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FFN Staff

Thomas Flanagan | Executive Director

As Finlandia Foundation National celebrates the 70th anniversary of its founding, the leading independent source of support for Finnish culture in the United States has hired its first paid executive.

Thomas (Tommy) Flanagan is the newly appointed executive director of the non-profit organization that has, since it was established in 1953, been run by a volunteer board of directors.

The executive director represents FFN in the community. It is his responsibility to lead the operation, overseeing its mission, administration, fundraising and strategic plan.

Tommy, a Montana-born Finnish American, is a graduate of Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, with a BA in Political Science and German and minor in Global Studies. He achieved a masters in German and European Studies at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service, and took courses in political science, German, Finnish and Swedish at Åbo Akademi University. Most recently, he was Language Programs Officer at Goethe-Institut. Tommy is a founding member of the FFN Young Leaders Board.

Contact: thomas.flanagan @ finlandiafoundation.org

Minea Lindqvist Herwitz | Communications Director

Minea Lindqvist Herwitz serves as the first Communications Director at Finlandia Foundation National, a role created as the organization expanded following the success of the Saving Finland in America campaign and the departure of long-time communications manager, Kath Usitalo.

Minea is a digital marketing expert, coach, and consultant with a professional background in media production, impact storytelling, and filmmaking. She combines her artistic sensibility and strategic insight to elevate brands, organizations, and individuals. Minea spent over ten years in community bank and nonprofit marketing, where she captured and highlighted stories of environmental and community impact that resonated deeply with local audiences.

As a former grant recipient of the Finlandia Foundation, she produced two short narrative films in Finland, reflecting her passion for the arts and her ongoing connection to Finnish culture. Fluent in English and Finnish, Minea holds dual BAs in Psychology and Literature: Creative Writing from UC Santa Cruz. She is committed to fostering meaningful connections through communication, creativity, and compassion. Born and currently residing in the San Francisco Bay Area, she considers both the U.S. and Finland home.

Contact: communications@finlandiafoundation.org

David Maki | Director, Finnish American Heritage Center | Editor, Finnish American Reporter

A Mass City, Michigan native now living in Dollar Bay (about 5 miles from Hancock), Dave is the managing editor of The Finnish American Reporter and the director of the Finnish American Heritage Center. A familiar face to many Finnish Americans, he has worked with FAR and FAHC for more than 25 years. He came to FAR after a one-year stint as a news reporter for The Daily Mining Gazette of Houghton, Michigan, a position for which he was hired shortly before graduating from Northern Michigan University with a degree in broadcasting and journalism. Dave has been married to Amy since June 17, 2000, and the couple can most often be found at a track, cross-country course or gymnasium supporting the athletic and academic endeavors of their two daughters, Taryn and Kendall. Dave’s roots are exclusively Finnish (at least as far as any family genealogist has traced) with ancestral family names including Lehtimaki and Niemi. 

Contact: david.maki@finlandiafoundation.org

Joanna Chopp | Archivist, Finnish American Historical Archive and Museum

Joanna Chopp is the archivist at Finlandia Foundation’s Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock, a position she has held since 2012. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in History and Secondary Education from Northern Michigan University, and was a high school history teacher for a decade before starting her Archival Studies coursework at UW-Milwaukee. Joanna is a third generation Finnish-American, born and raised in the Copper Country. Her Finnish and Sámi heritage have always been a central part of her life, and she enjoys helping visitors and researchers at the FAHC explore their own heritage.

Contact: joanna.chopp@finlandiafoundation.org

April Stevens | Manager, North Wind Books

April Stevens is the Manager of North Wind Books, where she has spent over 18 years thoughtfully serving the local community. A proud graduate of Finlandia University, she has strong ties to Finnish-American culture and actively supports the Finlandia Foundation’s mission by promoting the work of the Finnish American Heritage Center.

Supporting the local community through volunteering, April is passionate about carrying on the legacy of North Wind Books. She dedicates her time to celebrating cultural heritage and fostering community connections, striving to create a warm, welcoming space where books, gifts, and shared stories bring people together.

Contact: april.stevens@finlandiafoundation.org

(906) 487-7217

North Wind Books: shop.finlandiafoundation.org

Carrie Vander Veen | Director & Curator, Finlandia Art Gallery

Carrie Vander Veen brings more than two decades of art leadership experience and a passion for Finnish and Finnish‑American contemporary art to her role as Director and Curator of the Finlandia Art Gallery at the Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock, Michigan. Carrie earned her Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Michigan before shifting her creative focus to studio arts, completing her Master of Fine Arts in Painting at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Blending an analytical mindset with artistic vision, Carrie has transformed the gallery into a dynamic space for cultural exchange and community building. She has produced exhibitions that explore individual identity, cultural heritage, and visual storytelling, including thematic shows like the annual Folk School at Midsummer and the nationally recognized Friends of Finland Juried Exhibition. Though not of Finnish descent herself, her deep appreciation for Finnish and Finnish-American culture has earned her the title of “Honorary Finn.”

Carrie’s curatorial approach is deeply rooted in community engagement. She collaborates closely with artists, scholars, and educational initiatives—such as the Finnish Folk School—to create immersive exhibitions that broaden public understanding of Finnish culture and deepen our understanding of what is universal in all human cultures. Her belief in the transformative power of art has made the gallery both an academic resource and a welcoming community space.

Her own studio work has been recognized in regional shows such as the 2024 UP Focus exhibition at Northern Michigan’s DeVos Art Museum, the Besse Gallery at Bay College and the Ann Arbor Art Center, reflecting her depth as both creator and curator.

Contact: gallery@finlandiafoundation.org

Clare Zuraw | Director, Finnish American Folk School

Clare Zuraw is the director of Finlandia Foundation National’s Finnish American Folk School in Hancock, Michigan. She is a musician & fiber artist, and in addition to directing Folk School operations, Clare teaches jouhikko playing, knitting, weaving, spinning, and natural dyeing. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology & Sociology from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and a Master of Science in Teaching & Curriculum from the University of Rochester. She has also studied music formally since age five and over the last 10 years this has included studying the jouhikko in Finland. After a career in immigration services and language education, Clare brings extensive experience in community education and non-profit administration to her work leading FFN’s Folk School. In this role, Clare particularly enjoys witnessing and sharing the joy that folk arts can bring to people of all ages and backgrounds.

Contact: clare.zuraw@finlandiafoundation.org

Operations Manager Jessica Ann

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