Date of birth

7 May 1958

Place of birth

Linkuva, Pakruojis District, Lithuania

Education

1993

Nostrified as Doctor of Philosophy

1991

Degree of Associate Professor

1988

Doctor of Humanities, Vilnius University

1977–1981

Diploma in Lithuanian Language and Literature, Vilnius University

1965–1976

Secondary School in Linkuva (currently Linkuvos gimnazija (upper secondary school))

Work experience

2015–2016

Deputy Mayor, Šiauliai City Municipality

1995–2016

Head, private company S. Tumėno Publishing House; Editor and Lexicographer of the almanac Šiaurės Lietuva

1992–2000

Dean, Faculty of Pedagogics; Chairman, Council of the Faculty; Member of the Senate, Šiauliai University

1989–1990

Deputy Editor in Chief, publication Krivūlė by Šiauliai Council, Lithuanian Reform Movement Sąjūdis

1981–2015

Lecturer, Associate Professor, Šiauliai Pedagogical Institute (currently Šiauliai University); Member, Council of the Faculty of Pedagogics, Council of the Humanitarian Faculty, Council of Šiauliai University (2011); candidate for Rector, Šiauliai University (2014)

Political career

No party affiliation

2016–2020

Member of the 12th Seimas

Member, Committee on Culture (2017–2020)

Member, Committee on Human Rights (2016–2017)

Deputy Chair, Commission of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania and the Lithuanian World Community (2017–2020)

Member, Commission for the Cause of Freedom and the National Historical Memory (2018–2020)

Member, Commission for the National Historical Memory (2017–2018)

Member, Commission of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania and the Lithuanian World Community (2016–2017)

2015–2016

Member, Šiauliai City Municipal Council; Deputy Mayor of Šiauliai City, nominated by the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union; candidate for Mayor of Šiauliai City

2012

Independent candidate in the elections to the Seimas (slogan For Northern Lithuania in Lithuania), 2nd election round in Pakruojis–Joniškis Single-Member Constituency

2011–2015

Member, Šiauliai City Municipal Council (no party affiliation)

Miscellaneous

Public engagement: President, society Žiemgala (2013–2016); Member, Lithuanian Scientific Society; Member, Lithuanian Language Association; Member, Editorial Board of Scientific Journals

Awards: Culture and Art Prize of Šiauliai City Municipality (2005); Commemorative Medal of the Department of Physical Education and Sports under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania for contribution to the training of young athletes; certificates of appreciation of the Ministry of Education and Science, Mayors of Šiauliai, and Rectors of Šiauliai University for pedagogical and research activities; Honorary Citizen of Omaha, Nebraska, USA

Traineeships: Lithuanian Research and Studies Center in Chicago, USA; Kent State University, USA; short-term seminars in Austria, UK, and France; studies on the US education system, USA

Contribution to signing the Agreement on Cooperation between Šiauliai University and Kent State University and transferring a part of Lithuanian collections covering the history of Lithuanian diaspora abroad from Kent State University to Šiauliai University Library; research into the development of the Lithuanian language of the Lithuanian diaspora in the USA and the history of the Lithuanian diaspora abroad (for over 20 years) and corresponding publications in scientific journals and newspapers and presentations at international scientific conferences;

Publications: over 280 articles in scientific journals and in the Lithuanian national and Northern Lithuanian regional press and the press of the Lithuanian diaspora in the US; manuals for teachers, students and pupils; articles on values, attitude to the Lithuanian language, dialects, language and education policies, personalities among the Lithuanian diaspora in the US published in the books Mano provincija (2008), Gyvenimo sankirtos (2018), the latter book includes the bibliography of works

Hobbies: publishing of books, sports, history of Lithuanian diaspora

Languages: English, Russian

Family

Wife Ana, sons Stasys and Juozas