Anya McNeill was born in Novokuznetsk, Russia in 1996. At 2 years old, she and her younger brother were placed in an orphanage. In late 2001, they were both adopted by kiwi parents and arrived in New Zealand on Christmas day. 

 Anya encouraged the search for her birth mother and in 2008 she connected with her birth family. In 2012, the whole family traveled to meet them. Since then, she has visited many times, studied the Russian language in immersion, and grew closer to her siblings. They communicate often.  

After returning home from a 2-year stint in London, Anya was involved in the New Zealand adoption community by sharing her story with prospective parents looking to adopt internationally through AFS. She also contributed to I'm Adopted in 2020 and has since joined the team as one of our NZ coordinators. Alongside this, she is undertaking a degree in Psychology and Communications. 

Official Social Links

instagram @anyamcneill
LinkedIn