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
Founding Angel
Board of Directors
Founder of RUF. President of FORA.
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.
Monica Ferchi
Founding Angel
RUF Fundraiser & Founding Angel, Honorary Member of ROCO, the Romanian Community Center
Volunteer
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 Angel
Board of Directors
Founding Member, Secretary of the BoD, CEO of MDL Investments
Founding Member
Volunteer
Teacher
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.
Adina Sandu
Member
Founding Member, UX & Creative, Supporter of ROCO, the Romanian Community Center
Founding Member
Volunteer
“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 has a Master Degree in Economics from University of Targu Mures. She is the RUF office wizard, handling all accounting and administrative issues. She moved to Chicago from Romania more than a decade ago and she is passionate about helping people.
Diana Muresan
Founding Angel
Founding Angel, Honorary Member of ROCO, the Romanian Community Center
Volunteer
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
Founding Angel, Ambassador of the Romanian Community Center of Chicago
Volunteer
Oana Dobrean-Urzica
Founding Angel
Founding Angel, ROCO Ambassador , Supporter of ROCO, ROCO Communications Lead
Volunteer
Teacher
Oana has been one of the biggest believers in ROCO since the very beginning and one of the most active volunteers. She believes in the strength of our community, in volunteering, doing good, and leaving something worth while behind.
Anamaria Neamt
Member
Founding Member, Word Whisperer (Newsletter), Supporter of the Romanian Community Center of Chicago
Founding Member
Volunteer
“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
Miruna Zamfirescu
Honorary Member
Founding Member, Reporting Officer, VP of Fundraising
Founding Member
Volunteer
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.
Daniela Kammrath
Board of Directors
Executive Director Emerita, Member of the Board of Directors
Volunteer
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.
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.
Georgiana Merdariu
Founding Angel
Founding Member, Programs Director, Chicago
Founding Member
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.
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.
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.
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.
Monica Horga Bora
Member
Founding Member, Ambassador of RoCo, Supporter of RoCo
Founding Member
Volunteer
Ioana Savos
Founding Angel
RUF Founding Angel, Member of the Chicago Community Council, Honorary Member of ROCO, the Romanian Community Center
Volunteer
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.
Nicoleta Roman
Member
Mezzo-Soprano, RUF Ambassador & VP of Donor Relations, RCCC Ambassador
Volunteer
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.
Alina Cumpan
Founder: Authentic Society, Founding Member of RUF, Founder: Chicago Community Council, Volunteer, Honorary Member of ROCO, the Romanian Community Center
Founding Member
Volunteer
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!
Ion Busu
Honorary Member
Honorary Member of RoCo, the Romanian Community Center of Chicago
Volunteer
A dedicated leader that volunteers through her church and Romanian Community in Chicago. Passionate about teaching her culture, traditions, and faith to children and youth, organizes various social, cultural, and religious events in the community.
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.
Stefan Bota
Volunteer
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