The new board member is Dr. Lesley Brown, who has been elected as a board member for a three-year term 2023-2026. Dr. Lesley Brown is the President and Vice-Chancellor of Yukon University. She holds an extensive experience from administrative and leadership positions in academic and research operations of Canadian universities, and as an accomplished scholar in the field of kinesiology.

Viljo Vuorimäki was elected as Student Representative on the Board for a fixed three-year term 2023-2026. Viljo Vuorimäki is currently a second-year student on his Bachelor’s degree, focusing on Political Science, at the University of Lapland.

UArctic congratulates the newly elected Board members and is pleased about the added competence and experience that they bring to our Board.

The full composition of the Board in 2023:

Frederik Paulsen (Chair), 2022-2025

Jouko Niinimäki (Vice-Chair), 2022-2025

Anne Husebekk (Vice-Chair), 2021-2024

Ross A. Virginia (Member), 2021-2024

Tore Furevik (Member), 2021-2024

Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson (Member), 2022-2025

Robert Sauvé (Member), 2022-2025

Pat K. Pitney (Member), 2021-2024

Johanna Ikäheimo (Member), 2021-2024

Aaja Chemnitz Larsen (Member), 2022-2025

Birgitta Bergvall-Kåreborn (Member), 2022-2025

Lesley Brown (Member), 2023-2026

Juho Kähkönen (Student Representative), 2021-2024

Montana Rose Murphy (Student Representative), 2022-2025

Viljo Vuorimäki (Student Representative), 2023-2026

Outi Snellman (Secretary)

The Assembly also acknowledged the contributions made by Gary Kachanoski from Memorial University of Newfoundland, who concluded his term as the Board Member (2014-23) and Chair of the Board's Finance Policy Advisory Group (2014-23), and thanked him for his dedication. In addition, the Assembly acknowledged and wished to thank Giuseppe Amatulli from Durham University for his contributions and time as a Student Representative on the Board of UArctic (2020-2023).