About Us
Polish Legacy Foundation
The Polish Legacy Foundation was born out of a heartfelt conviction that Poland’s history, culture, science, and entrepreneurship are treasures to be preserved and cultivated.
Our goal is to safeguard and promote the rich achievements of the Polish nation—both within Poland and among the Polish diaspora worldwide. Each of our projects is a carefully planned response to specific social needs. We operate in four main areas: culture and tradition, education and mentoring, support for young talents, and the development of entrepreneurship and innovation.
We believe that our heritage is a source of inspiration, strength, and pride. Through our initiatives, we create a space where the past meets the future, and Poles—regardless of where they live—feel part of a unified, strong community. Each project represents a step toward building a lasting bridge between generations, promoting Polish achievements on the international stage, and leaving an enduring mark on the hearts of future generations.
Vision
Our vision is to establish the Polish Legacy Foundation as a global center of knowledge, collaboration, and inspiration for current and future generations of Poles, regardless of their place of residence. We believe that the heritage of the Polish diaspora is a living cultural, intellectual, and moral capital that must be nurtured, disseminated, and passed on. We envision a world in which Polonia is strong, integrated, and actively present in key areas of public life—from culture and science to business, diplomacy, and social leadership.
Mission
The mission of the Foundation is to build lasting bridges between Poles in Poland and abroad, strengthen social and cultural bonds, and inspire actions that leave a lasting imprint on history and the present. The Foundation works to document the successes of Poles and Polonia, promote Polish scientific and cultural achievements, support the development of young leaders, talents, and entrepreneurs, and create spaces for dialogue, collaboration, and inspiration. Its aim is to develop educational, cultural, and social initiatives, integrate the global Polish community, and recognize individuals and institutions contributing to community development, philanthropy, and a positive image of Poles worldwide. The Foundation’s mission is a commitment to creating enduring values for future generations and enhancing the global standing of Poles
Main Goals of the Foundation
Strengthening the position of Polonia and Poland worldwide
Many distinguished Poles and members of the Polish diaspora have achieved successes with a global impact, yet their stories are not widely known. The Encyclopedia of Success will ensure their contributions are documented and accessible to future generations.
Supporting Polish history, culture, and language
Promoting traditions and national heritage through education, cultural projects, and publications.
Publishing albums that document history, achievements, and the contribution of Poles to global development as a tool for promoting Poland and Polonia.
Developing younger generations
Passing on knowledge, experience, and inspiration to enable young people to achieve success in various fields.
Creating educational programs and environments that foster the development of talents.
Supporting and developing Polish and diaspora institutions
Financing existing Polish‑diaspora centers and supporting initiatives that create new institutions serving Polish communities around the world.
Strengthening cooperation between Polonia and Poland in the areas of education, business, and culture.
Promoting Polish business and entrepreneurship
Supporting Polish companies in their growth and expansion into international markets.
Building networks and platforms for cooperation between Polish entrepreneurs and business leaders from around the world.
Establishing relationships with philanthropists and global business leaders
Building partnership relations that will support the implementation of the project’s goals and create new opportunities for cooperation.
Board of the Foundation
Agata Klimczak
Agata Klimczak – Founder & President of the Brilliant Minded Women Foundation and the Polish Heritage Foundation. Author of the international documentary albums “Living Legacy – Brilliant Minds in Canada” (2019) and “Living Legends – Brilliant Minds in the World” (2024). Initiator of the Center for Polish Diaspora Leaders and the Encyclopedia of Global Success of Poles and the Polish Diaspora. A global leader, mentor, and visionary dedicated to uniting and inspiring Polonia worldwide.
Agata Klimczak is a remarkable leader, visionary, and social entrepreneur with over three decades of experience spanning business, education, diplomacy, and social development. Throughout her career, she has consistently built bridges between cultures, generations, and communities, creating global networks of collaboration and mutual support.
Born in Poland and long associated with Canada, Agata has established a strong foundation for her professional and social endeavours. She began her international journey in the tourism and hospitality sector, gradually gaining extensive experience in management, marketing, organizing prestigious events, and building leadership networks across more than 85 cities in 17 countries.
She is the founder of the Brilliant Minded Women Foundation, a prestigious Canadian organization dedicated to promoting the development of women through education, mentoring, and recognition of achievements. The Foundation organizes international galas, honours outstanding women, and creates platforms for future female leaders.
Agata’s next groundbreaking initiative is the Center for Polish Diaspora Leaders, a modern space for collaboration, dialogue, and education for Polish leaders worldwide. The Center aims to strengthen national identity, promote intergenerational exchange, and build lasting connections between Poland and the global Polish community.
As the author of the documentary albums “Living Legacy” and “Living Legends”, she has amplified the voices of over 190 outstanding women from more than 50 countries and 50 Global Ambassadors, documenting their extraordinary stories, achievements, and social impact.
Agata Klimczak is also an inspiring mentor and speaker, demonstrating that values-based leadership—grounded in empathy, solidarity, and responsibility—has the power to change the world.
She has been honoured with numerous prestigious awards: 🌟Top Leaders Award; 🌟Order of Saint Stanislaus; 🌟Canadian Chamber of Commerce Award; 🌟Women of Excellence Recognition.
Her mission is to create spaces where every voice matters and every action can affect real change.
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Scope of Responsibilities
• Represent the Foundation before institutions, organizations, media, and national and international partners.
• Lead the Board’s activities and coordinate the work of all its members.
• Make strategic and managerial decisions within the scope defined by the statute and Board resolutions.
• Convene and chair Board meetings and oversee the implementation of resolutions.
• Supervise personnel policies, including recruitment, development of employees and volunteers.
• Ensure the Foundation’s activities comply with applicable laws, its statutes, and internal regulations.
• Oversee the Foundation’s finances and assets, including approval of key expenditures and contracts.
• Build and strengthen the Foundation’s image nationally and internationally.
• Manage human resources in the capacity of Board Member for HR.
• Director of Fundraising and Partner Relations – responsible for securing financial resources and developing relationships with strategic partners, sponsors, and donors.
• Director of Human Resources – responsible for HR strategy, recruitment, training, motivation, and team development.
Krzysztof Pierzchała
Engineer, Inventor, Entrepreneur, and Philanthropist
Krzysztof Pierzchała is an experienced engineer with over 40 years of professional achievements in road infrastructure, engineering construction, and technological innovation. He graduated from the Cracow University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, specializing in Traffic Engineering (1973), and completed additional studies at the Cracow University of Economics and the AGH University of Science and Technology in enterprise management.
He began his career as a research and teaching staff member at the Institute of Roads, Railways, and Bridges, actively participating in urban planning and city bypass projects. In the 1980s, he gained international experience as a supervising engineer on infrastructure contracts in Iraq, collaborating with global companies such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the Krupp MAN ZEISS consortium. He then held key positions in foreign trade offices of EXBUD and CHEMOBUDOWA, representing Polish industry internationally.
From 1989 to 1993, as President of STEELBACO, he initiated the implementation of protective barrier systems in Poland, significantly improving road safety. Since 1993, he has managed SIGNALCO, his own company specializing in road engineering and electronic solutions. Under his leadership, the company introduced numerous innovative solutions, including corrugated steel culverts and advanced acoustic screen systems based on his patented invention (Patent No. 187621), recognized across many European countries.
Krzysztof Pierzchała played a pivotal role in numerous road and highway projects in Poland, collaborating with the AGH Department of Acoustics and Vibroacoustics. His proprietary programs and analyses contributed to the development of national road infrastructure. Since 2011, he has been an active member of the European Noise Barrier Federation (ENBF) in Brussels, co-creating European acoustic protection standards.
Alongside his professional career, he has been deeply involved in social and philanthropic activities. He has served as a member of the Economic Council to the Krakow Voivode, Vice President of the Polish-American Chamber of Commerce, and a long-standing member of the Social Council of the AGH Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics. He is also the founder of the Prof. Michałowski Foundation, supporting the Urology Clinic at the University Hospital in Krakow, and a donor and patron of numerous charitable initiatives, including the Anna Dymna “Mimo Wszystko” Foundation and the Anna Treter Songbook Foundation.
In recognition of his professional and social contributions, he has received numerous awards, including the Gold SZSP Badge, Honorary Badge of the Cracow University of Technology, and Honorary Badge of the AGH Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics. For his outstanding professional achievements and pioneering innovations, he was awarded the Silver Cross of Merit (1977) and the Gold Cross of Merit (2012) by the President of the Republic of Poland, Bronisław Komorowski.
Krzysztof Pierzchała is a visionary and action-oriented leader—dynamic, committed, and consistent in implementing innovative solutions that combine engineering expertise with care for people and the environment.
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Scope of Responsibilities
· Collaborate with the President in developing and implementing the Foundation’s growth strategy.
· Represent the Foundation on behalf of the President within delegated powers.
· Supervise the execution of key strategic projects.
· Coordinate the work of task forces and thematic committees.
· Provide regular reports to the Board on the results of assigned areas.
· Support developmental and programmatic initiatives aligned with the Foundation’s mission.
· Serve as Director of Programs and Projects, including:
o Planning, coordinating, and overseeing the execution of the Foundation’s programs and projects.
o Ensuring activities align with the Foundation’s mission and goals.
o Collaborating with project teams and external partners.
o Monitoring outcomes and reporting project results.
Ines Samaniego Mika
The Director of Communication, Marketing, and Social Media is responsible for strategically shaping the Foundation’s image, developing marketing and communication activities, increasing media visibility, and building strong relationships with media partners and the community.
Responsibilities:
- Defining and implementing the Foundation’s long-term communication and marketing strategy, including both traditional and digital media.
- Overseeing all communication channels, including social media, advertising campaigns, newsletters, and promotional materials.
- Building strategic relationships with media, influencers, partners, and sponsors to increase the Foundation’s reach and impact.
- Coordinating PR activities and promoting the Foundation’s educational, cultural, and social projects.
- Analyzing the effectiveness of campaigns and communication efforts and presenting findings, recommendations, and action plans to the Board.
- Supporting fundraising activities by creating communication strategies targeted at donors, sponsors, and the community.
- Identifying new communication and marketing opportunities nationally and internationally to strengthen the Foundation’s brand.
- Managing the communication and marketing team, developing staff competencies, and implementing best industry practices.
- Phone:+48 796 745 760
- Email:imika@polishlegacyfoundation.org
Beata Szafrańska
Dr. Eng. Beata Szafrańska – Geodesy, Data, and the Development of Modern Technologies. From Science to Innovation.
From the very beginning, her professional path has combined the worlds of science, public administration, and modern technologies. A Doctor of Engineering in Geodesy and Cartography, and an expert in geoinformation and spatial information systems, she has for over twenty years consistently developed solutions supporting technological innovation, public administration, and the spatial and satellite data market.
For thirteen years, she was affiliated with the Marshal’s Office of the Małopolska Voivodeship, where, as Head of the Agricultural Geodesy Team, she was responsible for the implementation of key IT and geodetic projects. It was there that she co-created modern spatial database systems and digital geodetic registers with a total value of several million złoty. She also participated in work on the Integrated Information System supporting regional governance, including the open data module.
At the same time, she pursued an academic career. At the University of Agriculture in Kraków, she worked as a research and teaching assistant professor, conducting classes and research in GIS, remote sensing, and spatial planning. She earned her doctoral degree at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków. She is the author and co-author of more than a dozen scientific publications, including articles in international journals, focusing on land-use change, soil erosion, and the application of satellite data in agriculture and environmental protection.
Between 2010 and 2023, she collaborated as a sector expert with key institutions responsible for development and innovation in Poland, such as the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy, the Ministry of Development, Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development, and the Foundation for Polish Science. She participated in research and development projects and cooperated with numerous scientific centers in Poland and abroad.
The next stage of her career was a transition to the private sector. From 2020 to 2025, she served as Director of Market Development, and in 2025 as Vice President of the Management Board, where she was responsible for development strategy, commercialization of services based on spatial data, and building cooperation with the public and business sectors. A particularly important area of her activity during this period was collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA).
Between 2023 and 2025, she actively participated in introducing Polish geoinformation solutions to international markets. She represented the company as an exhibitor at international technology trade fairs on four continents—in Australia, Dubai, Brazil, the United States, Mexico, Panama, and Argentina. Participation in these industry events enabled the establishment of relationships with business and institutional partners, the presentation of innovative spatial-data-based products, and the strengthening of the visibility of Polish technological brands on global markets.
In her managerial work, she combined expert knowledge with modern methods of project and business process management, using both agile methodologies and classical project management approaches. She is a certified Scrum Master and PRINCE2 Project Manager and also holds qualifications as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operator.
For her scientific and professional achievements, she has received numerous awards, including scholarships from the Rector and Dean of the AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków, the “Doctus” scholarship for outstanding doctoral candidates, and the Award of the Marshal of the Małopolska Voivodeship. She also holds the Gold Badge of the Association of Polish Surveyors.
She is actively involved in the professional community—as Vice President of the Kraków branch of the Association of Polish Surveyors and Vice Chair of the Commission for the Renewal of Young Professionals of the Association’s Main Board. As a speaker, she has participated in numerous scientific conferences in Poland and abroad.
Privately, she is a happy wife and the mother of two children. As she emphasizes, physical activity—especially skiing and running—teaches her discipline, consistency, and goal orientation, qualities that are equally essential in professional life. She enjoys traveling, treating trips not only as a form of rest but also as an opportunity to explore new markets, cultures, and business models. Her interests also include the real estate market—analyzing trends, investment processes, and sales dynamics, which she views as a natural complement to her expertise in geodesy and spatial economy.
Her professional story demonstrates that geodesy and spatial data are no longer merely technical specializations. Today, they have become key tools of modern management, regional development, and building the international competitiveness of Polish technologies.
Honorary Co-Founders
An Honorary Co-Founder of the Polish Legacy Foundation is an individual whose contribution to the establishment, development, and activities of the Foundation is exceptional, encompassing intellectual, organizational, financial, and moral dimensions. This title is honorary, prestigious, and ambassadorial, recognizing outstanding efforts in promoting the heritage, culture, and achievements of Polonia and Poles worldwide.
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Criteria for Appointment:
- Significant contribution to the creation of the Foundation, including the development of its mission, strategy, educational, cultural, or social initiatives.
- Active support of the Foundation’s activities, both within Poland and internationally.
- Promotion of the Foundation’s values in global environments, building networks with leaders, philanthropists, and institutions.
- Exceptional achievements that strengthen the Foundation’s position and support the advancement of Polonia and Poles globally.
Rights and Privileges:
- The possibility to serve in an advisory or formal capacity in the Foundation’s organs (Board of Directors, Supervisory Board) at the discretion of the Board.
- Participation in strategic projects, mentoring programs, and international events organized by the Foundation.
- The right to use the title and symbolism of the Foundation in promotional and representative activities.
- Eligibility to receive compensation or honoraria for services or projects performed in accordance with agreements approved by the Board.
- Prestigious recognition in the Foundation’s publications, promotional materials, and official albums.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- The Honorary Co-Founder is committed to acting in accordance with the values and mission of the Foundation, promoting its objectives, and maintaining its reputation.
- The title does not entail any personal financial or legal liability for the Foundation’s obligations.
- The Board of the Foundation may revoke the title in cases of gross violation of cooperation principles, actions detrimental to the Foundation, or loss of trust.
- The list of Honorary Co-Founders may be published in Foundation materials only with the consent of the honoured individual.
Strategic Role:
The Honorary Co-Founder serves an ambassadorial role, supporting the Foundation in:
- building international presence and prestige,
- promoting Polish cultural, educational, and business heritage,
- uniting Polish and Polonia communities worldwide,
- developing strategic partnerships with institutions, organizations, and global leaders,
- inspiring young leaders and talents within Polonia to act in the spirit of the Foundation’s values.
Agata Klimczak
Jerzy Maria Kaliski