In terms of her biography, Ksenia has been passionate about international development, and its particular aspect, such as sustainability. She has completed her MPhil in Development Studies and Ph.D. in Land Economy, University of Cambridge, and her research focused on environmental NGOs with special focus on the assessment of their organizational efficiency. She has both a theoretical background and empirical research experience in the field.

Over a six-year period (2014-2019) she led three research projects at the University of Cambridge as principal and co-principal investigator: “The Role of NGOs in Biotech Policy-making for Food Security and Climate Change”, “The Meaning of Organic in China”, and “Empowering Kenyan Women in Agriculture and Nutrition”.

In her leadership role, she was responsible for designing the research proposals, setting out targets and outcomes, choosing research methods, managing timelines and budgets, as well as conducting and overseeing the research required by the projects (primary data collection, its processing and interpretation). These responsibilities required extensive communication with the funders and members of the University and extensive fieldwork in Africa (Kenya) and Asia (Bhutan, India, and China).