Durbin Meets with Chicagoan and President of Kyiv-Mohyla Foundation Who Attended Joint Session of Congress

Press Release

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Marta Farion, from Chicago, Illinois, who was invited on Durbin's behalf to be his guest for a Joint Session of Congress earlier this morning. Farion currently serves as president of the Kyiv-Mohyla Foundation, a non-profit organization engaged in assisting higher education in Ukraine through innovative programs and exchanges with U.S. universities. During the Joint Session, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko addressed Congress on his country's efforts to end Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine.

"I was honored to have Marta Farion as my guest at the Joint Session of Congress today," said Durbin. "She has been dedicated to improving higher education in Ukraine by fostering cross-cultural relationships amongst students, businesses, and educational institutions in the United States and Ukraine. Today, we heard an impassioned speech by President Poroshenko that highlighted the strong bond our nations share."

Born in Rome, Italy and spending her early years in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Marta Farion completed her education with a BA and MA from Loyola University in Chicago and a JD from IIT-Kent College of Law in 1980. During her professional career, Farion pursued her international interests as attorney, businesswoman and specialist in cultural and educational exchange programs between the United States and other countries. Knowledgeable of the linguistic and cultural barriers to international cooperation, Farion has devoted much of her career to establishing and developing cross-cultural relationships among various governmental, business, health, educational, and cultural institutions.

A Chicago resident, prior to attending law school Farion taught literature and bilingual education in the Chicago Public Schools and worked as educational programming coordinator for Georgia Public Television in Atlanta, Georgia. After completing her legal education Farion worked at Shefsky, Saitin & Froelich in Chicago and was later a law partner at Alexander, Farion & Associates. In 1989, Farion became president and general counsel to Redex Packaging Corp., a technology firm specializing in packaging systems and services to the food industry. Currently Farion is the president of Kyiv Mohyla Foundation of America, a non-profit organization engaged in assisting higher education in Ukraine through innovative programs and exchanges with US universities. She also consults in the areas of international business, as well as in education and cultural projects.

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