Halyna Vynnyk

Halyna Vynnyk is an exceptional candidate for the UCC Trillium Award for Lifetime Leadership Achievement, distinguished by more than three decades of sustained leadership, visionary contribution, and transformative impact within the Ukrainian Canadian community. Her lifelong service reflects not only longevity and consistency, but also meaningful influence, mentorship, and deep engagement at local, national, and international levels.

For over 30 years, Halyna Vynnyk has demonstrated unwavering commitment to Ukrainian Canadian organizations and causes. Her more than twenty-year tenure as President of the League of Ukrainian Canadian Women (LUCW), Toronto Branch reflects continuity and dedication. She successfully guided the organization through generational transition, welcoming newcomers from Ukraine while maintaining strong foundations among established members. Her continuing role as President of the Yuri Lypa Saturday Ukrainian School highlights her sustained commitment to cultural preservation and youth engagement.

Halyna’s leadership has been defined by foresight and innovation. In the 1990s, through the Council of Ukrainian Credit Unions, she was responsible for coordinating mentorship exchanges connecting Ukrainian and Canadian credit unions, supporting Ukraine’s early economic development through knowledge transfer. She later introduced approaches to community engagement, including live virtual connections between activists in Ukraine and supporters in Canada. She played a pivotal role in establishing initiatives such as the Euromaidan Fund at BCU Foundation, where she served as its first Executive Director, and the Friends of Ukraine Defense Forces Fund of the LUC and LUCW. Her vision extended to preserving Ukrainian Canadian heritage through the LUCW Pier 21 Project, initiating the documenting of post-war immigration stories which were compiled into a documentary film, book, and culminated in LUCW led national commemoration.

The impact of Halyna’s work is significant and far-reaching. Since 2014, initiatives she has led, particularly the Friends of Ukraine Defense Forces Fund, have raised over $7.5 million in support of Ukraine’s defenders, providing military equipment and humanitarian aid. As a national leader within the LUCW, she also guided the Guardian Angels Fund, supporting rehabilitation for wounded soldiers. Beyond fundraising, she has mobilized national and international networks and contributed to advocacy efforts, including awareness campaigns that highlight the recognition of the Holodomor as genocide and raising awareness of the war’s effects on women and children. Later, as National President of the LUCW, she worked closely with the World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s Organizations, strengthening ties between women’s groups in Canada and abroad.

A dedicated mentor, Halyna has empowered generations of Ukrainian Canadian women by fostering inclusion and engagement across waves of immigration. Through her leadership in the LUCW, her work with youth at the Yuri Lypa School, her leadership as President of Homin Ukrainy Publishing and her involvement in international initiatives, she has cultivated leadership capacity and strengthened cultural identity. Her ability to connect individuals to causes has created a lasting legacy of community leaders.

Halyna’s contributions reflect exceptional engagement. She has organized advocacy campaigns, protests, and fundraising initiatives supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty, language rights, and justice. Her collaborative work with organizations in Canada and Ukraine has provided sustained support to veterans and families affected by war, while strengthening intergenerational and transnational solidarity within the Ukrainian diaspora. Her leadership unites communities across generations and borders, strengthening Ukrainian Canadian identity and resilience.

Halyna Vynnyk’s service reflects the highest ideals of leadership: vision, commitment, impact, and selfless dedication to others. Her legacy is evident in the strength, resilience, and engagement of the community she has helped build and sustain. She is a truly deserving recipient of the UCC Trillium Award for Lifetime Leadership Achievement.