Development Associate at Capital A Housing

Tetyana Samiliv is an Austin-based community builder currently serving as a development associate at Capital A Housing, a Central Texas affordable housing developer based in Austin, Texas. In this role, Tetyana utilizes her deep knowledge of community engagement and planning to build housing that provides dignity and community regardless of income. Tetyana’s passion lies in community engagement in creating dignified, safe communities where folks of all walks of life can feel good living. As an Ukrainian living in the United States, she is an advocate for the rebuilding of post-war Ukraine and educating folks on the nuances of Ukraine and its history.

Tetyana was born in Western Ukraine and then moved to Trieste, Italy where she spent most of her formative years. Following high school, Tetyana attended the United World College (UWC) in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. At UWC, she studied under the International Baccalaureate program with peers from 86 countries across the world. Experiencing her studies in such a diverse environment ignited her passion for sustainability and urban development. Tetyana followed her curiosity to Minnesota, where she graduated from St. Olaf College with a bachelor’s degree in sustainable management, a combination of economics, entrepreneurship, and environmental studies. 

Upon graduation, Tetyana accepted a job working on circular economies for state and local governments. Unfortunately, COVID lockdowns occurred shortly after and paused all projects. However, this time gave her the opportunity to reflect on her path thus far, and she decided to further specialize in urban planning. She made the move to Austin in 2021 to pursue a masters degree in Urban, Regional, and Community Planning at the University of Texas at Austin and graduated in May 2023.

Deepening her professional roots in Austin, Tetyana was most recently involved in the Seabrook Square project which will provide affordable apartments in Central East Austin. Overall, Tetyana’s mission lies in garnering youth interest in urban planning, especially those with lived experience in low-income housing so that future affordable projects can better serve their communities. Tetyana started her journey with Capital A Housing as an intern in 2022 where she learned the ropes of community engagement with all stakeholders from all different walks of life from the point of view of a real estate developer.

Outside of the office, Tetyana is involved in two organizations dedicated to the rebuilding of Ukraine. Ukraine Rebuilding Action Group, part of the American Planning Association, and the Ro3kvit Urban Coalition for Ukraine are dedicated to rebuilding Ukraine’s urban and rural spaces once the war is over and funding is secured. These organizations consist of Ukrainians living in Ukraine or abroad, and many are architects, planners, builders, or have been involved in the military or United Nations. She also mentors a class at UT’s LBJ School of Public Affairs called “Rebuilding Resilient Ukraine” where she provides cultural and historical context of the war in Ukraine plus professional feedback in the lens of development.