Miss Universe® Canada 2010

AGE: 24 | HEIGHT: 5'7" | HOMETOWN: VANCOUVER, BC

Being a Ukrainian-born Canadian in Toronto, Zhanna has faced and overcame the challenge associated with moving to another country at the age of seven. These included language and cultural barriers that led to not being able to 'fit in'. She struggled with and endured this learning experience, gradually absorbing the new culture and social norms that shaped her as an individual.

Zhanna has devoted seven years to higher education, as a result completed a Bachelor's of Sociology and Linguistics, a Specialist in Law and a Master's of Business Management. During her schooling, social studies played an important role in her life. She quickly was drawn towards the socio-economic issues presented in the world today. At the end of her studies she decided that contributing to the aiding of upholding human rights, establishing a greater awareness of victims of social injustice and abuse was the social scale that she felt empathetic about.

Zhanna has been volunteering as a coach and a guidance councillor of children at the UNF Shotokan Karate-Do Academy since 2005. Such position has mainly contributed to her compassion for children. Zhanna has gained important skills and thorough understanding of educational and guiding processes that are required when dealing with students and children. In addition, this role has disciplined her as a black belt martial artist, gave her flexibility of thought and a diplomatic approach in interpersonal liaison and communication.

Zhanna's goal is to address the Nations, bring amplified awareness to the victims of poverty, child abuse, violence, suppressed human rights and discrimination. In addition, Zhanna believes that proper corrections must be made to improve the state of the environment, as not only do we already feel the impact of those throes, but younger and future generations that do not have a vote on the matter, will be effected by the consequences of our current decision to act or dismiss.

Going forward, Zhanna is striving to utilize her philanthropy character, educational background, and life experience to contribute to the social welfare of the human world.
Zhanna has a cohesive desire to advance morally and professionally to a level that would allow her to become a humanitarian and an influential figure, where she would be able to collaborate with organizations and charities within a framework of common values and goals, upholding human rights through transparent and peaceful programs world-wide.

Sponsored by: Badawi Studios, Ukrainian National Federation Shotokan Karate-Do Academy, Ukrainian Credit Union Limited, Waves Coffee, GA Systems, Ukrainian National Federation - West Toronto, The Bolder Group, Hassan Behgouei Photography, ARTIS, Friis & Company, Malene Grotrian, Shelley Klassen, Family and Friends.

Questionnaire (click to open) ±

Are you currently a student? Completed higher education.

If yes, where?
Area of study:

Are you currently employed? Olympics 2010, Spectators System Supervisor
If yes, what is your occupation?

Have you completed secondary school? Yes, Kiev, Ukraine

If yes, where?

Have you completed university/college?
If yes, where?

National Technical University of Ukraine “Kiev Polytechnical Institute” 2008

Have you completed any technical/professional school?
If yes, where?
What subject?

N/A

Languages spoken Fluently (please include your native language if English is not your native language)

Ukrainian, Russian, English

List any special training you have had (music, art, drama, dance, etc).

Free style dance, kokoro dance, self-defence, nunchucks; Martial Arts: Mauy Thai, Aikido, Karate-1 Dan black belt. I write poetry.

In what sports, if any, have you participated and how long have you participated in each sport?

Besides participating in the Martial Arts competitions while being in my teens, I have also played volleyball, basketball, baseball, Hockey, but the most enjoyable is still mountain climbing because it is a challenge where a high level of concentration and endurance is required.

Please list any schools and universities (public/private/graduate/trade or technical) you have or are attending, as well as the area of study, graduation date and any degree or certification you received.

I have completed National Technical University of Ukraine “Kiev Polytechnical Institute’’ in 2008 with the following degrees: Bachelor’s of Sociology (Canadian Equivalent Degree ); Bachelor’s of Linguistics; Law specialist, Master’s of Business Management (Canadian Equivalent Degree ). I have also completed a Marketing Management course in George Brown College, Toronto in 2006.

What charity/charities have you supported with your time and/or resources over past two years?

Together with my family we have supported charities in Canada and Ukraine. Canadian Liver Foundation; Canadian Death Sport Association; Canadian Police Association, Canadian Cancer Society, Canadian Police Association “Children Christmas Fond”, are some of them. My family and I also supported charities involved in aiding the victims of Natural Disasters: Haiti earthquake, hurricane Katrina.
On a side note, I would like to share my personal experience. In the summer time when I would visit Ukraine, a simple donation of clothes and toys established an awesome connection between a few of the children that I had given special attention to and even taught them Karate. This was a heartfelt contribution; I was giving them a fundamental positive direction that will perhaps eventually shape their character.

What would be your "dream job" in life?

I strongly see myself as a goodwill ambassador. This is a priceless job that opens up the opportunity to make substantial adjustments to the social system; Improve the relationship between Nations; Representing a World reduced of poverty, suffering and chaos.
I would accumulate my effort, education, skills and amplified ability to bring efficiency, abundance and sustainability. Simultaneously my awareness grows with the rising environmental challenges that we are facing. I believe that if change is not implemented soon, our children, and future generations, will have to pay the consequences in which they did not have a vote.

Name one person, other than your parents, who has had the most influence on your life? Why?

There were many outstanding people in my life that really made a positive impact. I would like to thank all of them. But I would like to acknowledge and specially thank a prominent scientist in Ukraine, who I personally know and had spent much time with collaborating in different fields of research throughout my years in the academia:
Gregory Shneiderman, a physician, mathematician, biologist and a philosopher, who participated in many researches, profound projects and experiments. He is also an author of: “Above the Horizon of the Unconscious World”. In his studies he has shown the connection between life sciences and pure sciences. He introduced a new perception of life to me where Men, Nature and Energy unite, and where the Future can be created by a positive human mind.

What is the proudest personal accomplishment (other than being in this or any other beauty pageant competition)

One of the proudest personal accomplishments would be completing my Master’s degree. As I have devoted rigorous effort towards it. This accomplishment not only disciplined me but also served as an educational rudiment where a wealth of knowledge can be applied and utilized in the direction of progress.

What is your career ambition and what are you doing or plan to do to accomplish that goal?

My career ambition is to be part of something great: Being the embodiment of a firm, wilful and progressive individual, who would not only serve as a role model to younger audiences, but also have influence in the social arena of the world as a goodwill ambassador, a spokesperson for charitable events and social-aid organizations.
In the effort of accomplishing that, I started off by devoting seven years to the Academia, because I believe that Scientia potentia est. Knowledge is power. I understand that to be most effective in any career, knowledge is the benchmark.
The next step would be a more difficult one: To utilize the knowledge, experience that are ever-expanding and directing them to the meaningful purpose.
One of the most important counts that would aid me in accomplishing that meaningful purpose is this Miss Universe Canada contest.
Therefore, I am accumulating my resourcefulness and effort in the hope of accomplishing a greater merit on a greater scale.

Describe where you were raised and what your childhood was like.

I was raised both, in Toronto, Ontario and in Kiev, Ukraine. As a child I was exposed to different cultures and mentalities. I lived in Kiev and Toronto for almost an equal amount of years. I grew up in a family with a father of a law enforcing background, and a mother that is an engineer mechanic. Although, often their two diverse educational backgrounds didn’t bring them to a common denominator in opinions, high morals and values still unite them infinitely.

List any interesting or unusual jobs you may have had.

My unforgettable job was in Los Angeles, California. My job entailed to watch over an elder man that was recuperating in the hospital for already nine months after a lung transplant surgery. I was a caregiver, some of my duties included keeping track of his blood pressure, heart rate and making sure that all the doctors do assist him as they are scheduled. He was in a very extreme condition. My empathy grew for this person. The only thing that I could give him, asides from the expectations of the job, were the signs of hope and compassion, which was very important to him.
There is another quite interesting job that I had, it took place in Europe, I was a project manager at a construction site. I found it enjoyable, handling large capacity of managerial obligations. It gave me a wonderful leadership experience and a good understanding of responsibility and adequate decision- making.
List any volunteering you have done.

Centre of Integration for African Immigrants (CIAI), British Columbia; Tournaments, Ontario Karate Association; Children’s UNYF Karate Summer Camp, Lake Simcoe, Ontario.

Where is the most interesting place you have been?

Among many interesting places on Earth, my avidity keeps appraising Canada, specifically British Colombia. What fascinates me the most is the versatile landscapes, the diverse climate: Whistler- the rainforest where it snows. The natural beauty is spoiling to the eye with rugged mountains that rise out of the ocean floor.

What makes you unique and different from the other contestants?

I strongly believe that the content of my values, traits and creativity of my character make me unique and different: the genuine and unconditional desire to help others in despair; my capability to look beyond the silhouettes of the reality; look past prejudice and bias, leap over the precipice of stereotypical comprehension; dive into the core of the problem, gather the compendium of information, analyze it with necessary expertise and advance from that point.

What is your philosophy of/in life?

Integrity, dignity, pride, honour, progress, evolution – those are the stems of my philosophy of life. Whatever you do in life, those rudiments should accommodate as guiding principles of one’s actions. Living by them will ensure a health state of mind, healthy body and finally a health planet.

What do you hope to be doing in 10 years?

In 10 years I hope to advance morally and professionally to a level that would allow me to become a role model, an influential figure where I will be able to cooperate with organizations Worldwide within a framework of common values and goals, upholding fundamental human rights through transparent and peaceful programs worldwide.

Is there anything you would like to tell us about yourself? Something unique that has happened to you? Some interesting thing about you?

I was a witness of a small disaster. I had visited a public, unmaintained and abandoned area near the ocean. My friends and I camped, BBQ swam in the ocean and practised karate and yoga many times. To me this area was serendipity, a little paradise to escape the city. It was a public place, yet not many were aware of its existence. I’ve grown emotionally attached to it in a robust way. I took care of the abandoned cabins, tided up the place. Gradually, I hadn’t visited it as often. Nonetheless, every time I did get out to this remote location, I kept noticing signs of manmade destruction. Asides from the bottles and garbage left on the premises, the plastic bag windows that were put up by my friends and myself were ripped, wood from the stairs was disappearing.
Eventually, in the couple of months that I was absent, I allocated time to visit the lost little getaway. To my unpleasant surprise, all that was left before my eyes were ruins.
The place was robbed of its comforts and beauty. Trees close by were cut, the cabins nearly scavenged to the ground.

I was told that some locals tore the whole place down in pursue of cedar sidings. I was devastated and somewhat angered at the same time. Here is where I started to evaluate the situation: I was shocked by what people are capable of. How cruel and shallow must one be to tear down a "little paradise"? Where are the values? Why not make improvements and try to maintain the place instead of causing destruction?
But on the other hand, the people were obviously deprived of a sustainable life.
This pushed me to be more versatile and flexible in my revelations. Were the presumably guilty of the destruction deprived of basic means to sustainability, or were they deprived of morals and values? What lead them to this "scavenge”? The conditions that society placed them in, or did they place themselves into these conditions? This is an interesting example of a situation that contributed to a trait in my character which is not to jump to a swift conclusion, but rather collect all the data and possibilities that emerge from a circumstance.