The core team of volunteers includes 5-10 volunteers at any time and requires 4-10 hours/week.
The larger RUF team of volunteers is close to 200.
RUF Volunteers are supported by RUF's staff made up of 2 full-time employees, one part-time employee, and Mihai Lehene (unpaid President and Executive Director).
Watch our volunteer thank you.
Volunteering Opportunities
We offer volunteering opportunities for students that want to contribute to their community, especially if they live around Chicago and can travel to our main office.
We work with members of this team on very specialized tasks (e.g. Facebook ads, Google grants, Google ads management, email account management, accounting).
Selecting and training core team volunteers is an important process at RUF. Most of the time, the actual time requirements needed for being part of the RUF core team exceed what a person can offer. Volunteer work requires many months of participating in meetings, and occasionally the time needs spikes, and work happens at odd hours.
If you have a great personality, you really love what we do, you have a lot to offer (especially from a communications standpoint), and you can offer a solid amount of time, let us know, we need you today :). Learn more about available volunteer positions.
Mihai Lehene
President and Founding Member of RUF. President of FORA
Mihai is a Founding Member and the President of RUF. Passionate and caring, Mihai’s goal is to inspire all around him to be better and help each other, especially his fellow Romanian Americans.
Monica Ferchi
RUF Fundraiser & Founding Angel, Honorary Member of ROCO, the Romanian Community Center
Founder and CEO of TransUSA Exchange, a cultural exchange organization that specializes in placing international students and young professionals with industry leaders in the U.S.
Ligia Apostoaia
Founding Member, Secretary of the BoD, CEO of MDL Investments
Ligia’s charity involvement began at a very young age, helping her family foundation with the distribution of humanitarian aid to the families in need in the area immediately. Today she continues to do what she is most passionate about: doing good.
Cristina Haidau
Volunteer, ROCO Edu, Supporter of ROCO
Adina Sandu
Founding Member, UX & Creative, Supporter of ROCO, the Romanian Community Center
“What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well.” Incurable optimistic? Adina says no. We need to believe in the good that lies ahead and we can do amazing things together. Random fact: she would rather carry a camera than a purse.
cosmina ungur
Admin, Supporter of ROCO, the Romanian Community Center
Cosmina lives in Chicago with her son and husband. She moved from Targu Mures more than a decade ago where she earned her Masters in Economics.
Diana Muresan
Founding Angel, Honorary Member of ROCO, the Romanian Community Center
Diana Muresan is Mortgage Banker with The Federal Savings Bank, member of the Chairman Club and currently creating the first Senior Housing Department at the TFSB. She has a master degree from DuPaul University, Kellstadt Graduate School of Business.
Valentin Daraban
Founding Angel, Ambassador of the Romanian Community Center of Chicago
Daniela Kammrath
Executive Director Emerita, Member of the Board of Directors
Daniela Kammrath, RUF's ED, is an experienced marketing and business development consultant, with entrepreneurial, nonprofit, and fundraising experience. She believes in doing good, empowering women, and the power of example.
Miruna Zamfirescu
Founding Member, Reporting Officer, VP of Fundraising
Originally from Bistrita, Miruna earned her BA in Economics from the University of Illinois at Chicago and has built her career in the financial markets as an algorithmic trader/quantitative analyst.
Oana Dobrean-Urzica
Founding Angel , Ambassador of RoCo , Supporter of RoCo
Anamaria Neamt
Founding Member, Word Whisperer (Newsletter), Supporter of the Romanian Community Center of Chicago
“Don’t Panic” (aka Douglas Adams’ version of today’s “stay calm”)
Born with an affinity for numbers and words in a family of educators. My journey: music school, writing club, math, economics, and, closing the circle, teaching. Going back to the roots se
Cristian Sabo
Supporter, Chicago Community Center
Ana Grecu
Ambassador and Supporter of ROCO, the Romanian Community Center
I love to be involved in community projects! Ready to be involved in projects to make others people life better! Being helpful is what i love to do!
Mihaela Livanu
Community Partners Director
Mihaela is a social worker and co-founder of Spera Foundation, a nonprofit that provides educational opportunities for underprivileged children in Romania. She is also serving as an Educational Programs Advisor for SPOC Charity.
Andreea Rebaltescu
Communications Director, Supporter of ROCO Chicago, the Romanian Community Center
CEO & Founder of Sun Media Shine Digital Marketing Agency and Cora Phenix Entertainment. Graduated from Gheorghe Dima Music Academy in Cluj, Romania, and studied drama at the University Babes Bolyai in the same city, entertainer and published author.
Laura Bercean
Fundraising Coordinator, Key West
Laura lives in Key West with her family, including her 4 children Andrei, Thea, Nyssa, and Clara. Laura has been working with SOS Mission, a nonprofit focused on helping homeless people and poor families. She believes all Romanians should work together.
Luciana is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, particularly through mentoring programs that advance equity in education, research, and innovation. She currently works at University of Michigan.
Alina Cumpan
Founder: Authentic Society, Founding Member of RUF, Founder: Chicago Community Council, Volunteer, Honorary Member of ROCO, the Romanian Community Center
I believe in Unity, in long-lasting programs, and in open doors for the ones that are willing to build bridges to a beautiful tomorrow. Join us today!
Georgi Merdariu
Founding Member, Marketing Director, Ambassador and Supporter of ROCO, the Romanian Community Center
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.
Ioana Savos
RUF Founding Angel, Member of the Chicago Community Council, Honorary Member of ROCO, the Romanian Community Center
Camelia Rosca
RUF 4 Brasov Coronavirus Fundraiser
I am originally from Brasov, Romania. I live with my husband and two children in Boston, Massachusetts. My expertise is in educational systems and my passion, in addition to access to quality education for all, is working with others for the common good.
Monica Horga
Founding Member, Ambassador of RoCo, Supporter of RoCo
Catalin Oancea
Ambassador of the Romanian Community Center of Chicago
Is a finance major with a Master’s degree in Project and Process Management. He gained extensive experience in change management, designing roadmaps, and managing client relationships at both institutional and individual levels.
Dan Cosma
Ambassador of RoCo, Supporter of RoCo
Nicoleta Roman
Mezzo-Soprano, RUF Ambassador & VP of Donor Relations, RCCC Ambassador
Romanian-American Mezzo-Soprano Nicoleta Roman has been a prominent member of the Romanian community in Chicago for over 23 years. She is fond of her Romanian heritage, constantly promoting her values through her voice.
Claudia Lehene
Supporter of ROCO, the Romanian Community Center
Claudia graduated from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine with a Masters Degree in Medical Science as a Physician Assistant.
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