Who we are
The EFC team is made up of passionate individuals working to create high standards in education and support the development of social organizations in Poland. Meet the people behind the EFC Foundation.
Board
Igor Czernecki, PhD
Chair of the Board
Historian of ideas, a graduate of Columbia University, the London School of Economics, and the University of Warsaw. He specializes in political philosophy and is the author of "The meaning of religion for democracy in Alexis de Tocqueville's Thought". His work has been published in journals such as the Journal of the History of Ideas, Tocqueville Review, Cold War History, as well as in Przegląd Polityczny, Res Publica Nowa, and Gazeta Wyborcza.
Igor Brewka
Director of Administration and Finance, Member of the Board
A longtime head of the EFC Office, he holds a degree in Ukrainian studies from UMCS in Lublin. He is an academic teacher, sworn translator, and mechatronics engineer. He has devoted his entire professional career to education, youth, and social initiatives. A specialist in computers and software, he balances his skepticism toward humanity with the positive energy he draws from the results of various social organizations' work. Privately, he is the father of three daughters; loves good cinema, video and board games, as well as fantasy literature.
Steering commitee
Andrzej Czernecki
Chair of the Steering Committee
He supports the management of the EFC Foundation’s resources and oversees its investment strategy. He is the founder and managing partner of Konkordia Capital, a firm focused on investing in the growth of small private enterprises in the United States. Previously, he worked at several U.S.-based investment firms, including Revelstoke Capital and Vision Capital Advisors. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Duke University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
Jan Krzewiński
Member of the Steering Committee
Owner and President of the Board of Medinco, a company specializing in the distribution of medical diagnostic products in Poland, both for human and veterinary medicine. From 2016 to 2021, he collaborated with Jerzy Starak, a leading investor in the medical sector in Europe. During this time, he served as COO and President of the Management Board at Polpharma Biologics – a global leader in the development and production of biosimilar drugs. From 2007 to 2016, he was associated with Mid Europa Partners, a leading private equity fund in the region, where he was a member of the supervisory board of Lux Med Group, Diagnostyka, and Alpha Medical. He holds a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics (2005) and a Master's degree in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University SAIS (2007).
Team
Elżbieta Broda
Regional Coordinator of the Horyzonty Program in the Pomeranian and Greater Poland Voivodeships
Graduate of Political Science and History at the University of Gdańsk. A student of Iberian studies, teacher, and educator. She has worked with gifted youth for many years. Her greatest passion is traveling through the Greek islands and Andalusia.
Izabela Buczek
Regional Coordinator of the Horyzonty Program in the Podlaskie Voivodeship
Graduate of Białystok University of Technology and George Brown College in Toronto. She completed postgraduate studies in educational management. An English teacher in both Poland and abroad. She shares her professional, community, and scouting experience, encouraging young people to get involved in non-governmental organizations. She is passionate about cultural tourism, particularly about expanding awareness of the traditions of the Podlasie region.
Ulyana Buzenko
Coordinator of the Horyzonty Program for the School Complex with Ukrainian as the Language of Instruction in Górowo Iławeckie
Graduate of Vasyl Stefanyk University in Ivano-Frankivsk, teacher and academic lecturer. At the EFC Foundation, she draws on her experience in administrative work. She enjoys helping others, traveling, and reading. She is also interested in psychology.
Antonina Federowicz
Regional Coordinator of the Horyzonty Program in the Mazovian Voivodeship
A graduate of the Academy of Theatre Arts in Wrocław and the Warsaw School of Economics. She has been working with young people for years. She uses tools from Forum Theatre and improvisation to help them express themselves, their emotions, and their needs. She develops original methodologies and scripts to support others in working with youth. A gadget lover and video game enthusiast, she can’t fall asleep without reading at least a few pages of a book—and has probably seen every movie you can think of.
Łukasz Krzemiński
Regional Coordinator of the Horyzonty Program in the Lesser Poland and Subcarpathia Voivodeships
A graduate of Polish philology at the Jagiellonian University and pedagogy at the Pedagogical University of Kraków. Working with young people has been his passion since the age of 18, when he began his career as a youth counselor. An educator and creator of educational and social projects. A literature enthusiast, he firmly believes in its positive impact on people. He is the originator of numerous reading initiatives in care and educational institutions. He divides his time between working with scholarship holders and raising his two children.
Iwona Konopka
Director of the Horyzonty Scholarship Program. Regional Coordinator of the Horyzonty Program in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship
Graduate of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Arts at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn. For many years, she has been involved in social and volunteer work supporting the local community, people who are ill, and those in need. Outside of work and spending time with her family (which she loves), she enjoys cooking, gardening, traveling, and discovering new places.
Agnieszka Markowska
Regional Coordinator of the Horyzonty Program in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship
Graduate in resocialization pedagogy and environmental chemistry from the University of Wrocław. Her passion is motivating people to grow, discover themselves, tap into their strengths, give to others, and achieve their goals. She works with people using the Solution-Focused Approach. She loves working with youth and families. Privately, she is a fan of sung poetry, mountain hiking, dogs, good books, and theater.
Anna Mazek
Regional Coordinator of the Horyzonty Program in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. Psychologist
Graduate in psychology, currently completing psychotherapy training. She is fascinated by nonviolent communication and works as a trainer with the Familylab organization. Privately, she loves reading, watching films, and discussing them. Her dream is to travel to the North.
Marek Michalewski
Supervisor
Graduate of the Maritime University in Gdynia. After many years of working at sea as a radio officer, he began supporting scholarship recipients from schools in Słupia and Szczekociny. At the EFC Foundation, he is responsible for cooperation with the Tadeusz Jarmundowicz Junior High School and the School Complex in Szczekociny, particularly in the areas of financial assistance and school promotion.
Robert Walków
Regional Coordinator of the Horyzonty Program in the Lubuskie and Lower Silesian Voivodeships
Graduate of the University of Zielona Góra with a specialization in Polish language teaching. He has been working with children and young people for 12 years. Previously, he implemented projects funded by the European Union. A passionate sports enthusiast—both as a fan and as an active runner who easily covers middle and long distances.
Maciej Ziółkowski
Regional Coordinator of the Horyzonty Program in the Lublin Voivodeship
Graduate of the Faculty of Pedagogy and Psychology at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin. For many years, he has been working with and supporting young people and their families in difficult economic and social situations. He is passionate about all forms of physical activity, especially boxing, football, and cycling. Additionally, he is a fan of travel, theater, and engaging literature.
Misia Borzymińska
Social Media Manager at Studio Lekko
Graduate of the Faculty of Design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and of Latin American and Caribbean Cultural Studies at the University of Warsaw. At the EFC Foundation, she is responsible for managing social media. Her professional experience and activist spirit naturally lead her toward communication roles in non-governmental organizations. She collaborates with initiatives focused on social change and environmental protection. After hours, she makes short films, writes by hand with the elegance of people from two generations ago, and practices freediving in the deepest lake in Poland.
Dominik Pływacz
Institutions Department Coordinator
Kuba Rudziński
Art Director of Studio Lekko
Graphic and type designer who has been running Studio Lekko in Berlin since 2013. He designs visual identity systems, typefaces, publications, websites, and social media campaigns. He collaborates with artists, cultural and art institutions (such as the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw, Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, and Documenta Fifteen in Kassel), as well as with research and activist projects (including "Beyond the Post-Soviet" in Paris/Basel/Berlin and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research). Kuba is deeply committed to the belief that graphic tools can be used to create real-world impact. In 2020, he received an award in the “Social Impact” category of the “Design of the Year” competition organized by the Association of Applied Graphic Designers (STGU) for his project List and the SL Transparent typeface. His work has been featured in numerous publications, including "Print Control: Best Printed Matter" from Poland and the German magazine "Slanted".
Agnieszka Ciesielska
Educational Expert
Graduate of Polish philology at the University of Warsaw and a Polish language teacher with extensive experience. Post-doctoral fellow at the PAFW and UW School of Education. Since 2019, she has been a member of the Teaching Team of the Polish Language Council at the Polish Academy of Sciences. A fan of tutoring, she likes to talk and write about education.
Hubert Czyżewski, DPhil
Program Director
He holds an MA from King’s College London and a PhD from the University of Oxford. He has collaborated with numerous non-governmental organizations, including running the Warsaw office of the Aspen Institute Central Europe. Historian of philosophy, author of Kołakowski and the Search for Certainty (2022) and editor of Leszek Kołakowski’s writings Christianity (2019). He is also the President of the Universities of Oxford & Cambridge Alumni Network Poland.
Julia Wasowska
Communication Coordinator. Project Manager
She holds degrees in sociology from the University of Warsaw, in postgraduate project management from Lazarski University, and completed further studies at the European Academy of Diplomacy. In her professional career, she has mainly worked with media and educational institutions, as well as e-commerce companies. In her free time, she is passionate about traveling and spending time actively outdoors.
Krystyna Kiełbowicz
Accountant
A longtime employee of Andrzej Czernecki, the founder of the EFC Foundation. She has extensive experience as an auditor. She finds respite from numbers in nature and enjoys gardening. On rainy days, she watches nature documentaries.
Joanna Utrata
Accountant
A graduate of the Higher School of Applied Computer Science and Management (WIT). She has many years of professional experience. No accounting software is too challenging for her. She enjoys active leisure, good cuisine, and tackling new challenges.