Meet Our Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees of the Romanoff Foundation are united by a common commitment to preserve and support an émigré legacy that continues to thrive following the departure of millions of Russian imperial subjects in the wake of the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the ensuing Civil War. Today this map which has been redrawn and in certain parts of the old Empire, fractures have emerged and not every government or portion of the population share the same values and a desire for a peaceful co-existence. This makes our mission that much more urgent as we recognize the challenges that our Foundation faces when operating within the heritage of these ancient boundaries. While not a prerequisite, each member of the Board carries a part of this émigré legacy and we have come together from the USA, the UK, France and Switzerland with a broad view on the importance of preserving our shared legacy our culture, our faith and and our traditions. All of the trustees happen to be born out of a generation of emigrants and refugees and we carry this fragile flame to set the path to allow our community to flourish in a new environment.
Mr. Gregory Wolcough
Trustee
Gregory was born in the United Kingdom and was the son of the Russian Naval Attaché to the Russian imperial Embassy. A graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Gregory was a captain in the Cold Stream Guards until his retirement in 1967. He has been a trustee of the Romanoff Foundation since its inception and continues to be active in a number of Russian related endeavors including the Warden for the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and the Royal Martyrs, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.
Mr. Andrei Rodzianko
Trustee
Andrei is a US and UK citizen who lives near London, England with his family. He was born and raised in America to parents of Russian descent. Currently, Andrei is a Managing Director and Portfolio Manager at Ice Canyon. Andrei graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Pennsylvania’s Management & Technology program (BAS in Electrical Engineering) and the Wharton School (BSE in Finance). He received his MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
Count Peter Bobrinsky
Trustee
Peter lives in France with his family. He is a French citizen. Until his recent move to France, he lived 10 years with his family in Kiev where he was a partner in an investment bank. Prior to moving to Ukraine, Peter worked for a Russian bank in London. He holds an MBA from Oxford University and a BSc from University of Paris. Peter has also worked as a reporter in Africa, South East Asia, Russia and the Caribbean. Peter has been a member of the Stroganoff Foundation for the restoration of historical monuments in Saint Petersburg and has been involved with the Vitiaz Organization in Paris for over 20 years.
Mr. Jean-Evrard Dominicé Kourakine
Trustee – Treasurer
Jean-Evrard is a Swiss and French national who grew up in Geneva. He is the grandson of Prince Andreï Mikhaïlovitch Kourakine, a prominent figure of the Russian émigré community in France and Switzerland. Graduating in Banking and Finance from the German speaking University of St.Gallen in Switzerland, Jean-Evrard has held various senior positions in investment banking and asset management in Zurich, London, New York and Geneva. Jean-Evrard was raised both in the protestant and the orthodox confessions and is bringing a long experience serving charities as he was for ten years on the board of the Foundation of the International Museum of Reformation in Geneva, for four years on the board of the Friends of the Contemporary Art Museum in Geneva, and was also for several years a Member of the Hospital Service of the Order of Malta in Switzerland.
Prince James Galitzine
Trustee
James is a UK citizen whose family has been synonymous with Russian history. Following their emigration to the UK, James’s family have kept charitable work at the heart of their commitment to their community and heritage. James has been working in the UK Commercial and Residential real estate sectors for more than 20 years. He has a degree in Architecture, is a graduate of Sir John Cass Business School and qualified as a Chartered property profession at one of the top five global real estate consultancies.
Mr. Francis Mathew
Trustee
Francis is the second son of Princess Olga Andreievna Romanoff and as such, he is the great-grand nephew of the last Emperor of Russia, Nicholas II. He describes himself as having led an unconventional life and he has always followed passions. Started with travelling, which lead to following his childhood dream of becoming a stuntman. After a severe injury to his ankle, he pursued a passion to become a wildlife photographer and went to live in a mud hut in the Cameroon jungle for seventy days and compile a wildlife portfolio to launch his new career. Instead, he ended up becoming a fashion photographer and living in Mumbai, India for almost four years and working for Indian Vogue. Subsequently, he worked as a freelancer in the fashion, Bollywood and music world in India. A new turn emerged when he became an actor after being cast in a reality TV show, the Bachelor, which was filmed and released in Ukraine. For the last nine years he has been a personal trainer and currently lives in France, where he is currently writing a book and working on a few projects.
Mr. Alexander Kotchoubey
Secretary
Alex is a Swiss citizen and born and raised in New York. He now lives in Geneva with his family. He is active in Venture Capital investments as well as a member of the executive team of a feed ingredient start-up and co-founder of Lion’s Tale Entertainment, a broadcast media company. He is an amateur artist and currently finalizing two books. He serves as an honorary trustee for a number of family related museums in Ukraine and Russia. He was raised with strong commitments to supporting Russian émigré causes and has been active through his life in a number of related charities, such as the Russian Children’s Welfare Society, Village Church of Russia, Russian Hunters Association, and the Swiss Association of the Russian Red Cross (AO). Alexander’s career in finance began in 1993 in New York after he graduated from Middlebury College.
IN MEMORIAM
Prince Dimitri Romanovitch Romanoff
Former Chairman & Founder
1926-2016
His Highness Prince Dimitri Romanoff and his wife Her Highness Princess Dorrit Romanoff began the Romanoff Fund for Russia and for nearly a quarter of a century it had been helping people in need in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Following the death of Prince Dimitri, whose Russian roots ran as deeply on his father’s side as they did on his mother’s side – she was born Countess Praskovia Dmitirievna Cheremeteff, his widow oversaw the transition to a new generation of stewards for the Foundation and the “new” Romanoff Foundation. Mr. Gregory Wolcough, our trustee, has has been there since the beginning and as such, he embodies the solemn transfer of the Foundation’s mission to a new generation of trustees.
In a touching tribute one admirer wrote:
“The chairman of the Association of the Romanov descendants, throughout his life he kept the indissoluble spiritual connection with the Motherland, made a great contribution to the dissemination abroad of knowledge about the history and culture of our country, about the heritage and traditions of the Russian Imperial House.
Sincere love for the country and its people manifested in the active charitable and philanthropic activities Prince Dmitri Romanovitch, in its efforts aimed at the development of international humanitarian cooperation. Charity Fund of the Romanov family has provided selfless assistance to orphans, disabled, veterans.”