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 Stockholms Akademiska Forum. Open positions are advertised on the SDCN website.

Neela Latifian

Team member

Affiliation: KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Neela Latifian is a web developer and artist who combines her skills in art and engineering to create unique web experiences. She started her career as a photo-based artist, exhibiting her work in various international venues such as the Griffin Museum of Photography (US), the Davis Orton Gallery (US) and the hdk Valland. After moving to Sweden, she decided to pursue her passion for web development and enrolled in a Digital Media Creative program at Hyper Island. She has a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering and a master's degree in Photography. When she is not coding or designing, she likes to explore the city and find inspiration for her new art projects. She also enjoys crafting and meeting new people.

Sujit Kootala

Team member

Affiliation: Karolinska Institutet

Sujit has a background in Chemistry, Life Sciences and Management from India, The United States and Sweden. He holds a PhD in Chemistry and a Masters in Industrial Engineering and Innovation from Uppsala University with several years of scientific experience in an academic setting. He moved to Sweden from the United States in 2010 to do his PhD and has never look back ever since. Sujit is a food chemist, entrepreneur and wine connoisseur amongst others. He is also an avid botanist dabbling in sustainable organic urban faming based out of Uppsala. He loves cycling , hiking and reading books in his spare time. He is passionate about educating and mentoring. He is also a history buff and can be surely spotted in history museums around town!

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.

Veronika Vašková

Team member

Affiliation: Karolinska Institutet

With a background in psychology, Veronika Vašková is deeply passionate about understanding human emotions and the impact of technology. She is constantly seeking to broaden her skills, and currently, she is learning UX design and coding. While she has experience in teaching and administration, her current focus is on expanding her skill set. She is enrolled in online courses on UX design and SheCodes to learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, driven by her thirst for knowledge and dedication to improving her skills. In her free time, she enjoys spending time in nature, reading captivating books, and practicing mindfulness.

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.

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.