16 Mar Spotlight on Tatyana, Reconciled Solutions’ Operations Manager
This month, we’re recognizing one of the superstars who contributes daily to our success and the success of our clients at Reconciled Solutions: Tatyana Shamarina, Operations Manager. With the heart of a teacher, Tatyana has a natural talent and affinity for helping our clients read their financial statements. That trait, along with her designation as a QuickBooks Online Advanced Certified ProAdvisor, means her presence on the Reconciled Solutions team is instrumental in helping our clients find clarity and visibility to their financials.
While we would typically expand on Tatyana’s talents, her role, and her experience working at Reconciled Solutions, our focus is a bit different this month. Tatyana is originally from Ukraine, so we asked her to share her story in her own words: from growing up in socialism to becoming a U.S. citizen, and what she has experienced over the past few weeks of unrest and uncertainty in her home country. Keep reading for Tatyana’s story, and to find out how you can help support Ukraine if you are interested.
Growing up in Ukraine
I grew up in Ukraine when it was part of the Soviet Union. People ask me what it was like to grow up in communism and I reply that it was socialism, not communism. The difference is that Socialism believes in classes, while Communists believe that all members of society will eventually share equally and that classes don’t exist. I had a wonderful childhood in Kyiv and always felt safe. Ukraine is a beautiful country with a wonderful culture. What I didn’t realize as a child was that the propaganda was working. Soviet people almost never traveled abroad and we, as kids, thought we were lucky to live in such a safe and secure country.
Education and starting a career
I went to university to get a Masters’s Degree in Physics and Electrical Engineering. Then I got a job with the Scientific Institute of Aviation Technology in Kyiv, Ukraine. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, funding for scientific research disappeared! This meant that all my years of difficult schooling to become an Engineering Physicist were no longer helpful in securing a job. I stayed on for a while because I loved it, but the Scientific Institute of Aviation Technology had no money, and I decided I should get a job that actually paid me. So back to school I went – this time, for Accounting. I then went to work as a bookkeeper and became a Financial Controller for a small business in the construction and furniture industry.
In 2001, I decided to leave my friends and family and move to the USA to start yet another new chapter in my life. My flight was scheduled for September 13, 2001. Due to the horrendous attacks on 9/11, my flight was delayed a few weeks. I eventually made it to Chicago, where I took bookkeeping courses, found a job, got married, and had a child. My husband and I moved a lot in those early years due to his job as a Designer. In 2014, we came back to the Chicago area and settled in Elmhurst, which is when I started working for Reconciled Solutions. As Operations Manager, I perform bookkeeping for our company, and I work hard to make sure Reconciled Solutions delivers a high standard of service.
I became a US citizen in 2019. It’s been quite a journey!
Watching current events unfold from afar
These past few weeks have been very difficult. I watch helplessly from afar as my friends and family in Ukraine fight valiantly against Russia. My 84-year-old mother lives in a high-rise in Kyiv and she has chosen to stay there. Fleeing would be difficult, as she is in failing health. Plus, she says that Kyiv is her home and she already lived through one evacuation during WWII. She is resigned to staying there, even in these terrifying circumstances. She “sleeps” in the front room on a couch, fully clothed so she can evacuate to the basement of the high rise as needed. The air raid sirens go off at least three times per night, so she isn’t getting much sleep. She’s tired and frail and I’m very scared for her.
My brother, his wife, and family live in Kyiv as well, about 30 minutes from my mother. They also decided to stay, and he has joined the Volunteer Ukrainian Military – as so many other proud Ukrainians have. As of now, they still have access to food and necessities. Sadly, this isn’t true for many Ukrainians. Please join me in praying for an end to this war.
How you can help
Tatyana’s daughter at an anti-war rally in Chicago
Your voice can make a difference! If you are looking for ways to support the people of Ukraine, here are a few ways you can take action today:
- Join antiwar rallies and events in your city
- Boycott businesses that continue working with Russia
- Contact your elected officials and demand to act and stop this war. Click here to find out how.
If you feel inclined to help financially, please consider donating to one of these organizations:
- Donate to Razom for Ukraine to help provide tactical medical training and emergency response in Ukraine
- Donate to Nova Ukraine to assist with humanitarian aid to Ukraine
