Marina Levchenko grew up dreaming about the Olympics with her eye on becoming part of the Olympic movement. Of course, she marveled at the amazing strength, speed, and skill of the athletes. But it wasn’t athletic prowess alone that captivated Marina; it was the “special mission of peace and friendship” that she found so inspiring.

During her university years, Marina studied law and was one of very few women who had ever graduated with honors. As a female student, she was mocked, harassed, or dismissed by most men in positions of authority. She was rarely taken seriously and she felt that she had to work much harder than her male counterparts to achieve success or recognition. “In Russia, women are responsible for the home and a career and they have to do both exceptionally well,” Marina says. “They have to outperform their male colleagues at work and carry the load of the household. It’s a very difficult task that discourages many women from high-performing careers.”

Eventually, Marina’s dreams came true. Although not an Olympic athlete, Marina found employment as a senior official in the Russian Olympic Committee. She is one of only a handful of women who work in the ROC, particularly at such a high level.