Kate Mayfield

Kati Mayfield is the founder of FloweRescue ry, a nonprofit association based in Helsinki which works to ensure that no flower goes to waste before bringing joy to someone.

Originally from the US, Kati moved to Helsinki to pursue a master’s degree at Aalto University. The plan was to finish the degree within, and stay in Finland for, 2 years … 9 years later she’s still here, though she did finish the degree!

As a student of business she never identified as a creative person until wise friends helped her see that entrepreneurship is a very creative endeavor. Not surprisingly, working with flowers is, too.

Through FloweRescue, trash flowers get a second life and facilitate hundreds of monthly workshops for senior citizens and other vulnerable folks. These flower workshops, and the voluntary sessions to rescue and prep the flowers, invite people to connect with themselves and others by tapping into their own creativity.

Kati will tell her story of encountering the sustainability challenges in the floral industry, starting FloweRescue, and building community and promoting well-being through creative flower activities.