The Board

Peter Wesenberg knows Kristiania well from many years in key governance roles. He served as Chair of the Board from 2002 to 2022 and, until recently, chaired the Council Assembly. In these positions he has played a key role in shaping the strategic direction of Kristiania. Wesenberg has extensive experience from senior executive and non-executive positions in both commercial companies and the research institute sector. He holds a degree in Business Administration, as well as a MSc and a PhD in Organisational Psychology from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom.   

Wesenberg assumed the role of Chair of the Board on 1 August 2026. 

Sylvia Brustad is a former government minister and Member of Parliament, with 20 years of experience in national politics and leadership roles in both the public and private sectors. She has served as County Governor of Hedmark, Director of Aker ASA, Managing Director at Aker Kværner Holding, and Director of Spekter Health at the employers’ association Spekter. Today, Brustad runs her own consultancy company.  

She previously served on the Council Assembly and joined the Board as an external representative on 1 August 2026. 

Are Brean is a medical doctor with a PhD from the University of Oslo and specialization in neurology. He serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the Norwegian Medical Association and Associate Professor at the Norwegian Academy of Music, as well as Vice President of the European Association of Science Editors. He is a former senior consultant at the National Hospital  (Rikshospitalet), former President of the Norwegian Neurological Association, and the author of three books.  

He joined the Board as an external member in 2019. 

Svein Stølen is Professor of Chemistry and served as Rector of the University of Oslo from 2017 to 2025. He has extensive experience leading large and complex knowledge organisations, as well as broad experience in international research collaboration.  

Stølen has served as an external member of the Board since 1 August 2026. 

Tina Stiegler holds a Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration («siviløkonom») from the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH) and currently serves as Division Director at Innovation Norway. She has extensive experience from the business sector, including 18 years at Schibsted. She also has extensive board experience from organisations such as Posten Bring, TV 2, and Santander Consumer Bank.  

Stiegler was elected as an external representative to the Board in 2025. 

de Klerk has experience across the technology, education, and skills sectors, including as former Vice President of NITO and Director of the Oslo Science Center. She will contribute expertise at the intersection of technology, learning, innovation, and the world of work.

de Klerk took up her role as a permanent external deputy board member on 1 August 2026.

Kjell Ove Ernes is Associate Professor of Law and Management at the Department of Psychology, Pedagogy and Law within the Faculty of Society, Arts and Media at Kristiania University of Applied Sciences.  

Trained as both a lawyer and attorney, he was re-elected as the academic staff representative on the Board in 2025. 

Elin Ørjasæter is Associate Professor of HR and Working Life at the Department of Leadership and Innovation at Kristiania University of Applied Sciences. She also serves as Deputy Chair of the Norwegian Association of Researchers at Kristiania, has authored several textbooks on human resource management, and regularly contributes commentary on working life issues in the media.

She was elected to the Board as an academic staff representative in 2025. 

Anna Valentina Garcia is Head of Department of Academic Planning and Quality Assurance at Kristiania University of Applied Sciences.  

She was re-elected as the administrative staff representative on the Board in 2025. 

Anders Lindland is a student representative on the Board and the elected national student representative of the Kristiania Student Union. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Psychology from Kristiania University of Applied Sciences.  

Lindland joined the Board on 1 August 2026. 

Linnea Pedersen serves as Financial Officer in the Executive Committee of the Kristiania Student Union and is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Brand Management.

She is a student representative and joined the Board on 1 August 2026.