FACC Faces — Polina
Introducing FACC Faces, a new series spotlighting the people behind the FACC — the experiences that shaped them, the ideas that drive them, and the perspectives they bring to our organization and community.
For our first edition, we sit down with FACC New York Managing Director, Polina Bogdanovitch. From a life-changing scholarship that first brought her to the U.S. to taking the helm of FACC New York, Polina reflects on the experiences that shaped her approach to leadership. She shares how navigating the pandemic and helping strengthen the FACC community influenced the way she leads today, why she believes in running a nonprofit with the discipline and ambition of a business, and her vision for ensuring the FACC continues to evolve while staying true to its 130-year mission.
What led you to your leadership role at the FACC?
I was born and raised in Paris by Russian parents. Growing up bilingual, I developed an early interest in languages and cross-cultural environments, eventually becoming fluent in English and Spanish also.
I was incredibly fortunate to receive a full academic scholarship to pursue my studies in the U.S. That opportunity was truly life-changing and shaped much of the path that followed ( this makes the FACC's and particularly our Foundation's mission especially meaningful to me - having benefited from educational opportunity and international exchange myself, I feel strongly about helping create those same possibilities for the next generation of French and American students).
I graduated with a degree in International Business and Spanish, then began my career at a large corporate events company, holding various business development roles in New York and London.
I had been looking for an opportunity to bring together my language skills, international background, and experience in client relations, which led me to apply for a Membership Manager role at the FACC in 2020. I actually had no prior connection to the organization.
After three years leading the membership department—and navigating the challenges of the pandemic, while working closely with our members to keep the community engaged, connected, and ultimately emerging with a strong and resilient network—my predecessor and the Board entrusted me with taking the reins of FACC New York.
What is the driving force behind what you do?
Every business decision I make is ultimately about serving our members and supporting our team. While the FACC is a nonprofit association, I believe it has to be run with the discipline and ambition of a business. Revenue growth matters because it allows us to reinvest: to scale our events, broaden our services, improve our tools, grow our team, and create more opportunities for the people within it.
What drives me is seeing that growth translate into real impact — a stronger community, more value for our members, and a team that has the resources and opportunities to keep developing and pushing forward together. I’m very motivated by building an organization that is both financially sustainable and genuinely useful to the businesses and individuals it serves.
What is your vision for the FACC for the years to come?
I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel. The FACC’s core mission — supporting the growth and development of our French and American business community — has clearly stood the test of time and allowed the organization to thrive for 130 years.
The opportunity ahead is to remain deeply attuned to the evolving needs of our members and continue adapting our programs, services, and value proposition accordingly. That also means being intentional about collaboration: leveraging our relationships with the French and American public sectors and institutions, the national FACC network, binational chambers, and other complementary organizations to understand where we can reinforce one another rather than duplicate efforts.
I’m especially interested in identifying genuine gaps in the market — areas where our community has a clear need and where the FACC has the expertise, credibility, and resources to make a meaningful difference.
Above all, we strongly believe in quality over quantity. Any expansion of our services will be thoughtful and deliberate, and only pursued where we are confident we can deliver the level of quality and value our network has come to expect.
What are you up to when you are not wearing your FACC Managing Director hat?
My role involves interacting with hundreds of people every week, so evenings and weekends are really my time to clear my head and recharge. You’ll usually find me either at home in Queens or in our cabin in the Catskills with my husband and our two dogs.
I love long walks, Orangetheory workouts, cooking good food, and occasionally taking on a home renovation or DIY project. I really value that quieter time, which gives me the balance and energy to come back to work fully recharged.
La Rentree is approaching! Any exciting plans for the remainder of 2026?
Probably becoming a first-time mom! We are expecting our daughter any day now.
Beyond that, I’m very excited for the FACC’s 130th anniversary celebration in September, as well as the launch of our inaugural Executive Survey of French Companies in the U.S. — stay tuned for more this fall!
Although I’ll be on maternity leave through the end of the year and won’t be able to celebrate these milestones in person, I’ll certainly be cheering the team on from afar. I’m incredibly proud of the work our colleagues have put into bringing these major initiatives to life, and I look forward to hearing all about their success.