The founder of the CSS Foundation, David Russell, is a businessman, philanthropist, and citizen of the world who cares about the problems of the younger generation. He is convinced that the development and prosperity of vulnerable members of our society directly depend on the help and involvement of those who have the opportunity to help. The Russell family's motto is Che sarà sarà, which translates from Italian as "Do what you have to, and come what may!". The meaning of the proverb is that the future is not in our power, but everyone can contribute to tomorrow and make it better than the previous one.

I joined the foundation team in late 2020. I vividly remember my first day — it coincided with the announcement of the Contest winners.

Although I had been introduced to the sector 16 years before joining CSS, it wasn’t until I immersed myself in the foundation that I truly delved into the issues.

Every day, I learn from our partners and beneficiaries.

This learning experience extends beyond working techniques and operational flexibility; it includes noticing the imperceptible, examining tasks from various angles, and analyzing them.

Thanks to CSS, I have a unique opportunity to explore my home country, meet diverse people, and play a small part in initiatives aimed at helping vulnerable children and families.

I’ve been on the team since the early days of the foundation. With extensive experience as a business owner, I have incorporated elements of good corporate governance into the foundation’s internal processes. This includes fostering a culture of discussion, developing stress tolerance skills, and preparing for various challenges.  Outside of work, I enjoy spending time outdoors with my family, reading quality literature in English, or working out at the gym.

I started working at the foundation in 2021. My responsibilities include managing documents, interacting with all counterparties, maintaining budgets and management accounts, and recording minutes of Presidium meetings.

My colleagues’ professional and emotional support and the friendly atmosphere in our team are what I value most in my work. My greatest professional achievement is creating a clear document management system with well-defined processes and strict order.

In my free time, I love reading good books, strolling through parks, and attending theater performances.

I have been working at the foundation since 2023. My primary task is to highlight the projects supported by the foundation. I gather and document our partners’ achievements, showcasing how people change the world. Additionally, I promote the contributions and philosophies of donor organizations and explain that even the most complex problems can be solved by combining forces, knowledge, and resources.

Working at CSS has allowed me to meet leaders of social change, dive into a variety of social projects, and get behind the scenes of numerous foundations — a privilege I deeply appreciate.

In my free time, I enjoy visiting bars and concerts by Russian indie bands, as well as listening to classical music.

I joined the foundation in 2024. In my role, I interact with grantees by reviewing financial and substantive project reports, collecting information and statistics, participating in monitoring visits, and maintaining report documentation.

What I value a lot in my work at CSS is the opportunity to communicate with charitable organizations across Russia and visit colleagues in person.

Since joining CSS, I have streamlined the reporting process to establish a common standard.

In my spare time, I play sports and am also interested in auteur filmmaking.