Dr. Laura Hirvi

PhD Laura Hirvi currently serves as the Academic Partnerships Manager for European Policy & Programs at Meta, focusing on academic advocacy strategies, event organization, and monitoring European political landscape regarding metaverse, AI, and innovation. Previously, Laura was the Managing Director at VRBB - Virtual Reality Berlin-Brandenburg e.V., where successful fundraising and member recruitment were achieved, and doubled the organization's social media followers. As Director of The Finnish Institute in Germany, Laura initiated and managed international art and design projects and oversaw a team of ten, additionally leading budget and fundraising efforts. Laura has held board positions with the Finnish Cultural and Academic Institutes and has chaired the Ratkaisu 100 Jury. Academic experience includes postdoctoral research positions at both the University of Helsinki and University of Jyväskylä, with a focus on cultural anthropology. Laura holds a PhD in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Jyväskylä and has furthered leadership education in the arts and culture sector through programs at Aalto University and SITRA.