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

Heiki Tamm
Property management

Toomas Tuul
DD Academy
The expanded board

Meri Külm
Head of HR

Triin Mirjam Tark
Head of DD Academy

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

Meri Külm
Head of HR

Heli-Katri Marttila
Member

Anneli Rääbis
Member

Maarja Heinla
Member
Hybrid European Democracy Festival

Joanna Kurvits
Head of HEDF

Triin Jürimäe
Head of European hubs

Kristel Jakobson
Grants and projects

Edit Tammepõld
Communications teamleader

Maarja Kalma
Communications team

Anni Eerik
Communications team

DD Academy is made possible by our highly motivated volunteers.
Leadership

Triin Mirjam Tark
Head of DD Academy

Keit Puh
Head of development

Annika Kumar
Head of organizing

Toomas Tuul
Head of recruitment

Alo Aasmäe
Head of the Riga program
Development

Keit Puh
Head of development

Alo Aasmäe
Member

Karl-Andreas (Charu) Luik
Member

Liza Vabistsevits
Member

Martin Kisand
Member
Organizing

Annika Kumar
Head of organizing

Kärt Lehis
Head of program team development

Christo Alliksoo
Member
Recruitment

Toomas Tuul
Head of recruitment

Karmen Laur
Member

Obidi Ojochide
Member

Undīne Kuple
Member

Aritha Kumarasinghe
Member
Facilitators
In every country there is also a team of volunteer facilitators who run the program in their city. Currently there are teams in Tartu, Estonia and Riga, Latvia.

The consultants at DD StratLab are working part-time in DD and all the profits earned by the projects they do go into financing DD Academy. Most of our consultants are also volunteering in DD Academy.
Our consultants

Reelika Alunurm
Head of DD StratLab

Martin A. Noorkõiv
Consultant

Joanna Kurvits
Consultant

Triin Rebbas
Consultant

Karl Lembit Laane
Consultant
Our extended team

Angela Ader
Consultant

Toomas Tuul
Consultant

Hannes Leinola
Consultant

Kaisa Jõgeva
Consultant

Heidi Maiberg
Concultant

Meri Külm
Consultant