Višnja Beg

President

Višnja has been a participant of Croatoan since its founding in 1978. She began teaching Croatian dance as a teenager and has spent many years on the Croatoan council. Croatian folklore is a passion and love that always draws her back and brings her an indescribable joy.

Dominika Vuletić

Vice-President

Dominika has proudly been involved in Croatoan as a performer for over a decade. Over the last several years she has taken on additional roles in the group as a tambura teacher for the junior and intermediate groups, and a council member.

Through her work on council as vice-president, and as a tambura teacher, she hopes to pass on her passion for Croatian folklore, music and performing to her younger generation of students.

Petra Marinković

Second Treasurer

Petra first joined Croatoan as a junior performer over 15 years ago. Since then, she has played many roles within the group as a performer, teacher and council member.

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She loves seeing the group grow and sharing her love of dance and music with the younger generations. Her most treasured memories with Croatoan are the performances and being able to share our talent and culture with the rest of the world.

Filip Buljan

Program Coordinator

Filip originally joined Croatoan 18 years ago as a junior member. After returning to Croatoan in university, Filip played first brac and now bass as a member of the Senior Tambura Orchestra. He is stepping into his first year on the council and is excited to help promote and grow Croatian culture within Ottawa.

Diane Šušak

Costume and Instruments Coordinator

Diane has been involved with Croatoan since her children enrolled in the '70's.  She has worked on maintenance, repair and construction of costumes for many years.  This work has always been a pleasure, combining two life-long interests: music and textiles.

She can also, on occasion, be seen in the kitchen at various events.

Gordana Basar, Val Šušak, and Marko Vuletić

Audit and Oversight Committee

Audit committee members are elected from Croatoan's official members to one year terms. They provide impartial oversight of council activities and finances.

David Šagolj

Vice-President

David has been enamored by music for as long as he can remember. He is a multi-instrumental musician who began playing tambura in 2005, and he now plays bugarija in Croatoan's senior group.

Peter Vuković

First Treasurer

Peter has been an active participant in Croatoan since his parents registered him in the beginner kolo group when the group was founded in 1978.  Since then he has been a dancer, musician, tambura teacher and council member at different times during the last 40 years.

He has served as Croatoan’s Liaison Officer and President and is currently Croatoan’s Treasurer.  A position he has held for the last 10 years.  He has also been Croatoan’s representative in the Canadian Croatian Folklore Federation – East.  He has been president of the federation since 2010.

Peter’s main focus over the last many years has been to encourage the younger generation to get more involved in the group as teachers and board members.  He is really happy to see the number of young adults that have assumed positions as teachers and board members in Croatoan and relieved to see that the future of the group is in good hands.

Magdalena Vuletić

Secretary

Magdalena has been a member of Croatoan for over a decade as both a tambura player and dancer. She has sung, played, and danced her way through the regions of Croatia all while never having to leave Ottawa, all thanks to the folklore ensemble Croatoan. Magdalena  has also spent several years teaching tambura and finds great joy in sharing her love for Croatian folklore with the younger generations of this group.

Nicholas Žuger

Liaison Officer

Nicholas has performed with Croatoan every year since he joined in 2005 when he was only 5 years old.

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He now co-teaches Adult Kolo, serves as the Official Photographer, and has been acclaimed Liaison Officer to serve for his second term.

He hopes to grow the community through new outreach initiatives and through larger audiences at our events.

Žana Gjula

Social Coordinator

Žana has been involved with Croatoan intermittently  since 1980 as a dancer, teacher, council member, and most recently an aspiring tamburašica. As a social coordinator nothing gives her greater pleasure than bringing people together to enjoy good company, good food and wonderful Croatian music.

Nothing makes her more proud then to see the love of Croatian folklore being passed on through the generations.  And she can still not resist the call of any tamburica to dance a fast kolo, even if now only for a couple of rounds.