Management team
The SDCN Management Team is volunteer-based and consists of a number of dedicated international professionals who are SDCN members themselves. Their main responsibility is to initiate social activities for the SDCN community and to contribute to the overall strategy and development of the network. The team members are recruited by Stockholm Academic Forum. Open positions are advertised on the SDCN website.
Frieda Schmidt
President
Affiliation: Stockholm University
Frieda is a doctoral researcher and has an academic background in art history and anthropology. She worked as a researcher both in Germany as well as abroad in Australia, focussing on indigenous cultural objects and their mobility. Applying a mixed method design at her PhD thesis on European museum collections of indigenous cultural objects she has experience in both qualitative as well as quantitative analysis and contributes to the research fields of digital humanities and post colonial studies. She worked as a curatorial assistant at the Art Gallery of Western Australia in Perth and Caspar-David-Friedrich-Museum in Greifswald, Germany. Simultaneously to her research, Frieda likes to share her knowledge and has conducted guided tours as well as workshops and guided city walks in both Germany, Australia and now Sweden.
Kristina Johansen Seznec
Team member
Affiliation: KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Kristina Johansen Seznec has a background in marketing and project management in digital innovation, creative technology and design. She previously worked at Creative Scotland where she specialised in the intersection of art and technology and led on projects to increase digital creativity in the sector. Kristina has previously held communications roles in large arts organisations across Scotland including National Galleries of Scotland and Dundee Contemporary Arts as well as working as a consultant in the video games sector. Kristina holds an MSc with Distinction from the University of Edinburgh, where her master’s thesis focused on the science and technology in contemporary art.
Chandhra Mohan
Team member
Affiliation: Karolinska Institutet
Chandhra Mohan works in the field of Business Operations. He has a good experience training employees and has an art interpersonal skill trainings after his MBA in Global Business Management, London. His participation in Construction Industry over the last 7 years in India have been exponential. BuIlding a strong platform with multiple Corporate Building Developers in South India was his best. Chandhra Mohan moved to Stockholm in 2021 and has been looking for a good opportunity here. He has worked in London, India and is now participating as an Intern in Business Operations for Northern Europe with BSH Home Appliances in Stockholm.
Zhanyi Xing
Team member
Affiliation: Stockholm School of Economics
Zhanyi Xing has an academic background in Arabic language and Middle Eastern Studies. He has work experience in the field of Social Media Management and Visual Designs. Since he finished his studies, he was continuously cultivating knowledge and gaining experience in managing global SoMe channels with a strong focus on visualisation, search engine optimisation, journalism and paid advertising at different organisations and companies. Zhanyi is also a choir and a cappella singer. He has performed as a tenor in six choirs/choruses as well as a number of a cappella groups for the past nine years. Zhanyi moved to Sweden with his partner in 2020 and has worked with school administration in Lund University. He relocated to Stockholm in 2022 and is now working as a creative designer in Stockholm’s startup community.
Brett Speer
Team member
Affiliation: Stockholm School of Economics
Brett Speer has a background in healthcare administration within the dentistry and the higher education industries in the United States. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science. For the past several years he managed several Anesthesiology fellowship programs at Vanderbilt University's Medical Center in Tennessee until he moved to Sweden in August of 2022. Brett is an avid ice hockey fan and player. His passion for sports led him to get involved with the Nashville Sled Preds organization, where he cultivated the handicapped children and adults ice hockey programs. Brett enjoys learning new things, and renovates historic buildings in his free time, hoping to preserve a piece of history for future generations.
Agnieszka Wiak
Team member
Affiliation: Northvolt
Agnieszka Wiak has a background in spa and wellness management with a main focus on customer service and business development which she's gained working in the USA. She relocated in Stockholm 2 years ago with her husband Chris and 3 children who are proudly called multicultural. Women empowerment as a mother and wife is important for her. She has gained valuable international experience, traveled and discovered the world while connecting to people and places in such cities as Chicago, San Francisco, Berlin and now Stockholm. With always a positive attitude and firm belief in the value of people Agnieszka will be happy to share her experiences and improve the growth mindset by staying sociable. Positive influence provides enormous gratification and boosts your mental health. Her interests are fashion, fitness, healthy living, and social events.
Once they find full-time employment, Management Team members leave their position to another SDCN volunteer member, although they remain involved as advisers and occasional guests of the network.
