Our people

A small community of changemakers.

Our leadership

The board is responsible for the everyday leadership and management of the foundation and the council sets the wider strategy.

The board

Martin A. Noorkõiv

CEO, Chairman of the board​

Reelika Alunurm

Head of DD StratLab

Triin Mirjam Tark

Head of DD Academy & HR

Heiki Tamm

Property management

The expanded board

Joanna Kurvits

Head of HEDF project

The council

Dr Kristiina Tõnnisson

Chairman of the council
Director of Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies, University of Tartu

Age Toomla

Expert at the Estonian Youth Work Center

Laura Kalda

Statistics Estonia, PIAAC project manager of the adult education survey

Raimond Tamm

Vice Mayor of the city of Tartu

Martin Mölder

Researcher, Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies, University of Tartu

The founders

Prof. Dr. Axel/ Alexander Anton von Rücker

Professor at University of Bonn, Pediatrics, Clin. Pathology

Mr. Nils Hollberg

Representative of the Union for Developing Baltic Architectural Mementos

Mr. Prof. Jenik Radon

Adj. Professor, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University

Honorary members of the council

Prof. Dr.  Axel/ Alexander Anton von Rücker
Founder, Professor at University of Bonn, Pediatrics, Clin. Pathology

Mr. Nils Hollberg
Founder, representative of the Union for Developing Baltic Architectural Mementos

Mr. Prof. Jenik Radon
Founder, Adj. Professor, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University (New York)

Mr Andrus Ansip
Member of the first board; vice-president of the European Commission, responsible for Digital Single Market

Mr. Prof. Jaak Aaviksoo
Member of the first board; member of the Estonian Parliament Riigikogu

Mr. Prof. Wolfgang Haße
Member of the first board; Professor for childrens’ surgery, German-Baltic Physicians’ Association, honorary member of the University of Tartu

Mr. Urmas Klaas
Member of the first board; mayor of the city of Tartu

Mr. Kalev Kukk
Member of the first board; former counselor of the prime minister of the Republic of Estonia

Mrs. Prof. Marju Lauristin
Member of the first board; Professor of Political Communication at the University of Tartu; member of the European Parliament

Mr. Prof. Peeter Tulviste
Member of the first board; vice-president of the Estonian Academy of Sciences

Mr. Prof. Tõnu Lehtsaar
Professor of Practical Theology

Honorary members of the administration

Mrs Vilve Pukson
Member of the executive board

Mr Heiki Tamm
member of the executive board

 

Headquarters

The functional roles and teams supporting all other parts of the organization.

Communication

Martin A. Noorkõiv

Head of communication

Maria Laanjärv

Member

Human Resources

Triin Mirjam Tark

Head of HR

DD Academy is made possible by our highly motivated volunteers.

Executive team

Triin Mirjam Tark

Head of DD Academy

Alo Aasmäe

Member

Toomas Tuul

Member

Martin A. Noorkõiv

Member

Reelika Alunurm

Member

Kaisa Jõgeva

Member

Richard Annilo

Member

The consultants at DD StratLab work with organisations with a social mission and all the profits earned by these projects go into financing DD Academy. 

Our consultants

Reelika Alunurm

Head of DD StratLab

Martin A. Noorkõiv

Consultant

Joanna Kurvits

Consultant

Karl Lembit Laane

Consultant

Triin Rebbas

Consultant

Christo Alliksoo

Consultant

Paula Kägu

Consultant

Our extended team

Angela Ader

Consultant

Kaisa Jõgeva

Consultant

Meri Külm

Consultant

Toomas Tuul

Consultant

People building and strengthening our democratic institutions by conducting projects on various topics.

Democracy Development projects

Martin A. Noorkõiv

Head of the Center

Triin Mirjam Tark

Project manager of Democracy Conference

Christo Alliksoo

Coordinator of the Democracy Coalition

Teele Pehk

Deliberative democracy

Kristel Jakobson

Projects and grants

Hybrid European Democracy Festival project

Joanna Kurvits

Head of HEDF

Paula Kägu

Head of European hubs

Edit Tammepõld

Head of Communications

Volunteers

Organizing a festival that takes place all over Europe wouldn’t be possible without our committed volunteers. Check out the people that make it happen here.

Learn about our impact

What we’ve achieved with DD Academy and DD StratLab.