Elly Sheykhet
Turning the Pain of Grief Into Positive Growth
Elly Sheykhet was born in Ivanovo, Russia, and spent her childhood alongside her parents and two brothers. After finding love and getting married, Elly moved to the United States in 2000 with her husband Yan and two beautiful children, Artem and Alina. In 2003, Elly obtained her Associate’s degree in accounting at Pittsburgh’s ICM School of Business. Also, Elly holds a Master’s degree in Economics that she earned in Russia and validated in the United States. She is currently employed at Henderson Brothers, an insurance agency in downtown Pittsburgh, and serves as their accountant and cash manager.
After losing her 20-year-old daughter Alina in a senseless act of violence in 2017, Elly and her husband founded Alina’s Light, a non-profit organization established in her memory. This organization is very dear to the Sheykhets and is often referred to by Elly as “her child.” The mission of Alina’s Light, among others, is to give voice to the victims of domestic violence through the arts, community events, and charitable actions. Elly is a published author with her book, One Year After, and serves as a Certified Grief Coach; she has dedicated her life to honoring her daughter by helping others. She hopes to brighten the world in Alina’s memory. Elly cherishes the time she spends with family and is a proud grandmother to Artem’s daughter, Angelina.
