Contacts
President
Danele Vidutis
Danele (Diana) has been active in Lithuanian affairs since moving to Washington DC 30 years ago. She was part of the founding council of the Lithuanian Mission in Georgetown, taught at Kristijonas Donelaitis Lithuanian School (where her daughter now works), was an unindicted co-conspirator of the “Embassy 18,” danced with the Lithuanian folkdance group, and edited Bridges for a year. With a Master’s degree in Slavics from Indiana University, she administered Soviet and East European international academic exchanges for 13 years for the National Academy of Sciences and the Council for International Exchange of Scholars. She then worked at the Lithuanian Embassy under the late Ambassador Stasys Lozoraitis, campaigning at his side when he ran for President of Lithuania with Valdas Adamkus as his campaign manager. A docent at the Hirshhorn Museum for 10 years, Danele now works at a law firm downtown. Her teenagers, Mantas and Nida, have enjoyed family camp at Neringa and summer camps at Dainava and are part of the mid-Atlantic Ateitininku group “Atgimimas.” They live in Takoma Park.
Contact Information
Email: dvidutis@dclac.org
Vice President and Cultural Affairs
Violeta Pivoruniene
Violeta Pivoruniene has worked as a teacher and as a specialist at the Ministry of Science and Education in Vilnius. She was a Fulbright scholar in the field of education. While in San Diego, she helped found a local chapter of the Lithuanian American Community. She has taught the Lithuanian language, and has given talks about Lithuanian culture and traditions at Lithuanian events in Portland, Oregon and San Diego. Violeta danced with the Lithuanian folk ensemble Jura in San Diego and participated in the XI th Lietuviu Sokiu Svente in Toronto. She has also danced with the group Tulehoidjad in Portland. Violeta has sung with the Lithuanian groups Jore of Washington and Ukana of Seattle and currently performs with the folk music ensemble Dzindze. Her interests include art, music, literature, and mythology. She and her husband David live in Virginia.
Education
Ilona Verbusaitiene
Ilona Verbusaitiene was born in the Kretinga region of Lithuania. She completed high school in Palanga and earned degrees in Lithuanian language and literature as well theater direction. She taught Lithuanian language, literature and drama in Šiauliai at the Julius Janonis High School and served as Deputy Head there for seven years. Ilona has taught at the K. Donelaitis Lithuanian School in Rockville since moving to the US in 2004. She lives in McLean, Virginia with her family.
Treasurer
Akvile Sweetman
Akvile Sweetman grew up in Vilnius, Lithuania. After she
graduated from
Vilnius University with BA in economics, Akvile moved to Maryland
where
she started her career at an investment company in Washington DC.
She
was admitted to Johns Hopkins Unversity where she gradutaed with MBA
in
May 2004. She continued her career in finance with a few companies
including Quick and Reilly, Bank of America and SunTrust Bank.
Currently
Akvile works at Fannie Mae. Akvile was elected to the Board of
Lithuanian American Community (2003-2005) and served as an editor
for
Sauklys. Akvile wrote a few articles to the main business newspaper
"Verslo Zinios" on economy analysis. She has always enjoyed writing
and
editing. In 2007 Akvile was elected to the Board again to serve as a
treasurer.
Contact Information
Email: akvile@usa.com
Business, Politics and Women's Issues
Ruta Aidyte
Ruta Aidyte returned to Washington, DC after a 20 year absence during which, among other things, she taught beekeeping as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco, earned a PhD in Economics at the Tinbergen Institute of the University of Amsterdam, learned to speak Dutch and became a Dutch citizen, and was a Fulbright Fellow in Lithuania focusing on female entrepreneurs. Ruta still holds an affiliation as an honorary research fellow with the School of Slavonic and East European Studies at University College London and is currently editing two books on Entrepreneurship development in the new EU member countries and in the former Soviet bloc countries. She has also recently received funding to write a book together with a colleague at Vilnius University on migration tendencies among students in Lithuania. She, her husband Andrius Klemas, and their newborn daughter, Asta Bangute, live in Falls Church, Virginia.
Baltic Outreach
David Pivorunas
David Pivorunas is a botanist who works as a national endangered species specialist in Washington, DC. He is an active member of the Lithuanian community. He helped found the San Diego chapter of the LAC in 1999. David has danced with Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian dance groups and has played Lithuanian style violin with the folk groups Dzindze, Jore, and Ukana of Seattle. He leads the Baltic String Band, which plays music from all three Baltic states. Interested in Lithuanian history, he has researched and written about emigration from Lithuania’s Tverecius region, contributing to a book published about that area.
Sports
Andrius Klemas
Andrius Klemas, a former Air Force Major, represented the U.S. Armed Forces five times at international military cross-country championships. In 1999, he welcomed a Lithuanian military delegation, which included Jegerio Batalionas and Gelezinio Vilko Brigada, as they made their historic debut at the XXXXVIIth World Military Cross Country Championships in Mayport Naval Station, Florida. Andrius has participated in several “Sporto Sventes” in Lithuania and in August of 1991won its initial “marathon,” running from Traku Pilis to Vilnius Katedros Aikste. In addition to distinguishing himself in competitive running, Andrius has advised Lithuanian runners on scholarship opportunities at American universities. Andrius and his wife, Ruta Aidyte, and their newborn daughter, Asta Bangute, live in Falls Church, Virginia.