Lilia Olefir

Lilia Olefir joined SFP in April 2022 as a Policy and Communication Manager. Prior to joining the SFP team she worked as Executive Director of the tobacco control NGO Advocacy Center “LIFE” in Kyiv in 2017-2021. She joined Advocacy Center “LIFE” in 2015 and has 6 years of experience in tobacco control, advocacy and communication. In 2019-2021 Lilia was a consultant on tobacco control policy to a Member of Parliament of Ukraine and served as member of the board of Coalition Reanimation Package of Reforms.

Lilia and Advocacy Center “LIFE” team conducted two successful advocacy tobacco tax campaigns: in 2017 supporting the Government in the development, passage and implementation of the 7-year plan to increase specific excise on tobacco products by 20% annually and in 2019-2021 working with the policy champions from the Parliament to pass the law on 4-fold excise increase on heated tobacco products and on taxing ENDS. In 2019-2021 Lilia and “LIFE” team advocated for closing loopholes in TC legislation in Ukraine and passage of the comprehensive bill to implement EU TPD measures, ban smoking of novel tobacco products in public places and prohibit TAPS of HTPs and ENDS. The bill was adopted in November 2021. In 2019-2021 “LIFE” team conducted two national mass media campaigns to raise awareness about the harm of tobacco smoke and about the danger of novel products. 

Lilia holds a master degree in Management of Organizations (in public health) from Kyiv National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy and bachelor degree in History from Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University.