Xenia Woyevodsky has been involved in Russian-American humanitarian and cultural activities for over 30 years. As Executive Director/CEO of the Tolstoy Foundation, Inc., founded in l939 in New York City by Alexandra Tolstoy, youngest daughter of Leo Tolstoy, she expanded the Foundation’s activities in the 1990’s into the Russian Federation through the establishment of viable working partnerships to raise cultural and historical awareness. Russian-American joint projects included semester abroad programs for the empowerment of disadvantaged children and a ground-breaking exhibit in Moscow on the life and work of Alexandra Tolstoy in 2000. She also collaborated closely with CRA on many mutually-beneficial projects. including improving working relationships with members of Congress.
Later, as Director of the “Consortium of Russian-American Orthodox Parishes and Organizations,” she established a pilot summer program at the L.N. Museum/Estate at Yasnaya Polyana with a grant from the Russian Ministry of Education.
Xenia Woyevodsky continues to serve as President of International Firebird Arts Foundation showcasing Russian culture in America. (www.firebirdarts.org). She is a Member of the Governing Board of the Friends of the Russian Cultural Centre in Washington, D.C. and Secretary of the Parish Council of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Washington and has been involved in many of the Parish’s fundraising events such as the Annual Tatiana Ball and the Tatiana Debutante Cotillion.
She is passionately committed to bilingualism at an early age in childhood development. At the present time, Xenia Woyevodsky is also spearheading the establishment of the Tolstoy Educational Initiative, a nonprofit organization whose primary purpose is to create and maintain the first Russian language immersion charter school in Washington, D.C. — the Tolstoy Academy. And to support Tolstoy Preschool activities and pre-college summer programs at the Tolstoy Estate in Yasnaya Polyana as well.
Xenia was born in Munich, Germany of “White Russian” parents born in Belgrade. She is a widow with a step-son, Nicholas and grandchildren Michael and James and lives in Bethesda, Maryland.