Andy Lenec is the son of Ukrainian refugees who settled in the United States after WW II.  He joined the Peace Corps in March 2017 after a successful career in the United States, first as an executive in the field of Economic Development and Electric & Gas Utilities, then as an executive and consultant for non-profit organizations.  When Andy applied to the Peace Corps in 2016 the agency had just changed its rules to allow applicants to request their country of service, and Andy feels very fortunate to have been selected to serve in Ukraine, the country of his ancestors, where he found family and made many enduring friendships.

 

Andy has been a Rotarian for over 35 years.  While in New York he was a member of two clubs in District 7210, and was president of both clubs twice.  He was also the Team Leader of a Group Study Exchange mission to India in 2008.  Upon moving to Boulder in 2009 to become the first Executive Director of Clean Energy Action, Andy briefly became a member of the Rotary Club of Boulder.  While in Ukraine he was a member of the Rotary Club of L’viv International, and he is now a member of the satellite group of the Denver Lodo Club, made up of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.

 

Andy has extensive experience in management, strategic planning, board of director training and development, fund raising and event planning, all of which came in handy as he was developing the idea of an International Youth Conference while in the Peace Corps, the project that ultimately brought RYLA to Ukraine.  Andy is very passionate about youth development and has been actively involved with RYLA programs during his many years as a Rotarian, and  among his many other youth development activities he has also been a Sunday School teacher, a two-term school board member, and a soccer coach.

 

Andy’s varied skills are now being put to use in his support of relief efforts for Ukraine since the Russian invasion.  In addition to the solar panel conversion project that Andy will be sharing with us today, he has been actively supporting his network of individuals and NGOs in Ukraine for both military and civilian humanitarian purposes.  He stays in touch with his extensive network in Ukraine on a daily basis and runs weekly Zoom calls with his contacts there.

 

A graduate of Columbia University originally from Poughkeepsie, NY, Andy has lived in Colorado since 2010, except for the two years he spent in the Peace Corps.  He has two grown children, Alana (35) who lives in New York State with her husband and runs her own business, and Andrew (30) a music teacher in Hawaii.

 

Andy is married to, Joan Goering Lenec, whom he met six months before deploying to Ukraine to begin his Peace Corps service there.