As a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO), The Scotland Stoics is governed by the board of trustees. We are all passionate about advancing Stoic philosophy, cultivating and expanding our Scottish Stoic community.
In June 2023, Eryk organised a Stoic meeting in Edinburgh – attended then by just three people. Over time from that initial spark our Stoic community has grown significantly. With 500 online members and dozens of in-person attendees, it became clear that registering our dynamic group was necessary for the continued growth, especially as we began expanding to other cities – Glasgow and Dundee.
We were fortunate that some of our most active community members – Hannah, Mike and Jaimie – also expressed interest in devoting their time and skills and formed together the board of trustees. Thus we started a new chapter of The Scotland Stoics; since 2025, we have been operating as an officially registered charity.
The Scotland Stoics is a member of the Stoic Fellowship – an international non-profit organisation which unites Stoic communities all around the world.
Eryk Jan Grzeszkowiak – Founder & Chairman
Eryk’s first encounter with Stoicism came in his teens through – unsurprisingly – Meditations. Having studied Greek (albeit modern Greek!) at university, he’s especially fascinated by Stoic concepts that resist easy translation into English. He enjoys digging deeper than the purely practical aspects of Stoicism and is grateful to his fellow trustees for keeping him from digging too much!
Outside of The Scotland Stoics, Eryk analyses human DNA, performs forensic investigations and peruses old archives in search of ancestors. He may or may not have been spotted swing dancing.
Hannah McMahan – Vice-Chair
Hannah’s interest in Stoicism is rooted in her formal background in psychology with a special focus on suicide prevention. Deeply aware of the Stoic roots of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), she loves finding the overlaps between modern therapeutic interventions and ancient philosophy.
Outside of The Scotland Stoics… she still talks about Stoicism. Whether that’s after winning a Jiu-Jitsu competition or when strolling through a park and striking up a conversation with an unsuspecting passerby – she will invite you to our Stoic meetings. You guessed it right – she’s our one and only American board member.
Jaimie Buchanan – Secretary
There are few people Jaimie loves more than Marcus Aurelius. Ask her about it, and she will marvel at the emperor’s psychological insights. The word on the street is she is curating a special list of insightful Stoic quotes…
Outside of (well, also within!) The Scotland Stoics, Jaimie loves pursuing projects related to justice – unsurprising given she’s the only lawyer on our board! She loves various forms of artistic expression whether that’s singing, playing the piano or photography.
Mike Canella Viegas – Treasurer
Mike is a lifelong learner, rarely without a course underway or a growing stack of books nearby. Stoic principles have shaped his work ethic and guided him through some of life’s most pivotal chapters.
He brings a thoughtful presence to the Scotland Stoics, especially for those drawn to celebrating love and commitment through a Stoic lens. If you’re a Stoic in love and thinking about tying the knot the Stoic way, Mike’s the one to talk to.
Outside The Scotland Stoics, Mike is an active investor who continues to pursue formal education in finance, while endeavouring to apply Stoic principles in his financial pursuits. His interests include politics, history, and Star Trek – which he sees not just as science fiction, but as a philosophical vision of human potential.