Ksenia smetanenko – President
Ksenia was born in Moscow, Russia, and is a former Olympic figure skater. She lost her mother to breast cancer at a young age, and shortly thereafter a close relative was left disabled following a car accident. These formative experiences shaped her deep awareness of the challenges faced by orphans and children with disabilities.
After years of organizing fundraisers for a variety of causes, Ksenia is now devoted to advancing her philanthropic mission through Big Dreams Children’s Foundation.
Lena McMahan – Chief Executive Officer
Lena McMahan was born and raised in Odessa, Ukraine. As a teenager, Lena moved to Germany with her family. Upon graduating from high school, Lena decided to pursue her college education in the US. In 2003, she graduated with high honors from Iona College in New York, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance. After a brief career in the hedge fund industry, Lena found success as an entrepreneur, founding a modeling agency and events management company in Dubai, UAE. She managed the company until family obligations led her to return to the US two years later.
Once back in the US, Lena met Ksenia and found that they had a shared vision: to leave a legacy of positive influence on children worldwide through financial, educational, medical and developmental support.
