Biography
Eldana Quigley – formerly Eldana Kaupenbayeva, was born in what was then still Kazakh USSR. Her educational journey, highlighted by a Master's in International Politics from the University of Denver and a Bachelor's in Linguistics from the Kazakh State University of World Languages, has equipped her with a unique lens to view global interactions.
Not so long after the collapse of USSR, she graduated from the Kazakh State University of World Languages specializing in English, Kazakh and Russian languages. While pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree she worked as a translator- interpreter for a Japanese-American Cooperating Agency – an aerospace engineering company that was closely associated with re-building 8 major airports and runways in Kazakhstan.
Thereafter, Eldana embarked on a journey on the other side of the Atlantic, where she graduated from the University of Denver in 1999. There she received Master’s in Arts in International Politics, Trade and Economic Integration with an Emphasis on Information Systems.
That was the time when she realized that Information Systems is the way of the future. After the graduation she was able to write a relational SQL (Structured Query Language), do the backup of the Databases using Unix commands and was able to write basic Java. After all, it dawned on her that the programming languages were just another form of communication. The only difference was that this type of communication was between humans and computers.
Professionally, Eldana has navigated diverse sectors including technology and finance, with leadership roles at companies like Western Union and Pfizer. Her skill set serves as a linchpin in multicultural dialogues, underlining her commitment to cross-cultural understanding. Eldana's literary pursuits offer a profound glimpse into Kazakh culture, while her work in film production aspires to introduce independent Kazakh cinema to American audiences.
She combines her skills and heritage to foster a meaningful connection between Kazakhstan and the Western realm. Eldana has unearthed the intricate tales of her family’s past, embedded in the landscape of Soviet-era Kazakhstan.
Thereafter, Eldana embarked on a journey on the other side of the Atlantic, where she graduated from the University of Denver in 1999. There she received Master’s in Arts in International Politics, Trade and Economic Integration with an Emphasis on Information Systems.
That was the time when she realized that Information Systems is the way of the future. After the graduation she was able to write a relational SQL (Structured Query Language), do the backup of the Databases using Unix commands and was able to write basic Java. After all, it dawned on her that the programming languages were just another form of communication. The only difference was that this type of communication was between humans and computers.
Professionally, Eldana has navigated diverse sectors including technology and finance, with leadership roles at companies like Western Union and Pfizer. Her skill set serves as a linchpin in multicultural dialogues, underlining her commitment to cross-cultural understanding. Eldana's literary pursuits offer a profound glimpse into Kazakh culture, while her work in film production aspires to introduce independent Kazakh cinema to American audiences.
She combines her skills and heritage to foster a meaningful connection between Kazakhstan and the Western realm. Eldana has unearthed the intricate tales of her family’s past, embedded in the landscape of Soviet-era Kazakhstan.
She As an Author
Through the prism of her own experiences and her family’s history, she chose to craft narratives that serve as a gateway to understanding the nuances of Kazakh culture. Eldana’s childhood nurses’ memories of her mother – Lyalya Kaupynbaeva that inspired her first book about Soviet Kazakhstan through the eyes of her younger parents.
After the departure of her mother in blue yonder, six months later Eldana’s dad followed Eldana’s mom. Her parents lived for 52 years in a marriage full of main historical events that Kazakhstan happened to go through. To honor her parents’ memory Eldana decides to embark on her memories about her parents, how they met and what it meant to be a young person in the 1960s Kazakh Soviet Republic.
In many ways, her mother inspired her to begin her journey as a female novelist of the modern age. While her father gave her a foundation with his existing works that she wanted the rest of the world to see. She translated her late father’s books into English. One of the most recent translated books is titled “Raiymbek – the forefather whose name became a rallying cry”. The book is about a Kazakh warrior from 1770s who was one of the main figures who fought against the Dzhungars (descendants of Mongols) while saving Kazakh tribes.
After the departure of her mother in blue yonder, six months later Eldana’s dad followed Eldana’s mom. Her parents lived for 52 years in a marriage full of main historical events that Kazakhstan happened to go through. To honor her parents’ memory Eldana decides to embark on her memories about her parents, how they met and what it meant to be a young person in the 1960s Kazakh Soviet Republic.
In many ways, her mother inspired her to begin her journey as a female novelist of the modern age. While her father gave her a foundation with his existing works that she wanted the rest of the world to see. She translated her late father’s books into English. One of the most recent translated books is titled “Raiymbek – the forefather whose name became a rallying cry”. The book is about a Kazakh warrior from 1770s who was one of the main figures who fought against the Dzhungars (descendants of Mongols) while saving Kazakh tribes.
She As a Blogger
Eldana has dedicated herself to YouTube blogging, where she interviews people all around the world. From the steppes of Central Asia and Eastern Europe to North America and the Old Continent – she welcomes the world with open arms and introduces it to her audiences.
She As a Producer
Eldana’s connection to her home country gives her a unique access to the cultural scene of Kazakhstan. That, in turn, allows her not only to introduce recent works of Kazakh film directors to the American Audiences, but also to show.