Octavia Maria Vereșteanu is an expert linguist and NGO leader. She has over 13 years of experience as an English-Romanian translator and has been working as a Senior Reviewer for Google Romania. She is Vice-President of “Creștem Copii Fericiți”, a parent-led NGO focused on improving public education, and a former Co-President of Aspire for Education, where she has supported and organised programs for over 1,000 young leaders from more than 16 countries. In 2024, she ran for mayor of Sector 2 in Bucharest as an independent candidate, engaging deeply with local communities and civic issues.

Octavia holds a degree in Psychology and believes that building trust-based, inclusive communities is the answer to better cities and an increased quality of living. She combines her communication skills, strategic thinking, and civic dedication to create long-term impact. She is also the proud mother of 13-year-old Matei, a budding tennis player and novice cook. Octavia loves tennis, reading fiction and non-fiction—especially works by Elif Shafak and Herman Hesse—and spending time in nature or with her three cats.