Irina Paradnaya received her professional education in Moscow and New York, graduating from the Moscow Art Theatre School with a Bachelor’s degree in 2010 and from New York University with a Master’s degree in 2016. She also took part in international exchange programmes and conducted research at Harvard University in Boston and the University of Kent in Canterbury.

From 2010 to 2017, Irina worked as Executive Producer at the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia. At the time of her appointment, she became the youngest producer in the history of the theatre’s producing department. During her years at the Bolshoi, she produced more than 20 major projects, including opera and ballet productions, international tours, an international ballet festival, and the Grand Reopening Concert of the Bolshoi Theatre’s Historic Stage following its extensive renovation. Her work focused largely on international projects and included collaborations with such prominent directors and choreographers as Dmitri Tcherniakov, Francesca Zambello, Wayne McGregor, William Forsythe and Alexei Ratmansky, among others.

While living in New York, Irina interned and worked at the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet and The Joyce Theater, focusing mainly on marketing, fundraising and development.

In 2016, she founded the New York-based company IJ Group International together with Jared G. Lilly, the company’s Senior Partner and Director of Operations. Among their projects was an immersive performance created for the Fabulous Fund Fair, the first New York collaboration between the Naked Heart Foundation and amfAR. The performance was developed in creative collaboration with Laboratory ABC and was inspired by the immersive theatre experience of Sleep No More.

Irina has participated in the Harvard Leadership Conference and has given a series of lectures at the American Center in Moscow.

In 2022, she moved to Germany with her family and founded Flow Projects together with her husband and business partner, Nikita Sambozhuk. Through Flow Projects, Irina develops and produces international performing arts projects. She also advises nonprofit organisations and private foundations on strategy, business planning, governance, organisational design and the development of effective management structures.

Since November 2025, Irina has worked with TACT Artist Management as an artist manager, representing opera stage directors and conductors internationally and supporting the development of their careers and professional engagements.

Alongside her work in the performing arts, Irina advises nonprofit organisations, charitable foundations and cultural initiatives on strategy, governance and organisational development. Her work includes designing management and decision-making structures, defining roles and responsibilities, developing business and financial models, and turning an organisation’s mission into a clear and workable plan. Drawing on her experience in major cultural institutions, independent production and international partnerships, she helps organisations combine ambitious ideas with effective management and long-term sustainability.