Alya Michelson
Alya Michelson is co-chair of Michelson Philanthropies and is an active recording artist. Born in Russia, she spent much of her childhood in Ukraine. Alya later studied at Moscow State University, earning her journalism degree before embarking on a successful career as a correspondent for Russia's top news agency, RIA Novosti, and other media outlets in Russia and Japan. She regularly interviewed top officials as she covered business, politics, and the military. She also worked as a press secretary for the Party United Russia and other prominent NGOs. Alya later returned to the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, European Training Institute, and earned her Master’s Degree in Economics. She is fluent in Russian, English, Japanese, and Ukrainian. She is a gourmet chef, an accomplished artist, a ballet dancer, a high-level snow skier, a slalom water skier, musician, singer, and songwriter.