Lesya Granger

Lesya Alexandra Granger
Born
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Education
  • BFA, Art History, University of Ottawa (1994)
  • MA, Canadian Art History, Carleton University (1996)
  • MA, Education, University of Ottawa (2020)
OccupationsEducator, researcher, and community leader

Lesya Alexandra Granger is a Ukrainian-Canadian educator and community leader. She is the CEO of the non-profit organization Mriya Aid.[1]

Early life and education

Granger was born and lives in Ottawa. Her family immigrated to Canada during WWII, after the Soviet occupation of Ukraine. Her father served on the law faculty of the University of Ottawa.[2]

In 1994, Granger earned a bachelor of fine arts and art history from the University of Ottawa. This was followed, in 1996, by a master of arts in canadian art history at Carleton University.[3] She later obtained a master of arts in education in 2020 from the University of Ottawa.

Career

Granger worked a marketing consultant and researcher at the Royal Canadian Mint from 1996–2002. From 2008 to 2013, she was director and program head of the Lesia Ukrainka Ukrainian School in Ottawa.

Between 2014 and 2021, she was a manager of the International and Indigenous Languages Program at the Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-est (CECCE).

In 2022, Granger began volunteering at Mriya Aid,[1] a non-profit organization to assist Ukraine during the war. The organization provides Ukrainian sappers, military personnel, and emergency responders with essential equipment, personal protective gear, vehicles, and tools, as well as organizing training in humanitarian de-mining to international standards.[4][5] Since 2023, she has served as the organisation's CEO.[6] Between 2022 and 2025, Mriya Aid delivered 30 shipments including 12 shipping containers of humanitarian aid to Ukraine, including medical equipment and supplies for de-mining teamss.[7][8]

Personal life

As an artist, Granger took part in group and solo exhibits in Ottawa and Toronto. In 1996 and 1997, she was a member of a local artists’ collective, the Enriched Bread Artists.[9] In 2008, she became 1 of 27 artists whose designs were chosen to adorn bike racks in Ottawa.[10]

Works

  • Granger, L. (1996). "Notes on the Ukrainian Icon Tradition in Canada". In Klymasz, R. B. (ed.). Icon in Canada: Recent Findings from the Canadian Museum of Civilization. University of Ottawa Press. pp. 72–79. doi:10.2307/j.ctv16s45.10.

Bibliography

References

  1. 1 2 Torbina, Bogdana (2025). The Role of the Ukrainian Canadian Diaspora in Wartime Mobilisation & Post-War Recovery & Reconstruction (Thesis). University of Toronto.
  2. ↑ "Common Law History at the University of Ottawa" (PDF). University of Ottawa Faculty of Law. February 2022. Retrieved 2026-03-13.
  3. ↑ "Past Thesis Titles". Art and Architectural History. Retrieved 2026-03-13.
  4. ↑ "Mriya Aid: a trailblazing NGO helping Ukraine demine its land - Oxford Policy Pod". oxfordpolicypod.captivate.fm (Podcast episode.). Retrieved 2026-03-13.
  5. ↑ Chuprynska, Olena (15 November 2023). "Canada's role in Ukraine's strife showcases solidarity beyond borders" (PDF). The Hill Times. Retrieved 2026-03-13. Indeed, such projects are already in active development, with Mriya Aid standing out as one of the most impactful initiatives. Mriya Aid goes beyond metaphorical support as it actively contributes to Ukraine's physical land reclamation. Under the aegis of this initiative, numerous individuals are provided with the opportunity to obtain an International Mine Action Standards certificate
  6. ↑ "Lesya Granger". NATO Association of Canada. Retrieved 2026-03-13.
  7. ↑ "Канадська організація "Mriya Aid" відправила 30-ту партію гуманітарної допомоги в Україну" [Canadian organization "Mriya Aid" sent the 30th batch of humanitarian aid to Ukraine]. Інтерфакс-Україна (in Ukrainian). 3 September 2024. Retrieved 2026-03-13.
  8. ↑ "Canadian organization Mriya Aid sends 30th shipment of humanitarian aid to Ukraine". KXAN. EIN Presswire. 20 Oct 2024. Retrieved 2026-03-13.
  9. ↑ "Enriched Bread Artists: Two Decades of Creativity" (PDF). Enriched Bread Artists. February 2012. Retrieved 2026-03-13.
  10. ↑ Pearson, Matthew (July 22, 2008). "Area artists adorn Bank Street bike racks". The Ottawa Citizen. pp. C4. Retrieved 29 August 2026 – via newspapers.com.
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