Our team
Regina Kireyeva
Grant Manager
Regina graduated from the philosophical and economic department of the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. She worked at the Delegation of the European Commission and the USAID CAR.
Regina Kireyeva has been in her current position at Soros Foundation Kazakhstan since 2014.
Gaukhar Akylbekova
Administrative coordinator
Saule Mamayeva
New Civil Initiatives Program Coordinator
Saule Mamayeva graduated from the Philology Department of the Kazakh University of International Relations and World Languages named after Abylai Khan. In 2015 she received degree of Masters of Business Administration at the Kazakh Institute of Economics, Management and Forecasting.
After receiving her education, Saule Mamayeva worked at an international law firm. In 2008, she interned in the United States, Maryland.
Aizhan Oshakbayeva
Human Rights Program Coordinator
Aizhan Oshakbayeva graduated from the International Law Department of the Kazakh Law University. She remained at the D.Kunaev University to complete her Masters of Science degree and finished Higher Course in Human Rights at the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (Poland).
,p>At the outset of her career Aizhan worked as a consultant of telephone hotline in Anti-Corruption Law Center of the Transparency International-Kazakhstan, and then as a director and project coordinator at the branch in Astana.
Almina Smatova
Receptionist
Almina graduated from the Kazakh University of International Relations and World Languages named after Abylai Khan with a certificate of English teacher and from Kazakh Academy of Transport and Communications of named after Tynyshpayev with a Bachelor of Engineering & Construction.
She has experience in the construction company.
Almina Smatova has been in her current position at Soros Foundation Kazakhstan since 2013.
Aliya Sharipbayeva
Media Program Administrator
Ainur Shakenova
Social Inclusion Initiative Coordinator
Ainur Shakenova graduated with a bachelor’s degree in law from Turan University (Kazakhstan, 2002) and with Master’s degree in law from Saint Louis University (USA, 2012). She had worked as a Law Reform Program Coordinator for the Soros Foundation-Kazakhstan since 2007 with a one year gap as an Edmund Muskie Fellowship Program fellow (2011-12), and since 2014 has been coordinating Social Inclusion Initiative which focuses on Inclusive education development and social integration of adults and children with mental health disabilities.
Kassymkhan Kapparov
Open Economy Initiative Coordinator
Kassymkhan Kapparov received his MBA from Yokohama National University (Japan) under the IMF Scholarship Program and holds an MA and BA in Economics from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (Kazakhstan). He has over 10 years of experience working in consulting, think tanks, government agencies, and international companies.
Mr. Kapparov is a graduate of the “Public Policy” program of the Soros Foundation-Kazakhstan. He was a research fellow at the George Washington University’s Central Asia Program. Mr.Kapparov recently represented Kazakhstan in the “Global Economy” initiative of the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) in the United States.
In 2017 joined the Soros-Kazakhstan Foundation as a Coordinator of the Open Economy Initiative.
Damir Islamgulov
IT-Manager