Irina was born in Vladivostok, a maritime city situated in the Russian Far East. She was raised in a family of scientists as the only child. Her father worked on an oceanographic ship, and her mother was a meteorologist. She was in competitive gymnastics for ten years, and at the age of 14 she accomplished a class of Master of Sports of the USSR. She started her own business in tourism and in 2008 set up a company called “Orange Sun”. It will turn 15 years old this year. Her company was awarded one of the best companies in the city a number of times in the sphere of hospitality.
Irina heard about Rotary International from a Bahamas Rotarian when attending “Global Women in Management” training program in Washington, DC, in 2006. Upon coming back to Russia she was invited to join Rotary Club of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk where she served as President of the club in 2010-2011 with Jane Little (Homer, Alaska) as 5010 District Governor. Her club was recognized as the best giving club to Polio Plus among 86 clubs of the district. The club became almost 100 per cent Paul Harris club.