I am very pleased to announce that Todd Lefko of St. Paul, Minnesota, has joined our board of directors.
Todd brings practical, organizing experience from politics, business acumen from managing a small trading company, insight into Russian culture and politics and a commitment to internationalism.
He has already taken a lead in application of the Caux Round Table Principles for Government and Civil Society to an effort to revitalize not only the economy, but the prowess of civil society to create and sustain social and human capitals in St Paul.
Todd is president of the International Business Development Company, an import-export firm dealing with water purification equipment, art, linen, kilns and new technologies.
He has worked in Russia for over 35 years.
He was the weekly columnist for Rossiske Vesti, the political newspaper of the Russian presidential administration for 18 years and has written over 700 articles in Rossiske Vesti and other newspapers and magazines.
Todd is on the editorial board of the Russian Historical Reporter and has been the English editor for four Russian books.
Todd is chair of East-West Connections, an international non-profit focused on citizen diplomacy.
He has taught over 4400 students at the University of Minnesota and other Minnesota colleges.
He has lectured at universities in Russia, Germany, China, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
Todd is a fellow of the Caux Round Table.
He was a member of the technical advisory committee for the Almaty Management University in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Todd holds a B.A. in history, an M.A. in public administration and the coursework for a Ph.D. in urban history from the University of Minnesota.
He has also studied public policy as a Bush Fellow at Harvard University and urban planning at the University of Manchester, England.
He is one of the founders of Global Volunteers and has served as their treasurer and representative at the United Nations.
Todd has also been a member of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Council, the Regional Transit Board and the Minnesota Experimental City Authority.