Lena Traer joined Heart to Heart in January 2010. She grew up in Omsk, Siberia, and graduated from Omsk State University with a Bachelor of Laws degree, with an emphasis in Intellectual Property. Lena brings to our team extensive first-hand experience in cross-cultural communication, along with great insight into "the mysterious Russian character."

As a college sophomore, Lena began working full-time at a student agency involved with cultural exchange programs, recruiting Russian students to study and work abroad. Lena worked a flexible schedule for six years, managing to complete her degree on time and participate in two exchange programs abroad. In 2004, she spent a full summer in the U.S., on a work/travel program for international students. In 2006, she completed a 3-month internship at a hotel in France (à la réception!).

In 2007, Lena left her hometown to embark on her longest cultural exchange yet, an 18-month training program with Intrax Cultural Exchange (a visa-sponsoring affiliate of the U.S. Department of State). While in San Francisco, Lena refined her cross-cultural communication skills, helping thousands of international students overcome the challenges encountered in a foreign country. Upon completing her training, Lena detoured to New Zealand for six months, to work with an international non-profit youth hostel association. Upon her return to the U.S., she established residency in San Francisco and shortly thereafter joined Heart to Heart.

Lena put her international logistical expertise to use immediately, coordinating visas, travel arrangements, and communication for our April 2010 surgical-educational mission to Tomsk, Siberia. On her first trip with Heart to Heart, Lena particularly enjoyed interviewing parents and tracking the medical work of the Heart to Heart-Tomsk team.

Lena speaks fluent Russian, comfortable French, and is currently studying Japanese.