Alumni
Council
The BAFF Alumni Council is a volunteer high-level leadership development opportunity with the responsibility for advancing a self-sustaining alumni community under mentorship from the BAFF Board of Directors.
The Council, as a representative body of over 900 professionals from the Baltic States, is responsible for advancing the BAFF alumni community through the development of engagement strategy and programs and activities designed to achieve the BAFF mission - to deepen the ties between and among Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and the United States through programs of education and exchange centering on economic growth and democratic values.
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
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Alumni Council members are developing and implementing new and ongoing Baltic-based initiatives to drive value for Alumni and their engagement. Council’s responsibilities include:
• Developing new programs, activities and tools for Alumni engagement (e.g. Mentorship program, Junior program, Alumni directory and many more);
• Planning and implementing alumni activities, including social events, volunteering opportunities, and short-term or long-term programs for professional and leadership development;
• Participation in Council and alumni meetings and events;
• Monitoring of alumni engagement and feedback, and based on it developing an annual action plan and budget;
• Developing Alumni Council value proposition and governance model.
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Working closely with BAFF staff, the Alumni Council reports directly to the BAFF Alumni Affairs Committee, co-chaired by two members of the Board of Directors - Asta Sendonaris and Joanne Medero.
Currently, the Alumni Council operates through two committees: Program Development and Alumni Engagement. Each committee is chaired by a fellow Alumni Council member, who is selected through a peer or self-nomination process. Additionally, the Council members might form and work through task forces to develop specific initiatives.
BAFF supports Alumni Council participation by covering travel expenses related to Alumni Council member's duties during the term of service.
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The Council meets three times per year, in person as circumstances allow. Serving on the Alumni Council requires at least 12 hours per month in meeting time, committee and task-force work, and event participation.
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Alumni Council members serve three-year terms.
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Skills useful, but not required while serving on the Council:
• Programs, projects and initiatives development experience
• Mentorship experience
• Event organization and management experience
• Communication and marketing experience
• Management, consulting and leadership skills
BAFF ALUMNI COUNCIL MEMBERS
Co-Chairs of BAFF Alumni Council
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Ruta Labalaukyte
Country: Lithuania
Field: Management and Marketing
BAFF Program: Professional Internship – 2014“BAFF Alumni have a personal relation with BAFF and they can be the most loyal supporters of the organization locally and internationally. If kept informed and engaged, they can offer tremendous promotion for BAFF through their personal and professional networks.”
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Davis Freidenfelds
Country: Latvia
Fields: Environmental Science, Quality Management
BAFF Program: Leadership Academy – 2014“I have felt for a while now that it is important to give back to BAFF. I believe that being part of BAFF Alumni Council could and would be beneficial for advancing a self-sustaining alumni community.”
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Asta Sendonaris
“As a Baltic diaspora member in the US and BAFF Board Director, I'm excited to serve as the Alumni Council Co-Chair, promoting creative collaboration to bolster the exceptional BAFF alumni community and enhance its impact on leadership, economic growth, and Baltic-US relations.”
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Joanne Medero
“I see participating as one of the Co-Chairs as a way to provide the BAFF Board perspective to the Alumni Council as well as to apply my professional background to further develop relationships between and among Alumni, the Baltic countries and the US..”
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
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Elza Priede
Committee Chair
Country: Latvia
Field: Marketing, IT, Social and Educational InnovationBAFF
Program: Professional Internship - 2019“In this role, I hope to be a source of encouragement for other alums, providing them with opportunities to build professional connections and fuel innovations that will strengthen the BAFF community and the Baltic society.”
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Miina Karafin
Country: Estonia
Field: Civil and building Engineering
BAFF Program: Professional Internship – 2013
”BAFF Alumni have the power to move mountains! I would be happy to share my experience from various organizations I have been involved in with the goal to develop the BAFF network even further. BAFF Alumni Council has come a long way and I am sure I can contribute with my strategic thinking, goal-oriented attitude, and teamwork skills.“ -
Regina Soobard, PhD
Country: Estonia
Field: Social sciences, education
BAFF Program: Research Sholar 2017 Fall“I’m interested in bringing together the BAFF research community to expand the boundaries of existing research fields and work together (or share experiences) to reach new and necessary knowledge for our societies.”
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Arunas Stirke, PhD
Country: Lithuania
Field: Biology and chemistry
BAFF Program: Research Scholar 2017“I am a scientist and I would like to contribute to developing new programs or participate in already developed programs for alumni, especially for alumni scientists.”
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Evelina Korvel
Country: Lithuania
Field: Human resources and business
BAFF Program: Professional Internship 2017“I aim to leverage my expertise in program coordination, the art of hosting events, project management, and more, while further developing abilities in networking and outreach.”
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Saskia JÕERS
Country: Estonia
Field: Digital marketing and economics
BAFF Program: Leadership Academy - 2014“I believe in the BAFF community and want to make sure that people know that even if their last connection with BAFF was a long time ago, they are still welcome back any time. My experiences in marketing and event organising will help strengthen the alumni community.”
ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT AND MARKETING COMMITTEE
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Rolands Bogdanovs
Committee Chair
Country: Latvia
Field: Business, Economics & Finance
BAFF Program: Professional Internship - 2016„The BAFF alumni network has been moving in the right direction recently, there are now more opportunities for the existing alums, yet there is more to be done to level up engagement and create a stronger public brand for BAFF. I'm fairly experienced in strategic development, stakeholder management, and negotiations, therefore, I believe I can contribute some unconventional perspectives to the Alumni Council.“
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Agnese Zimele
Country: Latvia
Field: Marketing, International Business
BAFF Program: Professional Internship – 2018.“I have seen the alumni community before and after the BAFF Alumni Council started working actively, and the difference is truly remarkable. I would love to support the outstanding work that has already been done and use my experience, skills, and knowledge to develop other networking, professional and personal development possibilities for BAFF alumni. BAFF alumni are a great group of professional, supportive, and creative people, and I cannot wait to shape the future of our community together!
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Rokas Mackevicius
Country: Lithuania
Fields: Economics, International Marketing and Management
BAFF Program: Professional Internship – 2019“BAFF has an awesome community in the Baltics. I would love to brainstorm a tool or activities in order to involve as many alumni as it’s possible. The world is changing rapidly – with all the nowadays threats and opportunities. I believe there is a lot of potential to evolve the alumni community and benefit not only personally but for society as well. I’m eager to support and give my input to alumni community enrichment.“
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Austeja Nedzveckaite
Country: Lithuania
Field: Communication, PR & Brand Strategy
BAFF Program: Professional Internship - 2019“I'm joining the Alumni Council to come up with ideas and tactics to extract as much value for the alumni as possible - and make them even more proud of being part of the BAFF community. By day, I work with brand building, strategy and advertising, so I see myself as highly creative as well as strategic, have a passion for copywriting and making brands come alive. These are the skills I’d be most happy to use to grow alumni engagement in the community.”
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IVETA JUSTAITE
Country: Lithuania
Field: Technology and business
BAFF Program: Leadership Academy 2016“My personal interest in joining is matched by my eagerness to actively contribute and enrich our community. With my experience in (community) event planning and my original roots in Vilnius, I would be happy to help with organizing local events.”
FORMER ALUMNI Council Members
VIKTORIJA VASTAKAITE–KAIRIENE, PHD
Country: Lithuania
Field: Plant Science
BAFF Program: Research Scholar – 2020
“I do not doubt that my experience, professional skills, and personal qualities, such as initiative and responsibility, can be successfully used to bring BAFF Alumni community together professionally and socially through ongoing Baltic-based programming. “
ILZE LAUKALEJA-BROKA, PHD
Country: Latvia
Field: Natural Sciences, Food science, coffee industry
BAFF Program: Professional Internship - 2019
“I want to continue to organize events that help other BAFF alumni to connect with like-minded people and encourage them to achieve their goals. I am confident that my hard work ethic, enthusiasm and experience as a project manager in my university would help to strengthen the BAFF Alumni legacy.”
JUSTINAS LAPIENIS
Country: Lithuania
Field: Consulting project manager, public policy researcher, pro bono NGO adviser, product manager
BAFF Program: Graduate Scholar 2014-2015
“Community and vibrant networks are among the most powerful forces for positive societal and personal impact. I believe that shared goals and values of BAFF community are among the cornerstones towards mature and vibrant Baltic States”
Rõõt Palmiste
Country: Estonia
Field: Public Health
BAFF Program: Professional Internship – 2018
“Being around BAFF alumni, meeting new people and hearing what they do always gives me a motivational boost. As a result of a result of a very thorough selection of BAFF scholars, there is now a great group of ambitious, determined and successful people and it is an honor to be part of this group.”
KATHERIIN LIIBERT
Country: Estonia
Field: Social Anthropology
BAFF Program: Professional Internship – 2014
“Ever-growing in numbers, I know the community of BAFF Alumni is a diverse, well-educated and ambitious group of young professionals. I believe there is potential in the Alumni community that we can still unlock.”
LAURIS GRAVELIS
Country: Latvia
Field: Financial Economics
BAFF Program: Professional Internship – 2013
“High attendance rates and alumni involvement in alumni activities makes me feel proud that our BAFF community is ever-hungry for new knowledge, networking and doing business together.”
TRIIN METSLA
Country: Estonia
Fields: Arts
BAFF Program: Professional Internship – 2019
“Due to my strong background in the cultural field, I am interested in developing cultural program to keep BAFF alumni and professional contacts together. As BAFF alumni are well known in the start-up and technology field, there could be more interaction and networking on this route as well.“
ILONA MARKUNAITE
Country:Latvia
Field: Economics, Accounting and Audit
BAFF Program: Professional Internship – 2011
“Through my participation in the Council I would like to learn how to see, hear and feel what is needed for each and every member of BAFF community and develop my skills to bring these needs together for the common good.”
LINA MENJOKA
Country: Latvia
Field: International Relations
BAFF Program: Professional Internship – 2014
“I expect a forming of a strong team, willing to work and lead, and I would like to be a part of this team as many great ideas that lacked resources and perhaps courage when acting alone, could finally come to life.”
ZANE PAULA
Country: Latvia
Field: Economics
BAFF Program: Professional Internship – 2014.
“I see the BAFF alumni community as a powerful platform where development of the professional skills of the alumni members can be combined with actively engaging in community service and therefore creating value both for society and ourselves.”
HENRIJS KALKIS
Country: Latvia
Field: Business Management
BAFF Program: Research Scholar – 2018
“I believe BAFF will become the leading organization in Baltic countries with strong alumni support and I would like to serve and give also my input with my academic and professional experience in developing a strong alumni network, alumni related skills and competences, develop programs, joint events, international conferences etc.”
Professor KEstutis JaraSiUnas
Country: Lithuania
Field: Physics
BAFF Program: Research Scholar – 2011
“I learned that BAFF Alumni in home countries need a meaningful activity which will bind them into a team. Therefore, I propose to involve the BAFF Alumni into deeper awareness in society, society-related democratic processes, and into solving arising problems through more active participation in life.”
Kristina Belikova
Country: Lithuania
Field: Journalism/Communications/Diplomacy & Political Studies
BAFF Program: Professional Internship – 2016
“The Alumni Council, in my opinion, was decided to be created just at the right moment in time and will give the BAFF community a whole new boost of energy, will boost involvement and bring its activities to a new level.”
Agneska Avin
Country: Lithuania
Field: Cultural Studies, Social Anthropology
BAFF Program: Professional Internship – 2016
“I believe that being part of the BAFF Alumni Council as institutionalized and formalized participation in and for the BAFF program will help to serve the community and commit myself to the development of BAFF Alumni community.”
FORMER COUNTRY PRESIDENTS
From 2013-2019 BAFF alumni were represented by country presidents.
Find out more