Yana Selyuk

Yana joined the NZ National Commission for UNESCO in early 2023 as a Senior Advisor.

Portfolio Areas: Sustainable, Resilient and Regenerative Communities Advocate; Freedom of Expression

As a strong believer in the importance of inclusive education, diversity of thought, and accessibility of information, Yana dedicated her career to empowering individuals through knowledge and fostering cross-cultural collaboration.

Prior to joining the National Commission, Yana worked as an ESOL educator in Aotearoa New Zealand and abroad and held several roles across the public service sector in Aotearoa. Recently she held the role of Senior Guidance Content Advisor at WorkSafe, prior to which she worked as a Technical Writer for the NCEA Change Project at the Ministry of Education.

Yana shares her time between the National Commission for UNESCO and the International Engagement and Cooperation team at the Ministry of Education, where she is responsible for the Ministry’s engagement with UNESCO and its initiatives, including the Greening Education Partnership and engagement with SDG4 initiatives and reporting.

With a Master's in International Relations and Diplomacy, Yana possesses a deep understanding of global political dynamics and multilateral systems. She is also a member of the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs.

Yana is fluent in Spanish and Russian and enjoys a good mystery novel.