Foundation (RUF) Core Team, I'm serving as the "Trips to Romania" Program Manager. Born and raised in Romania, I immigrated to the United States in 2006 at the age of 23. At RUF, I coordinate annual Trips to
 
Diana Gini

Founding Angel 
Chief Growth Officer
Staff 
Diana Gini serves as Chief Growth Officer at RUF, where she is deeply committed to strengthening the Romanian diaspora community. She is also a Founding Angel and RUF Ambassador to Madrid for the organization.
Oana Dobrean-Urzica

Member 
ROCO Executive Director
Staff 
Oana is the Executive Director of ROCO. Prior to this role, she was one of the most active volunteers. She believes in the strength of our community, in doing good things, and in leaving something worthwhile behind.
 
Georgi Merdariu

Chief Engagement Officer
Staff  Teacher 
Georgiana is bringing extensive experience in Communication & Marketing gained from her previous roles as a journalist in the biggest media trust in Romania and coordinator of international campaigns for well-established clients at Ogilvy and Grey G2.
Romina Ionascu

Member 
Executive Assistant
Staff 
Originally from Romania, I relocated to the US in 2013 with a Bachelor's degree in Economics. Currently, I serve as the administrative expert at RUF, where I handle all accounting and administrative issues. I have a passion for teaching young children.
Amalia Fret

Head of HR at RUF
Staff 
I have been living in Amsterdam, Netherlands for 15 years. I have experience in the hospitality industry and Human Resources Specialist. I collaborate with Rompro Foundation Netherlands, RoBoost Romania and RUF. My passion is organizing events and fairs.
 
Irina Ciortea

Finances Assistant
Staff 
Dream big and join a network of peers to accelerate further growth and pay it forward. Growth happens faster when it’s shared.
Madi Bucheru

Director of Marketing and Communication
Staff 
Experienced Fundraising Professional and non-profit strategist with 18 years of experience in the European and US fields. I teach fundraisers how to organize their 1st fundraising campaign. I lived, studied and worked in Silicon Valley for 9 years.
Aldina Gheorghe

GlobalRomania Partnerships, Institutional Liaison
Staff 
I am a lucky person from all points of view: I have a wonderful family, reliable friends, I do the things I like and everything brings me a lot of satisfaction.
 
Robert Gombos

Online Community Manager
Staff 
Robert is passionate about cultural exchange and social impact. He has a background in bridging cultural gaps and fostering positive change through civil society and NGOs, and he previously worked at Impact Hub Bucharest.
Adriana Preda

Director of Fundraising | Obama Scholar
Staff 
Adriana Preda is the CEO of The Social Incubator, a Romanian nonprofit supporting vulnerable youth's social and professional development, and the first Romanian Obama Foundation Scholar for 2023-2024.
 
Andreea Golumbeanu

GlobalRomania Head of Marketing & Communication
Staff 
Andreea is currently an MBA candidate specializing in digital marketing, with a foundation in law and academic knowledge of linguistics.She is passionate about identifying creative strategies to increase growth in any field.
Ioana Chirita

Board of Advisors 
RUF Liaison to the Board of Advisors Member of the Ethics and Legal Committee
Staff 
Romanian-qualified attorney with a focus on mergers & acquisitions, corporate and commercial matters, and project finance.
Nicole Neagu

Staff 
Strategic Communicator | Digital Innovator