Fulbright-Hays - Speakers in New York

Hanna Heiskanen holds a Master’s in English Philology from the University of Helsinki. She has been working in communications in the private and public sectors in Finland and the United Kingdom since 2014, most recently at the British Embassy in Helsinki. Some of the themes she has covered include tech and innovation, defence and foreign policy, culture, climate change and the Arctic, trade, and human rights. She has previously contributed to Scan Magazine, an English-language showcase for Brand Scandinavia. Outside work you are most likely to find her knitting jumpers, listening to BBC Radio 4, or petting her two cats. 

Vanessa Jones has thirty years of increasing responsibilities and accomplishments as a K-8 administrator, headteacher, team leader, elementary school teacher, and Montessori pre-K-1st grade teacher.  She has been recognized for expertise in Positive Discipline, empowering students in solution-focused restorative discipline, and  implementation of effective teaching pedagogy, including Dual Language immersion and Personal Education Plans.  She participated in the Fulbright Leaders for Global Schools Program to Finland. When she is not working she loves exploring the outdoors; she serves on her local Trails Advisory and Open Space Advisory Committees. 

Christopher G. King, Ed.D., is a dedicated and accomplished education leader with a strong passion for advancing instructional excellence and promoting equitable learning opportunities. He holds a Doctor of Education in Instructional Leadership and an Advanced Certificate in Administration and Supervision from Hunter College School of Education, and a master's in teaching and a bachelor's in biology from Fordham University. Throughout his career, Christopher has shown exceptional leadership as the Assistant Principal of Supervision-Science, Mathematics, and Middle School Language Arts at West Bronx Academy for the Future. Supervising 20 Mathematics and Science Teachers, as well as middle school students, he has been instrumental in driving instructional excellence and fostering data-informed decision-making processes. His collaborative approach to professional development has positively impacted teacher training and enhanced pedagogical practices within the school. Additionally, Christopher has been an influential figure at Hunter College School of Education, serving as an Adjunct Assistant Professor, where he facilitated a comprehensive curriculum in School Building and School District Leadership. Christopher lives on Long Island with his wife and two children.

For the past 13 years, Sarah has taught Special Education in New York City public middle and high schools. She uses her Spanish skills to collaborate with students and families and her training in restorative practices to build school culture that helps uplift student voices. Sarah was named a 2018 NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellow to South Africa and a 2022 IREX/Fulbright TGC grantee to Finland. Sarah holds degrees from Sarah Lawrence College and The City College of New York and National Board Certification in Young Adult ELA. When not at school, Sarah is probably reading (napping) on the couch with her dog or running along the Hudson River with her husband.

Elina Räsänen is an experienced business leader currently appointed as Commercial Counselor by the Foreign Ministry and based at the Consulate General of Finland in New York. With a diverse career spanning tech startups, scale-ups, stock-listed companies, and governmental roles, Elina specializes in growth strategy, new business development, market entry, and global marketing.

With over ten years of experience in leadership, strategy, digitalization, and new business creation, Elina has driven growth and developed go-to-market strategies across various industries, including SaaS, fintech, cybersecurity, AI, and gaming. She possesses extensive business networks in Europe, Latin America, and the US. Her expertise extends to advising startups on market entry, raising venture capital finance, private equity, M&A, and exit strategies.

Elina Räsänen holds a Master of Science degree in Economics and Business Administration, with a specialization in Global Innovation Management. During her studies, she focused on education export as a form of knowledge transfer, researching the potential of Finnish education export in Latin America.

As a Special Adviser, Anssi Vallius works as a key facilitator between Finnish and American artists, cultural institutions, and creative businesses, enabling mutually beneficial transatlantic connections. His work includes providing networking services from identifying and facilitating potential partnerships to organizing matchmaking and showcase events, coordinating VIP-level visits both to New York and to Finland, advising Finnish artists and start-ups on entering the US market, building press relations, as well as generally promoting Finland’s country brand in the US. Before joining the Consulate in 2018, Anssi worked in multiple positions in the private and public sectors, executing cultural and creative projects on three continents for over 10 years.