Featured Speakers
Sunday February 15 - Saturday February 21, 2026. All sessions are online via Zoom.
Welcome! Tervetuloa! Välkommen!
Dr. Kaarina Kailo
Dr. Kaarina Kailo has worked in Canada and Finland as associate or full professor of women's studies (Concordia University, Oulu University, Finnish Academy, senior scholar). She is currently a fellow at the European Archeomythological Institute, a co-founder of Creatrix studies at Mago Academy, USA and thesis supervisor at the Institute of Integral Studies, California. She focuses now on her books, of which five have been on the bear religion and mythology, comparative sauna studies, gift economy and Finnish mythology (particularly Finnish and Nordic goddesses and Terra Feminarum). She illustrates her books with quilt art. www.kaarinakailo.info.
Gabriel Turner
Gabriel Turner is the co-founder of Fjord, a floating sauna experience in Sausalito, California that has quickly become one of the most unique wellness offerings in the Bay Area. He spends most days hands-on at the marina, shaping the guest experience, refining operations, and pushing the boundaries of a hospitality brand. Before launching Fjord, Gabe built a career across venture capital and startups, giving him the experience to grow a small idea into a real business. He’s passionate about creating spaces that bring people together and make them feel good. Outside of work, he’s usually with his family or experimenting with new ideas that blend wellness, community, and great design.
Lisa Steinmann
Lisa Steinmann is a writer, educator and textile artist with a deep interest in the cultural traditions of sauna and fiber arts and where the two meet as elements of the bathing experience. During the pandemic, family members helped her realize a long-held dream and built a sauna in the backyard. It was dubbed Bad Sauna in honor of Swedish heritage and Finnish sauna culture. In May 2024, Lisa launched a blog titled Bad Sauna / Good Stories where she reviews sauna experiences and celebrates the good life. Her involvement with fiber craft began with her mother and grandmothers who passed on the skills of knitting and sewing and an appreciation for household linens. She expanded her textile practice with the study of natural dyes and surface design at the Textile Center, a national center for fiber art in Minneapolis where her embroidered artworks have been part of A Common Thread, an annual exhibit. Her expertise led to six years of service on the Textile Center's board, and she continues her relationship with the organization as one of the annual judges at the Minnesota State Fair's Llama-Alpaca Costume Contest. Storytelling through text and illustration has been Lisa's hallmark over 25 years of teaching, journalism and arts projects. She has written for a number of local publications including, notably, the Twin Cities Daily Planet where she interviewed leaders and artists from Minnesota's Dakota and Anishinaabe nations, poet laureates, and international figures. From 2011 to 2015, she worked for the Saint Paul Almanac, a grassroots publication that honors the stories of Minnesota's capital city. Currently, she works as an educator at Great River School in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Eero Kilpi
Eero Kilpi is a Finnish native and a leading advocate for Finnish culture and sauna tradition in North America. As a founding member and former President of the North American Sauna Society, he has spent over 20 years promoting the cultural and wellness benefits of sauna, with his insights featured in The New York Times and Forbes. He currently serves as President of the Finlandia Foundation New York Metropolitan Chapter, working to preserve and celebrate Finnish heritage in the U.S.
Kilpi is also the co-host of The Upper Bench podcast, where he explores the art, science, and significance of sauna with industry experts. Passionate about strengthening Finnish-American connections, he continues to champion innovation, cultural exchange, and new opportunities for Finnish businesses and traditions abroad.
Justin Juntunen
Meet Justin: Equal parts modern designer, sauna snob, and business owner. He has nearly 4 decades of practicing and building saunas. Justin is the founder and CEO of Cedar & Stone Nordic Sauna, a leader in the sauna industry. His team designs, builds, and creates beautiful thermic bathing experiences throughout North America. Over the next decade Justin is committed to hosting one million people to sauna so that we can build more resilient lives.
Dalva Lamminmäki
Dalva Lamminmäki (MA) is a folklorist and conducting doctoral research as a grant researcher at the University of Eastern Finland, on Finland's sauna culture and the (sauna) healing tradition as a living cultural heritage.
Robert Heinevetter
Robert is the founder and CEO of Aufguss Roots, driven by a deep passion for Aufguss and sauna culture. Since 2012, he has supported wellness businesses across Europe by advising operators, coaching sauna masters, and helping spa and hotel teams elevate their sauna experiences. With over 13 years of experience, he has developed a distinctive training methodology and innovative tools—including the proprietary Magic Towel—designed to enhance performance, comfort, and quality in the world of sauna. Through Aufguss Roots, Robert is committed to advancing professional education and excellence within global sauna culture.
Hannah Moran
Hannah Moran is a Commercial Lines Account Manager at TCA Insurance, specializing in sauna insurance through SaunaShield by TCA Insurance. What began in a small Northern Michigan town—helping a local mobile sauna find coverage—has grown into a specialized insurance solution supporting sauna businesses across 10 states. She is proud to be connected to and to support the growing sauna community.
Stig Arild Pettersen
Stig Arild Pettersen is the Secretary General of the Norwegian Sauna Association, a non-profit working to make sauna accessible to all Norwegians and host of the XIX International Sauna Congress 24th–26th September in Oslo, Norway.
Sam Wacha
Sam Wacha is an American advocate for authentic sauna culture and a passionate voice for the role of heat, ritual, and fellowship in modern life. Deeply influenced by traditional Nordic sauna practices, he focuses on preserving the cultural integrity of sauna while exploring how it can strengthen community, resilience, and personal well-being beyond trends or commercial shortcuts.
Wacha is the co-host of The Upper Bench podcast, where he explores traditional sauna practice, modern applications, and the cultural significance of heat, resilience, and fellowship alongside builders, historians, and industry voices. Passionate about preserving authentic sauna traditions while fostering innovation and connection, he continues to champion thoughtful design, cultural exchange, and community-building through sauna.
Jaana Hjelt
Jaana Hjelt is a co-owner of Lapuan Kankurit, a family-owned weaving mill with a long tradition of producing high-quality linen and wool textiles in Finland. Her work centers on safeguarding craftsmanship and transparent in-house production, timeless design, and the multifunctionality of textiles made from traditional Finnish natural materials. Deeply rooted in Finnish culture, sauna textiles represent for Jaana a meaningful intersection of wellbeing and tradition—where textiles support the rituals of sauna life.
Elena Soini
Elena Soini is a retired U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer and founder of Finn Woodworking & Design, LLC and Newport Sauna, LLC, where she unites her passion for woodworking, the outdoors, fitness, and community. A New Englander from Boston, she has spent most of her life along the coasts of Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, blending craftsmanship with a deep connection to the sea. Trained in business management, boatbuilding, and design through IYRS and RISD, she has worked as a marine carpenter, boatwright, captain, and designer-builder of custom wooden stand-up paddleboards. In 2025 she launched Newport Sauna, LLC, creating Aquidneck Island’s first homegrown Finnish sauna experience while continuing to design and build custom furniture and installations. An avid traveler and outdoor enthusiast, she is active in several professional and cultural organizations and enjoys riding, hiking, swimming, and time with family, friends, and her two pets.
Karen Rue
Karen Rue (Ruohoniemi) is the founder of Saunamekko, a sauna-focused apparel line rooted in tradition and inclusive design. Crafted from 100% merino wool, Saunamekko garments are breathable, moisture wicking, temperature-regulating, odor-resistant, and designed so everyone—regardless of body type—can feel comfortable in the sauna.
Dori Graff
Dori Graff leads operations, partnerships, and growth at Saunamekko, helping bring comfortable, thoughtfully designed merino-wool saunawear to more sauna communities. With a background in brand-building and strategic partnerships, she focuses on smooth operations and logistics, meaningful collaborations, and sustainable growth.
Wendy Liu
Co-founder, Council representative of British Sauna Society, Board Member of Sauna Aid Architect, Yoga Teacher, Wellbeing & Creative Director Wendy is an architect and multidisciplinary artist exploring the dialogue between spaces and human experience. She led the Arts and Culture programmes while serving as a trustee of the British Sauna Society from 2019-2025. She merges the intersection of architectural design and holistic wellbeing. Her practice creates environments that engage all senses—from tactile materials to acoustic harmony—fostering transformative experiences that nurture both body and mind. Drawing on her yoga practice and sauna expertise, Wendy's design philosophy connects architecture, sensory perception, and wellbeing. With her Finnish partner Mika, she leads SaunaWave, blending Finnish and Chinese traditions with contemporary design. Her work builds community and mindfulness through thoughtful orchestration of space. Originally from China and London-based, Wendy brings global perspective to creating sustainable environments that promote wellbeing and cultural exchange.
Glenn Auerbach
Glenn Auerbach has been a sauna evangelist for over 40 years. In 2008 he started the website SaunaTimes as a go-to-source for sauna building and sauna culture. In 2016, he created the podcast Sauna Talk, now with over 120 episodes. Glenn wrote the book: “Sauna Build, From Start to Finish” which has helped several thousands build their own sauna.
He is a Founding Board Member of the Sauna Research Institute and Board Treasurer for Sauna-Aid. “My best days always seem to be sauna days. And thankfully, a lot of my days are sauna days!”
In partnership with
