Marina Chakmakchi, MPPM
SHE | HER | HERS
Global Talent Navigator
Marina Chakmakchi is a multilingual international professional with a passion for service dedicated to delivering meaningful services to people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. She has worked as a women’s rights lawyer in Russia, a student advisor in England, and an ESL teacher in Turkey. Marina first came to Maine in 2003 as an international student to study law.
Armed with a Master’s in Public Policy and Management (University of Southern Maine) and a Master of Laws (University of Maine School of Law), Marina guides immigrant-origin students and internationally-trained professionals as a Global Talent Navigator at the University of Southern Maine’s Office of Equity, Inclusion, and Community Impact. Her understanding of barriers faced by immigrants seeking higher education, coupled with her firsthand experience navigating different cultures, allows her to advocate effectively for their needs.
Before USM, Marina was employed at Portland Adult Education and the Office of Maine Refugee Services, focusing on providing support and resources to refugees, asylum seekers, asylees, and other immigrants in Maine.
Originally from Russia, her story extends beyond borders: Cambridge, UK, and Istanbul, Turkey, played their parts in shaping her global citizen perspective. Today, Marina makes Yarmouth, Maine, her home, alongside her husband and two daughters.