
Dr. Anna Lenkewitz-Salminen (she/her)
I have a genuine passion to understand societies and people better, especially regarding patterns like “nation-building”, social structures and relations, (social) justice, equity, and equality. I wrote my doctoral thesis on concepts and ideas of justice in the late Tsarists Empire. Recently, I found my interest in questions of integration, immigration, and its practical implementation.

Fon V. Krairiksh (she/they)
Fon believes finding a place to belong is the most important thing when settling down in any new country – and moving is something she’s got plenty of experience in! She changed countries at least every four years from birth until the age of 28. Since 2012, she’s been in Finland, working in the field of integration.
Apart from the Ph.D., in her free time, she sings, climbs, and feeds her children, pets, and sourdough starter.

Irina Preis (she/her)
Ph.D. SciTech, gestalt-therapist, and supervisor

Hope Makara (she/her)
Hope has an education background in Health education and community development and is a licensed Sosionomi (social worker) in Finland. She became involved with integration work while studying at Diak UAS and has primarily worked in civil society in NGOs and nonprofit organizations.
In her spare time, she likes to walk with her dog Happy, do arts n’ crafts, and try new things!

Chloe Järvinen (she/they)
Chloe is a Bachelor’s of Social Services student at Diak UAS with a professional background as a civil servant. Living in Finland since 2015, she is passionate about creating community spaces that bring people together to share skills and perspectives. Currently writing her thesis on accessibility in integration services beyond language, examining topics such as LGBTIQA+ inclusivity, oppressive practices and trauma informed perspective.
In her spare time she likes to read, paint and spend time in nature with her family.

Sofia Achame-Räisänen
Sofia has an educational background in Human rights law and Peace and conflict studies research.
She has lived in Finland for 14 years and is passionate about the integration of immigrants in Finland and believes that mental health and well-being play a big part in making immigrants feel at home in Finland. She would like to improve mental health services available for non-Finnish speaking people.

Michelle Jiménez -Caviedes
I am a psychologist from Colombia with studies in conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, mental health, and human rights. My priority has always been focused on helping and guiding children, adolescents, and families.
Also, I believe that regardless of culture or language, all of us have the right to receive support and help when needed and that prevention and promotion can guide us to take care of our mental health.
I am excited to be a part of building a community without borders and supporting the growth of our community.

Cyrille Blondé
I graduated as an occupational psychologist in France a few years ago. Volunteering has been taking a significant space in my life, mostly by being involved in the scout community in France. For this reason, when I got to witness the formation of MIELI Without Borders recently after arriving in Finland, I wanted to get involved and contribute to the growth of this association. I enjoy meeting new people and learning from them. Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, ideas or even if you just want to go for a coffee somewhere!

I am an enthusiastic and dynamic individual who is deeply passionate about community engagement and the realisation of ideas. I have a professional background in social services, social research, and community education.
My journey in the nonprofit sector began at the age of 16 when I started volunteering at a reception center near my hometown of Budapest. Since then, I have developed a profound admiration for grassroots initiatives and self-organization.
To effectively address the mental health needs of both local residents and newcomers, I firmly believe in adopting a multidisciplinary approach that fosters innovation and practical solutions. It is precisely for this reason that I find Mieli Without Borders to be an ideal platform for cultivating effective practices, forging meaningful connections, and providing support to all.
Do you have any questions? Or just want to have a discussion?
Feel free to reach out to me via LinkedIn!