Taisiia Taran

Taisiia is a Ukrainian changemaker, rhythmic gymnastics coach, social entrepreneur, and national media presenter who has turned personal trauma into transformative leadership for youth and disability inclusion. A former elite gymnast, she spent 15 years in a system that equated worth with perfection. After years of fear-based coaching and emotional harm, she redefined her relationship with the sport – shifting from performance to purpose.

Now a coach, Taisiia runs a free inclusive rhythmic gymnastics programme for children with disabilities, supporting over 50 athletes. One of her earliest students, a girl with developmental delay and a heart condition, saw significant health improvements under her care. This sparked Taisiia’s lifelong commitment to inclusive coaching, child well-being, and mental health.

Academically, Taisiia is exceptional. She accelerated through three years of Ukrainian high school in a single year during wartime disruptions – graduating early and leading over 100 peers to do the same through an online academic programme she launched. A top-ranked student with awards including “Student of the Year,” she also conducts research in positive psychology and neuroscience.

Beyond education and sport, Taisiia has co-founded multiple national rehabilitation and cancer care centres – supporting refugees, soldiers, and civilians affected by war. Her partnership with Specter Healthcare Intelligence Ukraine has established four state-of-the-art centres offering radiotherapy, neurorehabilitation, and PTSD treatment. She also helped create Ukraine’s first innovative mental health rehab facility, with international backing and recognition from the Harvard Entrepreneurship Center, which awarded her a fully funded internship and $5,000 startup grant.

In parallel, Taisiia has become a national media figure. She has written, produced, and hosted over 300 episodes on regional Ukrainian television, promoting youth education, sports, and civic engagement. Her programmes have reached tens of thousands of viewers.

In international youth diplomacy, she has chaired sessions for the European Youth Parliament in Ukraine, Bulgaria, and the Netherlands – mentoring more than 200 young leaders on human rights, sustainability, and EU cooperation. As a Vice-President of EYP Ukraine, she has helped amplify youth voices in shaping the future of post-war Ukraine. She now seeks to become a Ukrainian Youth Delegate to the UN, advocating for inclusive mental health and trauma-informed recovery in global policy.

Taisiia’s life was shaped by pain – but her legacy is being built on healing. From co-founding cancer care centres to guiding children with disabilities through gymnastics, she challenges societal boundaries and redefines what strength looks like.