Aino Kulonen, Municipality of Lahti

Dr Aino Kulonen works as a climate and biodiversity expert at the City of Lahti, Finland. In her work she coordinates the climate neutrality plan of city, aiming for climate neutrality as soon as 2025 while considering crosscutting issues and co-benefits related to economics, well-being health and biodiversity.

Aitziber Egusquiza, Senior Researcher, Tecnalia

Senior Researcher at TECNALIA, architect, and urbanist. Responsible for the coordination of international research projects and networks, and scientific coordination of multidisciplinary teams. Coordinator of RescueME (Horizon Europe) and SHELTER (H2020) projects. Scientific research is focused on the development of community-based and data-driven approaches, methodologies, and tools for the enhancement of just resilience and sustainability for the development and regeneration of complex and vulnerable socio-ecological systems with high cultural and natural heritage values, including the implementation models (business, governance, and financing models) of the strategies (with a special focus on participatory, digital, and nature-based strategies). Head of the project that established the sustainability standard for the Galapagos Islands.

Alain Denis, Managing Director, Yellow Window

Alain Denis is partner and Managing Director at Yellow Window, a research and design consultancy based in Belgium. He is mainly involved in service and policy design and specialized in user and stakeholder involvement through participatory techniques. The focus of his recent involvement in research projects is on translating research results into operational solutions. This includes solutions to reduce inequalities that increased due to the Covid-19 policies (RESISTIRE), or developing evidence-based solutions to ensure Green Deal policies do not increase inequalities (ACCTING). He has been co-author of a toolkit on service design and a book on policy design.

Alina Semenenko, Head of Project and Investment Management Department, Executive Committee of Korosten City Council

Alina Semenenko proved herself to be a responsible and purposeful person during her work in local government. At the beginning of 2023, the Korosten City Council decided to establish a project and investment management department within the economic management structure to establish international cooperation and project activities. The department was headed by Alina Semenenko in May 2023. The main goal of the department is to establish cooperation with international cities, foundations and organizations, and to develop presentation materials about the community. The department is also engaged in attracting investments by participating in international grant competitions. During this time, the department has established cooperation with the city of Wabash (Indiana, USA), now we are realising a project for central hospital with GIZ, and we are working for realisation thermal modernisation for kindergarten with EIB, UNDP and GIZ.

Alison Gilliland, EU Climate Pact Ambassador, European Climate Pact

Dr. Alison Gilliland has a background in education and training, trade unionism, equality and politics. Up until recently she served as a Dublin City Councillor for 10 years including a term as Dublin's Lord Mayor and as a member of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) where she formed part of the CoR delegation to COP27 and COP27. Alison formed part of the presentation panel for Dublin's entry to the European Innovation Council's Innovation Capital Awards in 2021 where Dublin awarded joint second place. She is passionate about the role local and regional governments play in implementing climate adaptation and mitigation actions with their local communities and the importance of collaboration and co-creation.

Albin Hunia, Urban Nature Policy Advisor, UTRECHT Municipality

Albin Hunia is City Ecologist and Policy Advisor Urban Nature to the Municipality of Utrecht, The Netherlands. With a background in ecology (MSc), he started out in rural development, re-naturalisation- and Natura2000 planning projects. In the last 15 years the emphasis was on European cooperation projects, as an expert, as well as (Interreg) national contact point and committee member. Now Albin supports the ambitious greening goals of the City of Utrecht in the municipal team of ecologists, and within the EU city networks and transnational cooperation projects.

Alexandra Jaunet, Climate Resilience Consultant, Actierra

Graduated from Sciences Po in resilient urban management, Alexandra joined Actierra as a Climate resilience consultant. She has four years of experience, first at the French Development Agency (urban planning), then within a startup studio specializing in European research projects (circular economy, industrial symbiosis, wastewater reuse, nature-based solutions, etc.).
Alexandra has been working as a project manager for climate change adaptation in coastal area in France, as well as for the creation of an ""urban cooling"" kit for ADEME. She is leading tasks related to public authorities skill building in the European project Climate Fit.

Alfonso Alcolea MartÍnez, Policy officer - Urban environment, European Commission - Directorate-General for the Environment

Alfonso Alcolea is currently responsible for the European Green Capital and the Green City Accord in the European Commission, within the Unit of Air Quality and Urban Environment of the Directorate-General for the Environment. In the last 20 years he has worked in the water Unit of DG Environment, in the Commission for Environment and Energy of the European Committee of the Regions, in the Valencian Regional Office in Brussels as head of Water and Agriculture, and in the European Parliament. He has a Degree in Law at the University of Murcia and a Master degree of European Policy Studies in the College of Europe in Bruges.

Alis-Daniela Torres, Head of Green and Digital Transformation, ICLEI Europe

Daniela, an Environmental Engineer with over 15 years of experience, is a driving force behind greener cities. Her expertise in energy, ICT, and urban sustainability, coupled with master's degrees in Sustainable Energy and City Sciences, allows her to bridge the gap between cutting-edge solutions and real-world impact.

Currently, at ICLEI Europe, Daniela leads Green and Digital Transformation. Here, she harnesses data, digital solutions and science to guide cities towards a sustainable future, crafting impactful climate action plans. A leader in smart city projects, she also drives ICLEI's monitoring, reporting, and evaluation efforts, ensuring accountability and progress.

Daniela's a force for good, collaborating with Google, the EU Covenant of Mayors, and more. Her expertise spans the globe, from leading Telefonica's global climate change program to advising organizations in Latin America. Daniela isn't just building sustainable cities, she's pioneering them.

Alla Lutska, Director of Department energy, energy saving and innovative technologies, City Council of Mykolaiv

Alla Lutska, who headed the department of energy, energuy saving and innovative technologies during the war as a crisis manager with over 20 years of management experience. I have been studying all my life, I have three higher education degrees, specializing in geo-ecology, law, and public administration. I live and work in Mykolaiv.

Ana Merenciano Gonzalez, Spanish Red Cross

Andreea Vornicu, Researcher, Center for the Study of Democracy

Andreea is a researcher affiliated to the Center for the Study of Democracy with an interest in exploring the manifestations of energy poverty in Romania and CEE countries. Recently, she has been involved in projects related to carbon pricing mechanisms across EU and the implementation of the Social Climate Fund. Andreea is also an active member of the Romanian Observatory of Energy Poverty, where she actively contributes with her expertise bot in mapping the vulnerable households and in identifying sustainable solutions aligned with climate goals.

Andrii Ocheretnyi, Depytu mayor, Vinnytsia City Council

Ukrainian, born on December 1, 1977. Kulyga village, Lytinsky district, Vinnytsia region. Graduated from Vinnytsia State Technical University in 1999. Civil engineer.
Locksmith, master, engineer of private companies. Deputy General Director of the Podillia concern.
Now working as a deputy mayor. Deputy of the city council of two convocations.
Honored builder of Ukraine. He was awarded orders and medals for the development of Ukraine, as well as for the defense of the state.
Raising two children.

Arnoud Molenaar, Chief Resilience Officer, City of Rotterdam

After graduating in Physical Geography, Arnoud started his career with ambitious trainee posts and jobs abroad. As deputy head of the Rotterdam Water Management Department, he was responsible for the Waterplan2Rotterdam. In 2008, he was appointed manager of the Rotterdam Climate Proof program. Rotterdam’s first climate adaptation program. Arnoud is editor of the book “Resilient Cities and Climate Adaptation Strategies” (2014). As Rotterdam’s first Chief Resilience Officer, appointed in 2014, he was responsible for Rotterdam’s first Resilience Strategy (2016) and part time joined the Global Center on Adaptation as strategic advisor cities (2018). In 2019 he hosted the Global Urban Resilience Summit in Rotterdam and joined the Global Steering Committee at the Resilient Cities Network. In 2022 he coordinated the development of the ‘Resilient Rotterdam Strategy 2022-2027’.

Benedetta Buccolini, Expert Justice Equity and Democracy, ICLEI Europe

Benedetta Buccolini is a Justice, Equity and Democracy Expert at ICLEI Europe. Her work focuses on an intersectional approach to inclusion, empowerment and engagement in sustainable development processes and actions. She is working on projects related to justice in energy transition, housing inequalities,cutlural heritage and urban greening plans.  She is leading ICLEI Europe work on the Adaptation AGORA project, exploring citizens´role, barriers and opportunities in climate adaptation actions.

Bernarda Matijevic, Associate for General Administration, EU Projects, and Development, Municipality of Draz

Bernarda Matijević, from the Municipality of Draž, Croatia, is involved as a partner in the EcoDaLLI project. The project aims to restore, protect, and preserve freshwater environments in line with the EU's Green Deal goals for 2030 and 2050. In addition to addressing the impacts of climate change on water systems, EcoDaLLI promotes sustainable management of water resources in the Danube Basin. The project involves collaboration with European partners from various sectors to integrate innovations in water protection. EcoDaLLI also supports the Danube Lighthouse Mission, fostering better freshwater resource management through knowledge exchange and innovative practices.

Bettina Tratz-Ryan, Research VP Smart City; Sustainability, Gartner Inc

Bettina Tratz-Ryan serves as Vice President of Research, overseeing industry sustainability and intelligent urban ecosystem research. In her role, she explores how sustainability can bolster organizational resilience, drive industry transformation, and yield operational advantages. Her research in smart cities delves into the strategic impact on citizens and the business value derived from data analytics, the Internet of Things, open data marketplaces, applications, and the complex infrastructures within cities, as well as the growth of digital societies and their industrial frameworks.
In recognition of her influence, StateTech Magazine listed Bettina Tratz-Ryan among the top 30 must-read state and local government IT influencers in 2019. Handelsblatt Germany also recognized her as one of the Top 50 Women in Tech Influencers in 2021. In 2022, she earned two Gartner Thought Leadership awards.

Bogdan Galkin, Corporate Development Manager, BDO in Ukraine

Project manager from Ukraine with solid background in banking, corporate finance and management consulting domains [>10 y.]. Practical experience in:
1) Digital transformation and overall business development [incl. pre-sale stage]
2) IT-related projects execution [from product ideation to GO-live stage]
3) Crisis management and business continuity actions under extreme terms [COVID
lockdown, russian-Ukrainian war]
4) IFI's and International Donors cooperation on funding programs to Ukraine and Ukrainian corporate business.

Charlotte Rosenkilde SØrensen, Technical Project Manager, Kilmatorium

Charlotte Rosenkilde Sørensen, Technical Project Manager, Klimatorium.
Charlotte Rosenkilde Sørensen, Technical Project Manager at Klimatorium, representing the EU NBRACER project. NBRACER focuses on demonstrating and replicating sustainable Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) in the European Atlantic biogeographical area, integrating these solutions into regional adaptation pathways.
Klimatorium's mission includes developing solutions for climate challenges, green energy, and water management. Klimatorium hosts a diversified Living Lab of 510 square kilometers, focusing on climate adaptation and water management. Klimatorium collaborates with public and private sectors, knowledge institutions, and civil society, aligned with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
At the conference, Mrs. Rosenkilde Sørensen will contribute  with perspectives from Klimatorium, Central Region Denmark and NBRACER framework.

Chema Segovia, Researcher, Culturalink

CULTURALINK is a consultancy specializing in research, analysis, advice and strategic planning in the cultural and creative sectors with offices in the Canary Islands and the Valencian Community (Spain). Chema Segovia, a project director at CULTURALINK, is an expert in urban and territorial development related to cultural and creative policies. He is also the lead researcher for CULTURALINK in the H2020 project PALIMPSEST.

Conrad Landis, Senior Researcher, Adjunct Professor, Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB)

Conrad Felix Michel Landis is a Post-Doc Researcher at the Research Laboratory on Socio-Economic and Environmental Sustainability (RESEES), Athens University of Economics and Business, and a Senior Researcher at ATHENA RC, Sustainable Development Unit. He is an Adjunct Professor at the MSc Banking and Finance, Athens University of Economics and Business, and the Indian Institute of Management of Rohtak. He holds a PhD in Financial Econometrics (Asset Pricing) from the Athens University of Economics and Business, a M.Sc. in International Economics and Finance, and a BSc in Economics from the Department of International & European Economic Studies, Athens University of Economics and Business. His research interests lie in econometrics, sustainable finance, environmental economics, empirical finance, and numerical optimization.

Cristina Garzillo Leemhuis, Head of Built Environment, Culture and Heritage, ICLEI Europe

Cristina Garzillo Leemhuis is Head of Built Environment, Culture and Heritage at ICLEI. Having more than 20 years of experience working in and for local governments, Cristina is recognised for her work as expert in local sustainability processes, culture and cultural heritage, integrated management and governance as well as author of numerous publications in the field of local sustainability, knowledge brokerage and transition. Cristina has been appraiser and expert for the URBACT Programme, the Urban Innovative Actions Initiative, the EU Committee of the Regions and United Nations. She is currently member of the European Commission's Expert Group on Culture and Cultural Heritage; expert for UNOPS; member of the Partnership on Culture & Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Tourism of the Urban Agenda for the EU and the New European Bauhaus community. Cristina can also draw on a wealth of academic experience gained from her previous role as contract professor at the University of Parma.

Denise McCullagh, University College Cork

Duncan Booker, Chief Resilience Officer, Glasgow City Council

Dr Duncan Booker is Chief Resilience Officer for Glasgow City Council, with responsibility for a policy agenda that includes the green economy, innovation and international links.  He was previously part of the city’s COP26 team, with a key remit to engage the city’s existing sustainability ambitions with the event and deliver a legacy from it.   Duncan drafted the city’s cross-party recommendations on the climate emergency in 2019, which resulted in Glasgow committing to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.  More recently, he has worked with partners to support delivery of an Innovation Action Plan for Glasgow City Region.   He is a graduate of the Universities of Oxford and Glasgow. 

Eckart Würzner, Mayor, City of Heidelberg

Edoardo Zanchini, Director, Climate Office, City of Rome

Edoardo Zanchini is the director of the city of Rome's climate office. He has been national Vice President of the Italian environmental NGO Legambiente from 2011 to 2022. Architect, holds a master degree in Architecture, a PhD in urban planning at “La Sapienza” University of Rome, and he taught urban planning and urban ecology in Rome, Ferrara and Pescara University. He has been a member of the board of the environmental networks Transport and Environment, RGI (Renewables grid initiative), Worldwide Carbon Price, and of FREE (Association of Italian companies and organizations of renewables and energy efficiency, Rome), Cresme (Research center on economy of the building sector, Rome), and is member of several scientific committees.

Elena Lacort, Head of Climate change and air quality Office, Barcelona Metropolitan Area

Elena Lacort has a degree in Environmental Sciences from the University of Barcelona and has a Master's degree in Environmental Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. She works in Barcelona Metropolitan Area (BMA) since 2008. She has always worked in environmental issues and specially those related to climate change and climate emergency. She is responsible of the Climate change and air quality Office in BMA, coordinating studies and projects on climate mitigation, adaptation and vulnerability.

Elena Tzamouranou, Co-founder of Dock - Social Solidarity Economy Zone, representing Messinia Region

Elena Tzamouranou specializes in Local Community Development, focusing on empowering communities in transforming their vulnerabilities into resilience. Her work emphasizes community-managed actions, incorporating participatory planning, action research, discourse ethics, and cross-sector collaborations. She is passionate about social justice, believing that even the smallest communities can become actors of change in a dynamic world.

Elena holds a Dipl. Ing. in Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics and an MA in Responsible Management. She co-founded Dock in 2017, a non-profit organization supporting Social Solidarity Economy entities in Greece. Additionally, she is a member of the DAISSy Research Group at Hellenic Open University.

Eleni "Lenio" Myrivili, EU Mission for Adaptation, Board Member, Global Chief Heat Officer, UN-Habitat and Atlantic Council

Dr. Eleni ""Lenio"" Myrivili is Global Chief Heat Officer for the Atlantic Council’s Arsht-Rock Resilience Center and the UN-Habitat. She is dedicated to fostering heat resilience in cities worldwide and was recognized among Nature’s 10 people who helped shape science in 2023 as well as Earth.Org Women Leading the Fight Against Climate Change.

She is a member of the EU Mission Board for Adaptation at the European Commission, a Heat Resilience Advisor to the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM), serves on the Advisory Board for the WEF Global Risks Report, and a member of WEF’s Global Future Council for the Future Economics of Equitable Transition. She recently became an IUR Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, where she was honored with the 2023 Lawrence C. Nussdorf Urban Leadership Prize.

In 2014 Myrivili was elected to city government and appointed as Athens’ Deputy Mayor for Urban Nature, Urban Resilience, and Climate Adaptation. During her tenure and then subsequently from a senior advisor position, she served as Athens’ Chief Resilience Officer and Chief Heat Officer, contributing to the city's leading role in international urban climate adaptation efforts. Following her term in city government, she also became a resident Loeb Fellow 2020 at Harvard University, was contracted as a heat expert by the World Bank and co-chaired the Steering Committee of the Resilient Cities Network.

Dr. Myrivili's climate resilience expertise has earned her international recognition, including a TED talk Global and an invitation to speak to the House of Commons in British Parliament, while she features in prominent media outlets like CNN and NHK World, the New York Times, Monocle, and Politico.eu where she was part of Politico's 28 list for 2022 of most influential Europeans. Formerly, she was a tenured University Professor and holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Columbia University.

Elina Bardram, Director for Adaptation & Resilience, Communication, and Civil Society Relations and Mission Manager for the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, Directorate-General for Climate Action (DG CLIMA), European Commission

Ms. Elina Bardram is the Director for “Adaptation & Resilience, Communication, and Civil Society Relations” at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Climate Action and the Mission Manager for the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change. She joined DG CLIMA in 2010 and has held different senior and middle management functions in the area of international relations, including as Head of the EU Delegation to the UNFCCC negotiations between 2014-2018. Between 2003-2010, Ms. Bardram worked in the Strategy Directorate of the External Relations Directorate-General. She holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the Vienna University of Economics and Business. Her academic work has focused on the impacts of globalisation.

Elina Rantanen, Deputy Mayor, City of Turku

Elina Rantanen is the Deputy Mayor of Urban Environment in the city of Turku. She has been in Turku city council since 2005 acting in different positions. She is a social scientist and holds a PhD in Medical Genetics from the University of Turku. Elina has worked before as a development director in an NGO for rare diseases and in research projects. She is a green politician whose background is in the environmental movement.

Elina Seppänen, Energy and Climate specialist, City of Tampere

Elina Seppänen is an accomplished Energy and Climate Specialist with a background in power plants and combustion engineering. With over 13 years of experience working for the City of Tampere, she has specialized in climate mitigation focusing on carbon-neutrality strategies, emissions projections, and the impact of climate plans and actions.

Elina has supported the green transition in urban planning, sustainable mobility and construction with her expert knowledge. Her work has played a pivotal role in the City of Tampere becoming one of the CDP A-list climate leaders and receiving the European Commission Mission label for Climate-neutral and Smart Cities.

Passionate about creating cities that are better for both people and the planet, Elina is committed to advancing sustainable energy systems in Finland and beyond. Her current focus is on facilitating the sustainable transition in transport, a critical sector for achieving cities’ climate goals.

Eliza Nika, Researcher, Imperial College London

Dr. Eliza Nika is a distinguished Environmental Engineer and Research Fellow at Imperial College London, specializing in the measurement and assessment of Circular Economy and Sustainability. She earned her PhD from Brunel University London, her M.Sc.Eng. in Environmental & Water Resources Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark, and her B.Eng. from the Technical University of Crete. Her primary research focuses on Circular Economy frameworks, notably in water, energy, and bio-based value chains, and the Water-Energy-Food Ecosystems nexus. Her expertise extends to developing SMART indicators, integrated frameworks, and predictive resource flow models, making her a pivotal figure in strategic sustainability assessments and strategy development.

Emanuel Toft, Project Research Officer, City of Malmo

Emanuel is an urban planner situated at the environment department in the city of Malmö, Sweden. He works with the subject of climate adaptation, making sure that no issues get left unattended in between the responsibilities of different departments. He’s allso worked on national lobbying for a higher degree of understanding of the local level in national policy. Emanuel with collegues develop Malmö’s local targets for adaptation where a special emphasis has been put on heat and rising sea levels the last couple years.

Emilia Botezan, Head of International Affairs and Foreign Investment Department, Cluj-Napoca City Hall

Emilia Botezan is the head of the Foreign Affairs and Investments Department in the City Hall of Cluj-Napoca. She has been in the institution for more than 20 years. In this period of time she came into contact with many international delegations and investors interested in Cluj-Napoca and with her department developed different tools for promoting the city as an interesting destination for investments.
Emilia Botezan is the person who offered the investors the first glimpse of the city’s potential. However, she says, it’s not the numbers and the charts that convinced investors to come to Cluj, but the feeling of trust and the quality of people that make Cluj a destination for business and for innovation and research.

Emilio Servera-Martinez, ValÈncia Clima i Energia, Valencia City Council

Emilio Servera-Martinez is a European Projects Officer at València Clima I Energia, the Climate and Energy Agency of Valencia City Council. With an academic background in Agricultural Engineering and a Master of Science Degree in Natural Resource Management, his career has been focused on climate change adaptation, nature-based solutions, and urban resilience. He has contributed to R&I projects like ARCH. Currently, Emilio is deeply involved in European projects, notably the Fair Local Green Deals . His role extends to being a member of the team working on the València 2030 Climate Mission, an initiative aiming to make Valencia a climate-neutral and resilient city by 2030. Through this locally-approved innovation mission, the city coordinates its participation in the EU Adaptation and Neutral Cities Missions.

Esteban Leon, Head of City Resilience Global Programme, UN-Habitat

Mr. Esteban Leon is a Bolivian national with over 20 years of international professional experience in managing sustainable urban development in UN-Habitat. His main areas of expertise are economics, finance, housing and settlements, urban and climate resilience, programme management,reconstruction projects, and institutional strengthening programmes for improved urban governance.He has been representing UN-Habitat in the Humanitarian Inter-Agency Standing Committee in Geneva(2005-2013),Chair of the IASC Meeting Humanitarian Challenges in Urban Areas Group (2010-13), Chair of the Urban Resilience Medellin Collaboration as well as Chair of the Making Cities Resilient Campaign Steering Committee. Currently UN-Habitat global focal point for the UN-Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). He has developed, fundraised, initiated, managed projects on human settlements recovery in Angola, Mozambique, Pakistan, Peru, Colombia, Georgia, Gaza, Haiti, El Salvador, Samoa, Syria, Philippines, and Ecuador.

Esther Triviño Triviño, Spanish Red Cross

Etiënne Kras, Researcher / Advisor, Deltares

Etiënne Kras is an advisor and researcher in the Hydraulic Engineering unit at Deltares. In 2019, he obtained his engineering degree from the Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, in Hydraulic Engineering with a specialization in Coastal Engineering. For this, he joined Deltares in 2018 for his MSc thesis work and he subsequently started as advisor and researcher in the department Resilient Ports & Coasts. Currently, he is involved in a broad range of advice and research projects. Many of these projects evolve around the digital transformation within Deltares, where Etiënne brings various Earth Observation applications into Coastal Engineering practice. Some other projects concern (seabed) morphology modelling analyses, metocean studies, climate change assessments and physical modelling in Deltares' facilities.

Étienne Métais, Associate Director, Cities, States & Regions Programme, CDP

Étienne Métais is an Associate Director – Cities, States and Regions - at CDP, the global independent environmental disclosure mechanism. CDP focuses investors, companies, cities, regions and public authorities on taking urgent action to build a truly sustainable economy by measuring and understanding their environmental impact. CDP uses this climate data to provide insights, allowing respondents to track their progress, benchmark their efforts with their peers and drive further action. Étienne’s role is to commit European local and regional governments toward more climate transparency and action. His responsibility in this area covers the recruitment of cities, States and regions to start measuring and managing their climate change mitigation and adaptation data, while seeking synergies with networks, campaigns and initiatives acting in the same landscape.

Eulalia Baulenas, Postdoctoral researcher, Barcelona Supercomputing Center

Eulàlia is a postdoctoral researcher in the Knowledge transfer team of the Earth System Services Group of the Earth Science Department at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS). She is working along the research lines of participatory methodologies and knowledge coproduction for climate services, as well as citizen engagement for loca climate change adaptation. Her background is of a political scientist with a PhD in Environmental Policy by the University Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany, conducted at the Chair of Forest and Environmental Policy. Previously, she gained experience in the field of consultancy working on comparative studies for the European Commission after finalizing a master’s degree on research methods for the social sciences.
Currently, she is working on the EU-funded projects AGORA, IMPETUS4CHANGE and NextGEMS.

Fabian Reitemeyer, Climate Change officer, District Office Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg

After studying geoecology, Mr. Reitemeyer worked for a year at the environmental and Nature conservation Office, Climate Protection Department in Charlottenburg - Wilmersdorf, where he drew up the first district greenhouse gas balance in Berlin and actively worked in municipal Climate mitigation activities. He then worked for four years as a scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. There he combined His municipal expertise with international climate research. His focus was on the quantitative analysis of the effectiveness of various climate measures and the developement of climate-neutral scenarios. Since 2023, he has been climate change officer in the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district and wants to use innovative approaches to make the district more climate friendly.

Fabio Masi, R&D&I Head, IRIDRA Srl

Fabio is R&D&I Manager and Technical Director of the Italian engineering company IRIDRA Srl, since 1998, Vice-President of Global Wetland Technology (companies association) since 2012 and IWA Fellow since 2020. His background is a PhD in Environmental Sciences and a MSc in Environmental Chemistry. He’s been Chair of the IWA SG on Wetland Systems for Water Pollution Control and of the TG on Nature Based Solutions for Water and Sanitation. He is project co-author for over 500 Designs of Constructed Wetlands worldwide and author of more than 100 scientific papers (h-index: 30; citations: 3413). He has been working in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America and involved in EC funded projects in the FP5, FP7, MEDA, ENI CBC MED, Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, Interreg and Life+ programs.

Federico Aili, Associate, Programs and Grants, Resilient Cities Network

Federico Aili is an urban planner working as an Associate for Programs and Grants at the Resilient Cities Network. He holds a degree in Geography and a master’s degree in Urban Planning from the Politecnico di Milano, as well as a master’s degree in Urban Management and Development from Erasmus University of Rotterdam, where he focused on urban environment, sustainability, and climate change. In 2018, Federico started his career at the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) and later joined the ISOCARP Institute, working mainly on EU-funded projects involving nature-based solutions. Since November 2021, he has been part of the Resilient Cities Network, contributing to various climate resilience projects such as REACHOUT, UP2030 and REGILIENCE. Federico is dedicated to managing and planning more sustainable and resilient cities.

Francisco Lisbona, Head of Zurich Resilience Solutions, Spain

Francisco is a dedicated humanitarian and development leader with both IFRC HQ and country experiences in Mexico, Albania, Montenegro, Indonesia, Mozambique, and the Philippines. Over the past 15 years, he has specialized in global strategies and organizational capacities to implement multi-year, multi-country DRR, resilience, and climate adaptation initiatives. He joins us from Geneva, where he is currently part of the global Climate and Resilience team as the Senior Officer for flood resilience. Francisco holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Spanish Literature from Gettysburg College, a master’s degree in International Development and Educational Policy from Portland State University, and a post-graduate diploma in Systems Design and Project Management from Cornell University.

Gerry Muscat, Head of Division, Urban Advisory Division, Projects Directorate, European Investment Bank

Gerry is responsible for EIB advisory work with cities in urban development, urban mobility, affordable housing and climate action.  He leads urban advisory activity under JASPERS – including its work on the New European Bauhaus, and the EU Cities Climate Mission.  He also leads urban advisory in developing and transition countries, under the City Climate Gap Fund.   He previously managed the appraisal of EIB urban development lending, and has worked at the EBRD, and in consultancy.  His speaks English, Polish and French, and has degrees in Geography from Oxford and London universities.

Hanne van den Berg, Climate Adaptation Expert, European Environment Agency

Hanne van den Berg is a climate resilience and adaptation expert passionate about making cities more liveable and just in the face of climate change. She has close to fifteen years of international experience on climate change adaptation, nature-based solutions, governance, (participatory) urban planning and decision-support tools from a multi-sectoral perspective.
Hanne currently works at the European Environment Agency as a climate adaptation expert specialized in justice and equity in climate change adaptation. Within this position, she also takes part in the UNFCCC international climate negotiations as part of the European Commission's Negotiation Taskforce and Team EU.
Hanne holds a Doctoral degree from Harvard University (DDes, Fulbright Fellow), an MSc degree in Urban Planning and Design from Delft University of Technology, a BA and MA (Cantab) degree in Architecture from the University of Cambridge, as well as a BSc in Natural Sciences from Utrecht University.

Harriett Tiemens, ICLEI Europe, Director of the Green Metropolitan Region of Arnhem-Nijmegen

Currently at the head of the Dutch city region and ICLEI member Groene Metropoolregio Arnhem-Nijmegen, Harriët Tiemens puts her extensive experience in the fields of climate adaptation, circularity and biodiversity to use, to develop the region as a prime national and international example in sustainable and green urban development.
In the past years Harriët Tiemens has built an excellent European track record. For example, by heading the campaign for the City of Nijmegen to become European Green Capital 2018 but also by being a recognized contributor to European and international conferences like COP, EURESFO, POLIS, Velo-city, the Austrian World Summit, GlobeEU, Ecoprocura and meetings with the European Parliament and European Commission, both through her current position with the ICLEI RexCom and other national and international networks.
Tiemens studied Environmental Science at Saxion University of Applied Sciences and Public Administration at Leiden University. She was Deputy Mayor for the City of Nijmegen from 2014 to 2021. During that time, she chaired the physical pillar of the G40 network of Dutch cities and was chair of the VNG (Association of Dutch Municipalities) committee for housing, mobility and spatial development.

Hasse Goosen, CAS

Holger Robrecht, Deputy Regional Director - Sustainable Resources, Climate & Resilience, ICLEI Europe

Holger joined ICLEI in 1997. He holds a Diploma in spatial planning and is member of ICLEI’s Board of Directors, and leads ICLEI´s Sustainable Resources, Climate & Resilience team. Holger holds more than 25 years of experience in local environmental and sustainability management and planning, project development and co-ordination, team supervision as well as guidance and training. He developed, supervised and coordinated international and European projects including on urban resilience, climate adaptation, nature-based solutions and green infrastructures through various research projects and engaged with studies such as the European Environment Agency’s report on ‘Urban adaptation to climate change in Europe 2016’ and the ‘EKLIPSE Impact Evaluation Framework’.

Ihor Knyazev, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Imanol Ugalde, Junior Expert, Resilience and Climate Adaptation, ICLEI Europe

Imanol is a Junior Expert in the Urban Resilience and Climate Adaptation team at ICLEI European Secretariat. He holds a bachelor’s degree on renewable energy engineering and a master’s degree on sustainable energy engineering from the University of the Basque Country. Currently he is involved in diverse European projects and initiatives, covering a wide range of topics: urban resilience and adaptation to climate change, climate-neutral cities, post-conflict recovery and resilience, and cultural heritage protection. His mother tongue is Basque, and he also speaks Spanish and English.

Irene Bonvissuto, Team Leader Adaptation to Climate Change Mission, European Commission

An environmental engineer as background, Irene leads the European Commission Team that implements the EU Adaptation to Climate Change Mission, bringing together resources from the Climate Action and the Research and Innovation departments. Before, she worked in the energy field, both on the policy side and on the programmes and projects implementation side, to increase renewable energies uptake in Europe and their effective integration of the renewable sources in the European electricity system.    

Irina Knyzhnikova, Head of department, BDO LLC   

Iryna Vlasiuk, Project manager, City Institute Lviv

Social scientist working with social resilience in urban systems, project manager in City Institute - the municipal institution within Lviv City Council responsible for implementing city's strategic development goals in cooperation with NGOs, business, academic institutions and residents. BA in Political Science at National University of "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy".

Iva Bedenko, Senior Expert Advisor, City of Zagreb

Currently working in Zagreb City government and as secretary of Europan Croatia. Works on implementation of EU-funded projects, including currently running CoFarm4Cities and recently finished proGIreg, which focuses on implementing nature based solutions in post-industrial city areas. Also worked as part of the team that produced the City of Zagreb Master Plan 2000+, and the Strategies of development of the City of Zagreb and Zagreb Urban Agglomeration.
She holds a Master's degree in Architecture from the Zagreb School of Architecture. Before joining the City of Zagreb, Iva has worked at several architectural design practices in Zagreb.

Jaana Kiiski, Coordinator, City of Lappeenranta (Finland)

Jannis Niethammer, Expert Justice, Equity and Democracy, ICLEI Europe

Jannis Niethammer is an Expert in Justice, Equity and Democracy at ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability European Secretariat. His core professional objective is to integrate social justice concerns into sustainability transition processes across sectors and scales, with a focus on urban governance. In his role, he contributes to a range of EU funded projects, including Adaptation AGORA which focuses on citizen engagement for climate resilience and ACCTING which promotes behavioral change for a just and inclusive Green Deal. Jannis is an interdisciplinary social and sustainability scientist by training and holds a MSc degree in Environmental Governance from the University of Freiburg.

Jen Heemann, Expert in local action for energy and climate, IEECP

Jen Heemann has over a decade of experience in developing co-creation, knowledge exchange, and learning activities for energy and climate strategies in cities and regions. As a researcher and project manager, she specialises in enhancing public authorities' capacity to implement climate-related measures. Jen coordinates the REGILIENCE (Resilience Strategies for Regions) project and contributes to EU-funded initiatives like PROSPECT+ (Capacity building for cities and regions – from learning to action!) and ENERGee Watch (peer-to-peer learning programme). She holds an MSc in Urban Management and Development from Erasmus University Rotterdam and has dedicated her career to local and regional climate action planning processes.

Jevgeni Ossinovski, Mayor of the City of Tallinn

Jevgeni Ossinovski (born 15 March 1986) is the Mayor of Tallinn and former leader of the Estonian Social Democratic Party.
He has Bachelor's degree in Philosophy from the University of Tartu in 2007, followed by a Master's degree in Philosophy from Warwick University in 2009, and MSc in Comparative Politics from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2010.
Jevgeni Ossinovski was first elected to the Riigikogu (the Estonian Parliament) in 2011. He has held various key positions, including the Minister of Education and Research from 2014 to 2015 and the Minister of Health and Labour from 2015 to 2018. From 2021-2023 he was the Chairman of the Tallinn City Council.

Joanna Heyda, Head of Climate Policy Division, City of Warsaw

Joanna Heyda is a climate expert as well as a public relations and CSR specialist with over 17 years of experience. She currently holds the position of Head of Climate Policy Division at Air Protection and Climate Policy Department in the City of Warsaw where she is responsible for mitigation and adaptation to climate change strategies, plans and measures implementation monitoring. Especially interested in nature-based solutions and citizens’ engagement in the process of mitigation and adaptation, policy and behaviour change in the field as well as development of monitoring and evaluation systems including indicators approach fit to the city's specific needs.

Joao Dinis, Director, City of Cascais

João Dinis (Geographer) has been developing climate change action and sustainable development strategies through innovative approaches on spatial planning, technology and governance models for the last 15 years. By managing local strategies for climate change, partnerships and stakeholders are brought in a multi-specialist and multi-institutional approach to develop a roadmap towards a resilient future.
This resulted in a frontrunning experience which led to the implementation of over 40 climate actions in the last 5 years for the city of Cascais, the development of monitoring and digital tools which help both citizens and risk related stakeholders, nature-based solutions which significantly contributed to the quality of life.

Joaquim Carvalho, Municipal Dictorate for Urban Construction and Climate Action, Guimarães Municipality

Joaquim Carvalho is a  Civil Engineering and is the Municipal Director of Territorial Intervention, Environment, and Climate Action. He is the general coordinator of the Mission 100 Cities of Guimarães and the Climate Transition Team, responsible for the area of Energy Efficiency and municipal studies and projects. He also coordinates theEnergy Cities networking, and he is responsabible for Covenant of Mayors and for Guimaraes2030 Climate Pact.

JORDI PERIS BLANES, TENURED PROFESSOR, TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF VALÈNCIA_INGENIO

Tenured Professor at the Universitat Politècnica de València and senior researcher at INGENIO [CSIC-UPV]. PhD in project management and innovation with a background on telecomunication engineering and political science. His research has focused on urban sustainability transitions with an emphasis on planning, management, innovation and governance processes. He understands research as a process with the potential to contribute to advance urban transformations through action-research dynamics and the co-production of knowledge through dialogue, reflexivity and learning. He has been General Coordinator of Urban Strategies and Sustainable Agenda in the Mayor's Office of València City Council with a direct responsibiliti on the València 2030 Urban Strategy, the València 2030 Climate Mission and the València Green Capital 2024. He has previously been 2nd Deputy Mayor of Valencia City Council and Councillor responsible for citizen participation, innovation and climate change.

Kaisa Schmidt-Thome, Leading Researcher, Demos Helsinki

Kaisa Schmidt-Thomé is based at Demos Helsinki as a Leading Researcher, focusing on Urban Transformations. She works also with cities and urban regions on sustainability transitions and social inclusion. With her background in Geography (University of Helsinki, Lic.Phil. in 2004) and Land Use Planning (Aalto University, Dr.Tech. in 2015) she is a generalist–urbanist who has published among others on planning theory, participatory urban planning and municipal climate leadership. She holds the title of a Docent, i.e, Adjunct Professor, in Strategic Planning for Urban Sustainability at Tampere University. Recently Kaisa has been working several Horizon Europe projects, such as Regions4Climate, NetZeroCities and CommuniCity.

Karen Naciph Mora, Expert, Biodiversity and Nature based Solutions, ICLEI Europe

Karen Naciph Mora is an Expert in the Nature Based Solutions and Biodiversity team at ICLEI European Secretariat, where she focuses on topics related to pollution, environmental quality, and water management. Karen has a background in environmental engineering and a MSc. Degree in Water Resources and Environmental Management. She is supporting the implementation of several EU level initiatives and projects like Urban ReLeaf, EcoDaLLi, NBRACER, Soils for Europe (SOLO), NICE, among others.

Kateryna Khlivna, Chief of the Improvement Inspectorate, Ostroh City Council

Kateryna Khlivna, who headed the Environmental Department in the city of Dnipro, where she proved herself as a responsible and goal-oriented employee, dealing with the city's environmental issues. During the war, she was forced to relocate to a safer region of Ukraine, where she took the position of head of the Environmental Inspection of the Ostroh community. She holds a degree in ecology.

Kathy Oldham, Chief Resilience Officer, Greater Manchester

Kemal Kılıç, Kemal Kılıç

Konstantina Karydi, Managing Director, Europe and Senior Advisor, Resilient Cities Catalyst

Konstantina Karydi is founding member and Managing Director of RCC in Europe and Vice-President of Climate Change Hub Greece. She is focused on European and International urban policy and resilience building and holds advisory positions with leading entities such as UNDRR and the European Commission focusing on Urban Innovation, Risk Management and Resilience. In the past she has held positions as Advisor to the Greek Prime Minister for Resilience and Social Security and Senior Principal to the Mayor of Athens for European Affairs and Public Administration. She is a political scientist by training and holds an executive Masters from EPFL on Innovative Governance of Large Urban Systems and an MSc from UCL on European Public Policy. She is regularly teaching as an invited lecturer in leading universities internationally. She is based in Athens, Greece

Kostiantyn Kyryliuk, Deputy director, Vinnytsia City Council

Kostiantyn Kyryliuk was born in 1988 in the city of Haysyn, Vinnytsia region. In 2006, he graduated from school in the village of Kuna and entered the Faculty of History of Taras Shevchenko University in Kyiv. Subsequently, he received a second higher education, majoring in law.
He worked in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Kyiv Regional State Administration, as a school director, and as a private entrepreneur. Now he work in the Vinnytsia City Council.
Deputy of the 8th convocation of the Haysin City Council.
Married and raising 3 children.

Kristen Guida, City Resilience Manager, Greater London Authority

Kristen has been Urban Resilience Manager at the Greater London Authority since March 2022. Before that, she worked for more than 15 years coordinating partnerships supporting climate change adaptation, as Manager of the London Climate Change Partnership, Director of Climate South East, and Chair of Climate UK. Her major interest is in bringing together people and ideas from across sectors to respond to social and environmental resilience challenges. In particular, she is interested in the social justice issues raised by climate change and the need to incorporate equity in resilience policy and planning.

Kristina Akhtyrska, Head of economy and city development department, Svitlovodsk

Akhtyrska Kristina Yuriivna, born on July 4, 1992, in Svitlovodsk, Kirovohrad region, Ukraine. Head of the Department of Economy, Resources, and Development of the City of Svitlovodsk City Council of the Kirovohrad Region. Her main tasks are the implementation of state policy aimed at the economic and social development of the Svitlovodsk community in the spheres of foreign economic activity, domestic trade and services, transport and communication, regulation of land relations, and performance of tasks related to the management of the communal property of the community, development of the agro-industrial complex, investment, innovation activities, development of small and medium-sized enterprises, etc.

Laura Armayones Carranza, Innovation consultant, Eurecat

Innovation consultant at Eurecat working on transdisciplinary R&D european and regional projects. Laura leads WP6 on policy and finance in the IMPETUS project. She holds a bachelor's degree in Economicy and postgraduate studies on climate resilience. 

Leon Kapetas, Lead for Programs, Climate Resilience, Global Resilient Cities Network

A hydrologist by training, Leon is Lead of Climate Resilience for the Global Resilience Cities Network. Leon works closely with cities to support them in understanding climate risks and developing capacity towards planning and implementing resilience-building measures. He is particularly interested in Nature-based Solutions (NbS) as a vehicle for adapting to climate change and meeting sustainable urban development objectives.
Leon has experience in research and consulting environments across high-, middle- and low-income countries. He has previously worked as consultant for the World Bank to develop climate risk assessments in the sub-Saharan Africa context. He also worked in South America on water resources development in Andean catchments. Leon has worked as an expert for the European Commission to support Blue-Green infrastructure programs. As Research Associate at the University of Cambridge, Leon developed NbS appraisal schemes in the context of adaptation planning.

Lidiia Chyzhevska, Architect/Urbanist Integrated Urban Solutions, Drees & Sommer

Lidiia Chyzhevska, PhD in Architecture (focusing on Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning), is a distinguished urban planner and architect. With a decade of experience in Ukrainian spatial and urban planning projects funded by GIZ, USAID, and UNDP, she specializes in spatial planning, natural resources management, and climate resilience. Her expertise has been instrumental in legislative discussions on the Law of Ukraine, "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Concerning Land Use Planning," shaping a new framework for spatial planning in Ukraine. She is the Deputy Chairwoman of the Association of Spatial Planners of the National Union of Architects of Ukraine (NSAU). She also initiated the Professional Expert Board "Coordination of Activities for Ukraine's Reconstruction and International Cooperation," established by the NSAU to oversee reconstruction efforts and international assistance.

Lina Liakou, Global Director of Network Engagement and Head for Europe and the Middle East for the Resilient Cities Network

Lina is a senior professional with international expertise in city governance, sustainability and resilience. An inspiring leader and strategic thinker with experience in transforming cities and organizations. She is currently leading the Resilient Cities Network's global city engagement work and the network's resilience practice in Europe and the Middle East. Prior to that, Lina was Deputy Mayor for Urban Resilience and Development Planning for the City of Thessaloniki in Greece.Lina is a trained architect and urban designer.

Lucía Cuesta Fernandez, Project manager in the Strategic Office for the Coastal Area, Barcelona City Council

Lucía Cuesta Fernández is an environmental and coastal project manager in the Strategic Office for the Coastal Area at Barcelona City Council. Degree in Environmental Sciences and International Master’s Degree in Management of Coastal and Estuarine Zones. More than 20 years as a project manager and technical advisor in projects at European, regional and local level in the public and private sector, research and investigation in environmental and marine themes. She has participated in documents such as the Strategic Plan for the coast of the Metropolitan Region of Barcelona and recently in the Strategic Plan for the city’s coastal areas (2018-2028) currently in the project implementation phase.

LUCA ARBAU, Expert, RESILIENCE AND CLIMATE ADAPTATION, ICLEI EUROPE

Luca Arbau is an architect and a sustainable urban development practitioner. He is ICLEI Europe's representative in Brussels from the resilience and climate adaptation team. He is involved in the implementation of the EU Mission on Adaptation and the Covenant of Mayors - Europe's pillar on adaptation. He is a key organiser of the annual European Urban Resilience Forum. He holds a master's degree in international cooperation and emergency architecture from the International University of Catalonia (Spain) and a master's degree in architecture from the University of Ferrara (Italy).

Liubov Kolosova, Ecology and Urban Greening Expert, Municipal enterprise Institute for Urban Development

Graduated from the Vinnytsia National Technical University with a Magister degree in ""Computer systems, automation and control"". Graduated the capacity development program ""Innovation In Governance For Urban Nature-Based Solutions"" at Lund University, got certificates from “Practical landscape design course”, “Green Architecture course”. Currently studying at Vasyl' Stus Donetsk National University for a Magister's in ""Ecology"". Mrs Kolosova has been working as an ecology and urban greening expert for more than 3 years. In her projects, she is working on changing approaches and implementing sustainable practices in urban greening.

Liudmyla Hapieieva, Head of the Economy Department, Konotop City Council (Ukraine)

Lidiia Chyzhevska, PhD in Architecture (focusing on Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning), is a distinguished urban planner and architect. With a decade of experience in Ukrainian spatial and urban planning projects funded by GIZ, USAID, and UNDP, she specializes in spatial planning, natural resources management, and climate resilience. Her expertise has been instrumental in legislative discussions on the Law of Ukraine, "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Concerning Land Use Planning," shaping a new framework for spatial planning in Ukraine. She is the Deputy Chairwoman of the Association of Spatial Planners of the National Union of Architects of Ukraine (NSAU). She also initiated the Professional Expert Board "Coordination of Activities for Ukraine's Reconstruction and International Cooperation," established by the NSAU to oversee reconstruction efforts and international assistance.

LoÏc Charpentier, Water Innovation Policy Manager, Water Europe

Loïc Charpentier is the manager of the advocacy program of Water Europe, the European association of the innovative water sector. He also contributes to the communication of EU research & innovation projects on behalf of Water Europe to the European institutions and manages the MEP Water Group’s secretariat.  He is also involved in different European research clusters and the chairman of the Policy working group of the ZeroPollution4Water cluster. He is a member of the Brussels Sustainability Club. With a background in law and a master in European studies, Loïc worked previously at the European Association of Research and Technology organisations as policy assistant. In 2017, he received the College of Europe – Arenberg European Prize for its master thesis, a comparative study of the European integration and the creation of the federal states of Indonesia.

Lola Vicente-AlmazÁn, Agrifood R&D Officer, Valencia Innovation Capital

Agricultural engineer, working for the sustainability of the agri-food system. Experience in strategic planning projects and participatory processes; as well as in the design, formulation, coordination and monitoring of projects. Currently developing initiatives in the field of food waste prevention and reduction, waste management and recovery, and soil health, among others. Experience working at international level, in different countries and in both public and private organisations.

Ludwig Sonesson, Climate Adaptation Strategist, City of Malmo

Ludwig Sonesson works as a Climate Adaptation Strategist for the City of Malmö focused on urban greening, nature-based solutions, heat risks and just adaptation. With a background in both adaptation and in futures studies, his mission is to anticipate the risks of the future and use nature to ensure that the most vulnerable are protected.

Luigi Lo Piparo, Partner at TG & Matchmaking Coordinator at SCM

Luigi LO PIPARO is a Partner at Technopolis Group, bringing over 20 years of professional expertise in managing large-scale EU-funded projects and programmes, evaluations, strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, and knowledge management. His work spans across various levels, including European, national, regional, and local, focusing on areas such as green and digital transformation, environment, circular economy, energy efficiency, climate change, and regional and urban policy. He is also Matchmaking Coordinator of the EC Smart Cities Marketplace.

Luís Capão, Cascais Ambiente

Maider Etxebarria, Mayor, Vitoria-Gazteiz

Maider Etxebarria has been serving as the mayor of Vitoria-Gasteiz since 2023. She holds a degree in German Philology from UPV/EHU and a diploma in Technical Management of Tourism Enterprises and Activities. Additionally, she is a certified Official Tourist Guide and holds a Diploma in Advanced Studies in French. Previously, she was the Director of Tourism for the Basque Government from 2016 to 2019. She also served as the First Deputy Mayor and Councilor for Economic Promotion, Employment, Commerce, and Tourism of the Vitoria City Council from 2019 to 2023, and led the municipal group of the PSE-EE in Vitoria.

Maksym Terletsky, Acting Director, City Institute

City Institute's team is uniting the efforts of municipality, businesses, civil society organizations and expert institutions to jointly reach strategic goals of Lviv and support other cities in Ukraine. Our core expertise is strategy planning and management, innovation development, analysis of city challenges and integrated urban development. My personal mission is to contribute to the creation of smart, inclusive, and resilient cities and regions that enhance the quality of life for all.

Marc Serra SolÉ, President of the Climate Action and Energy Transition Area, Barcelona Province

Marc Serra Solé was born in Barcelona, Spain. He holds a degree in law and sociology and a Master's in Advocacy from the Illustrious College of Lawyers. He has worked with organizations dedicated to advocating for social and environmental rights. In 2019, he was elected as the Councillor for Citizenship Rights and Participation in the Barcelona City Council, a position he held until May 2023. During his international tenure, he served as the Secretary General of the International Observatory of Participatory Democracy (OIDP) and played a pivotal role in Barcelona's successful bid to become the European Capital of Democracy (2023-2024). Currently, he holds the position of President of the Climate Action and Energy Transition Area and serves as a Deputy for Participation in the Barcelona Provincial Council.

Marcin Gradzki, Director, City of Warsaw

Manager with more than 12 years of experience in the field of sustainable development, climate change and environmental issues, with practical skills in project and team management. Director at the Warsaw City Hall responsible for the topic of climate policy and air quality. Oriented in the area of climate and environmental protection, ESG, decarbonization and climate change adaptation. Expert in developing, implementing and evaluating strategies for both business and public clients at national, regional and local levels.

Matthias Stier, CEO, Variolytics GmbH

Dr. Matthias Stier is the CEO and co-founder of Variolytics GmbH, specializing in advanced measurement technologies for environmental monitoring and process optimization. He studied Biochemical Engineering at the University of Halle and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Stuttgart, supported by the German Federal Environmental Foundation. Starting in 2014, he led a group at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology (IGB). In 2020, he co-founded Variolytics, focusing on innovative solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in industrial processes. Under his leadership, Variolytics emphasizes data-driven methodologies for achieving sustainability and operational efficiencies.

Marie-Caroline Vallon, Projet manager Direction de la Transition Energétique et des Territoires

Marie Caroline Vallon, a graduate of the Institut d'Etudes Politiques and holder of a master's degree in regional development and planning, has been working for over 20 years with local authorities in the Region Sud on all aspects of sustainable regional development (biodiversity, energy, land, natural resources, housing production), developing a global, decompartmentalised and uncomplicated approach to urban issues and practices. From 2017 to 2022, she was project manager for the Nature For City LIFE project and developed training initiatives for city stakeholders, such as a moocnatureforcitylife.eu, and a number of tools for mobilizing people to better manage nature with a view to adapting cities to climate change. As a partner in the CARDIMED project, it is part of the French team piloting a demonstration site on university campuses where SFN (de-waterproofing and micro-forests) are being tested with teams from Aix Marseille University, SEMIDE and the Empan consultancy.

Marit Gronwald, Health and Climate Officer, Public Health Department of the City of Dresden

Marit Gronwald is a health scientist (Master of Public Health) working for the Department of Public Health of the City of Dresden. She is responsible for the development of the Heat Health Action Plan and supervises projects in the field of climate adaptation and health. There is close cooperation with various disciplines in the fields of environment, urban development/planning, health and social affairs, culture and citizen participation.
The implementation of accessible and sustainable heat adaptation measures in the neighbourhood for the residents and the exchange with the stakeholders is a central concern of her work.  Marit Gronwald was involved in the HeatResilientCity project (http://www.heatresilientcity.de/en/) and is the main author of the Heat-Manual. This is a book of recommendations for employees in the health, care, social, education and housing sectors (available in German only).

Maria Ximena Michemberg Conti, Senior Adaptation Consultant, Ricardo Consulting

Ximena has over a decade of experience in climate change adaptation and stakeholder engagement. As a senior adaptation consultant, she is leading projects worldwide focusing on improving water access and sanitation, with recent projects in Bolivia emphasizing women-centered and nature-based solutions for water treatment. With expertise in multi-level governance, she has implemented national and sectorial adaptation plans in several countries, focusing on critical infrastructure. Currently, Ximena is part of the team delivering the Mission Implementation Platform (MIP4Adapt) for the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change. Under MIP4Adapt, Ximena leads the establishment and management of the EU Mission Adaptation Community of Practice- a platform facilitating knowledge sharing, good practice demonstration and promoting collaboration amongst its members.

Marina Ivanenko, Head of the financial department, Sursko-Lithuanian Village Council

Marina has been working as the head of the financial department of the Sursk-Lithuanian Village Council since January 2021. She has a higher economic education (Donetsk National University), and more than 15 years of general work experience as a chief accountant, 5 years as a financial director.The total length of service of an official in local self-government bodies is 6.5 years.

Maxie Riemenschneider, Scientific Manager, Austrian Society for Environment and Technology

Maxie Riemenschneider, MSc studied Psychology at Free University of Berlin, Universidad Complutense de Madrid & University College Dublin. She works for the Austrian Society for Environment and Technology (ÖGUT) as a research associate in the field of citizen engagement & participation since April 2021. Her main areas of work are process design & moderation (e.g. for the Austrian Climate Council of Citizens), applied research in the field of participation (e.g. in the EU project “Localized” with a focus on the co-creation of climate policy measures and strategies, together with affected and vulnerable citizens) & content creation for the main Austrian participation website www.partizipation.at. Before working for ÖGUT, she worked in the filed of international youth participation, intercultural mediation & as an environmental psychology consultant.   Maxie is trained in various moderation techniques. In her private life, she is involved in the field of participatory living & cohousing.

Miljenko Sedlar, Head of Climate, REGEA

Miljenko is the head of the climate department at the North-West Croatia Regional Energy and Climate Agency. Holding a degree in natural sciences from the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb. Miljenko focuses on supporting cities and regions in achieving climate resilience. Specializing in climate risk and vulnerabilities assessment and development of strategic plans to mitigate risks from climate change, also working on climate-proofing urban infrastructure, integrating resilience into city planning through adaptive design principles. A key focus is on nature-based solutions, promoting sustainable and cost-effective strategies for urban resilience and biodiversity. Personally, Miljenko enjoys DIY projects, agriculture, and sports, aligning with a commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Mohamed Ridouani, Mayor, City of Leuven

Nadia Calvino, President, European Investment Bank

Natalie Mueller, Assistant Research Professor, ISGlobal

Natalie Mueller, PhD, is an Assistant Research Professor and environmental epidemiologist at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal). She has strong expertise in health impact assessment (HIA) methodologies. She has led and conducted various HIA studies, studying different counterfactual scenarios aimed at sustaining and improving health in cities through changes in urban form and transport systems, combining comparative risk assessment with other novel modelling approaches. Furthermore, her interests include putting evidence into practice, engaging with stakeholders to provide advice and technical support on the integration of health considerations into urban developments.

Nicholas Ramos, Program Management Officer, UNDRR

In over ten years of experience with the United Nations, with UNDRR and UNDP in Geneva, Bangkok, and most recently in Brussels, Nick has focused on program management, partnerships, and policy development for sustainable development and disaster resilience.  This has included early warning and disaster prevention projects in South and Southeast Asia, and increasing risk knowledge and strengthening resilience in South-eastern Europe, the South Caucasus and Central Asia. Nick has a Masters degree in International Affairs, focusing on Environment and Public Policy from University of California, San Diego. 

Nuha Eltinay, Senior Expert, Resilience and Climate Adaptation, ICLEI Europe

Olena Korovina, Head of Investment and External Relations Division, Brovary City Council

Korovina Olena, born in May 12, 1974 in Ukraine is head of the Investment and External Relations Division of the Economics and Investment Department of the Brovary City Council of the Kyiv region in Ukraine. Korovina promotes the development of links between territorial communities, twin cities and other cities of foreign countries; participates in the organization of children's health abroad; promotes the development of cultural and sports ties with sister cities abroad; participates in the development of projects for participation in international calls of offers in order to receive funding from international donors; promotes involvement of city enterprises to the participation in international exhibition-fairs and expansion of cooperation with foreign and domestic partners; participates in the implementation of the state foreign economic policy in the direction of Ukraine's integration into the world economy and expansion of economic and social cooperation.

Oleh Frolov, Head of Department of the strategic planning, external relations and communications, Pokrovsk city military administration of Pokrovsk district in Donetsk region

Oleh Frolov was born on 10.05.1973, is married and has a son (20 years old).
In 1995, he graduated from the Faculty of Economics, and in 1998 he completed his postgraduate studies at Donetsk National University. In 2000, he was awarded the degree of Candidate of Economic Sciences, in 2006 - the academic title of Associate Professor of Marketing, he has more than 10 scientific papers.
1999-2011 he worked at the Department of Marketing of Donetsk National University.
2001-2009, he was an employee of the Office of the Security Service of Ukraine in Donetsk region.
2010-2020, he was the head of various business entities.
2020, he worked as an assistant to the People's Deputy of Ukraine.
2020-2022, he worked as a Deputy Mayor of Pokrovsk City Council, Donetsk Oblast.
Currently, he is the Head of the Department of Strategic Planning, External Relations and Communications of the Pokrovsk City Military Administration of the Pokrovsk District of Donetsk Region.

Olga Iutovets, Department Head, Department for International Cooperation and European Integration of Rivne Regional State Administration

Olga Iutovets, born on 19 August 1980 in Rivne, Ukraine, is an experienced public servant with extensive involvement in international cooperation. She holds a degree in International Information from the Rivne Institute of Slavic Studies at Kyiv Slavonic University. Olga has been serving in the public sector since 2002, holding various positions in the Department for International Cooperation and European Integration of Rivne Regional State Administration. She has enhanced her expertise through international training and internships, gaining valuable theoretical and practical knowledge in international cooperation and European integration. Recognised for her contributions, she has been awarded an Honorary Diploma and a commemorative watch by the Rivne Regional State Administration. Since 18 June 2021, Olga has been leading the Department for International Cooperation and European Integration, driving efforts to foster cross-border partnerships and strengthen international ties.

Olha Ovchynnikova, Chief of the economic development and resources department, Horishni Plavni City Council Executive Committee

Olha Ovchynnikova heads the economic development and resources department of the Horishni Plavni City Council Executive Committee of the Poltava region in Ukraine for 18 years. Olha holds master’s degrees in management of organizations and economic of market relations (1999) and in public administration and management at the regional and local level (2011).  
In her work, Olha directs efforts to ensure the implementation of the territorial community development strategy, its social and economic development, project work on investment attraction and international cooperation with other communities and institutions. On her initiative and active participation during 2017-2024, project applications were drafted and more than 10 projects financed by international organizations/projects (in particular, NEFKO, EU, UNDP) were implemented in Horishni Plavni.
As a business trainer and business coach, Olha helps the development of local small and medium-sized businesses.

Ovidiu-Vasile Cîmpean, State Secretary, Ministry of Investments and European Projects (Romania)

Panagiotis Giannakopoulos, Co-founder of social cooperative Nostos, Manganiako, Messinia Region

Panagiotis Giannakopoulos is a community expert participating in the ACCTING pilot project, as he lives and works in the region. During the last years, he has been intensively involved in showcasing the history and beauty of Manganiako, a semi-mountainous village in Messinia. His efforts focus on sustainable development and promoting the village's natural and cultural heritage.

Panagiotis works as an art conservator at the archaeological site of Ancient Messini and is a founding member of the social cooperative Nostos, established in 2020 and headquartered in Manganiako, Messinia Region.

Paola Lepori, Policy officer for nature-based solutions, European Commission

Paola Lepori is a Policy Officer for Nature-based Solutions at the European Commission, DG Research & Innovation. Her core professional objective is building alliances to trigger transformative change towards an inclusive nature-positive future. Before joining the Biodiversity and Nature-based Solutions team in 2022, she had been working in the field of environment for several years, including in DG Maritime Affairs & Fisheries, as a communication officer. In Italy, Paola worked as desk news and writer for newspapers focusing on international affairs, writing in-depth analyses on current and environmental affairs. Her academic background is international relations, and international cooperation with a focus on the Middle East. Her academic research brought her from Italy to the UK, Jordan, Syria and Australia.
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Patrick Child, Deputy Director-General, DG Environment & Mission Manager, 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission, European Commission

Paul Sayers, Director SPL, United Kingdom

Paul specialises in the strategic management of climate-related risks and opportunities. This includes supporting adaptation in catchments, coasts, cities, and infrastructure systems to provide greater resilience to climate-related hazards (such as floods, droughts and coastal erosion). Recently Paul co-lead the infrastructure theme of the European Climate Risk Assessment and is a member of the CoCliCo programme developing the next generation of the climate change services for the coast.

Pourya Salehi, Head of Urban Research, Innovation, and Development Team, ICLEI World

As the Head of the Urban Research, Innovation, and Development Team at ICLEI World Secretariat, Pourya works at the center of the research-policy-practice interface of sustainable development. He is the coordinator of ICLEI's Global Research & Innovation Strategy across all ICLEI offices and oversees ICLEI'S Research & Innovation (R&I) activities, from partnership building to curating R&I-related events, designing R&I projects, co-development of peer-reviewed knowledge products, to contributing to international agendas such as the upcoming IPCC Special Report on Cities and Climate Change. Pourya was appointed as the Global Co-Chair of GCoM's Research & Innovation Technical Working Group and is a member of the Advisory Committee for the upcoming Innovate4Cities Conference. Additionally, he serves as Chair of Systemic Management Innovation at the UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub, and is a member of the Advisory Board for the Smart and Green Cities Task Force for the European Space Agency.

Rafael Afonso, Exploitation Officer, EIT Urban Mobility

Rafael Afonso is an Innovation Exploitation Officer at EIT Urban Mobility and a Matchmaking Expert for the Smart Cities Marketplace. With a technical background in Mechanical Engineering from the Universidade de Lisboa's Instituto Superior Técnico, experience in Sustainability research and upscaling of mobility solutions through events, Rafael is currently responsible for managing two Horizon Europe projects on mobility solutions exploitation and city projects financing.

Rafal Trzaskowski , Mayor, City of Warsaw

Ramon Canal Oliveras, Director of the TPO, Barcelona City Council

Ramon Canal Oliveras holds a PhD in Political Science from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). He has been research coordinator at the Institute of Government and Public Policies of the UAB and public manager and adviser to the City Council of Manresa. He has also worked as a consultant in national and international projects and has taught local government and public management as an associate professor. He currently works for Barcelona City Council, promoting the city's 2030 Agenda and the European mission 100 climate-neutral and smart and cities.

Roos Meilink, Chief Resilience Officer, The Hague Municipality

As Chief Resilience Officer, Roos leads the development and implementation of resilience strategies and initiatives to prepare the city of The Hague for future risks and crises. She is a member of the resilient cities network, which enables her to exchange knowledge and best practices with peers from different cities and regions. Roos holds a Master of Public Administration degree and a bachelor of engineering degree and has nearly 20 years of experience in working on complex societal issues within the public sector. Roos is passionate about resilience as a future-oriented and holistic approach which aims to enhance the capacity of organizations and communities to cope with, adapt to, and learn from unexpected events. She leverages her skills in policy development and public affairs to foster collaboration and innovation across stakeholders and sectors.

Sam Pickard, Researcher, Barcelona Supercomputing Center

Sam has been a researcher/practitioner in the Earth Systems Services (ESS) Knowledge Integration Team (KIT) at BSC since 2022, and has a decade of climate-related research and advocacy experience in the international development sector.  Most of his work lies at the interface of real-world decision-making and climate science, and aims to convene and collaborate with diverse practitioners, advocates, and researchers working on climate-informed interventions. In KIT, we help generate actionable climate information and try to better understand how science can be translated into useful and useable knowledge, the roles and power held by different climate services actors, and how these dynamics impact the identification of vulnerability and the realisation of climate justice. Current projects include urban climate vulnerability & adaptation (Impetus4Change), and citizen engagement and co-production for climate solutions (AGORA).

Sergii Bychkov, Mayor, Ochakiv City Council

Sergii Bychkov, born in the city of Bashtanka, Mykolaiv region, on October 7, 1964. Education - higher: Odesa Maritime School - Ship Technician; National University of Shipbuilding named after Admiral Makarov - Shipbuilding and ocean engineering; Project management; Akademie HUSPOL s.r.o. (Czech Republic) - Administrative methods of personnel management. He made his way from an engine operator of the Black Sea Shipping Company to the head of private enterprises. He was a deputy of the Ochakiv City Council of the fifth and sixth convocations. Appointed to the position of secretary of Ochakiv city council in 2010. He was first elected to the post of Ochakiv city mayor in 2015 and is the current mayor. The key priority of the mayor's activity is the comprehensive development of the community, the creation of constructive interaction between the authorities and its residents, the construction of a new type of community in which it is comfortable to live, work and rest.

Shaojuan Xu, Senior researcher, Research Institute for Regional and Urban Development, Dortmund, Germany

Dr. Shaojuan Xu is a senior researcher at the Research Institute for Regional and Urban Development in Dortmund, Germany, and a lecturer at the Geography department of the Humboldt University of Berlin. Dr. Xu's research focuses on the data approach to urban sustainability and resilience analysis. She has worked on several international and national research projects on topics ranging from land recycling to urban land consumption, affordable housing, urban health, 3D city modelling, and urban digital twins. Currently, she is leading an ICLEI-funded project, CATCH4D, which aims to create a 3D thermographic model for an entire city to investigate energy loss of buildings, building energy efficiency and energy poverty.

Simone Nardicchia, City of Milan

Sofiia Kravchuk, Specialist, Economic Department, Ovruch City Council

Sofiia Kravchuk was born on October 24, 1999 in Ukraine, in the city of Ovruch. She graduated from the National Aviation University in Kyiv with a major in "International Economic Relations" in 2022, and obtained a master's degree in international economic relations.
After graduating from the university, she started her career as a project manager, implementing projects in the city's youth center. Then she participated in the writing and implementation of larger international projects with the support of the Western NIS Enterprise Fund, ULEAD, USAID and UNICEF. Currently, works as the chief specialist of the Department of Economic Development and Investment Attraction of the Ovruch City Council, where, among other things,  deals with projects related to the implementation of energy efficiency and green energy measures in the community.

Stella Psaropoulou, Resilience & Sustainability Officer, City of Thessaloniki

Mrs Stella Psarropoulou is an officer at the Municipality of Thessaloniki for 19 years while the last (8) eight years, she works and manages the Resilient Thessaloniki office and since 2020 is the Deputy Chief Resilience Officer. She has been project team member of a number of European funded projects such as the Horizon2020 Food Trails project and UP2030 project alongside she is team member working for Thessaloniki’s participation in EU Mission for Climate Neutrality and Mission Adaptation and focal point for international and European partnerships and platforms (RCN, ICLEI, Eurocities etc). Her background is in Financial Studies, she holds a Master’s degree in “European Integration & Governance”, University of Macedonia, Greece and a second Master’s degree in “Spatial Planning for Sustainable and Resilient Urban Development”, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), Faculty School, Greece where she also started her PhD research on the localization of the SDGs.

Stanislav Kim, Regional Team Leader Climate Change and Disaster Resilience, United Nations Development Programme

I am currently serving as the Team Leader for the Climate Change and Disaster Resilience Team at the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub. In this capacity, I provide support to 19 countries and territories in Europe and Central Asia, assisting them in strengthening their resilience against disasters driven by natural hazards, promoting risk-informed development, and supporting their disaster response and recovery endeavors. With an extensive background spanning over 25 years in development, disaster risk reduction (DRR), energy, and environmental programs throughout the Europe and Central Asia region, I bring a wealth of expertise to my present role. Prior to assuming my current assignment, I held the position of DRR Program Specialist at the Istanbul Regional Hub from 2015 to 2022. Furthermore, I served as the Head of the Energy and Environment Unit at UNDP Kazakhstan from 2010 to 2014.

StÉphane Simonet, ACTIERRA/TransformAr

Stephane SIMONET is a climate change expert with more than 20 years of experience on innovative climate change adaptation policies, programmes and projects. He has worked on a variety of issues and initiatives, undertook extensive in-country missions and cooperated with a wide range of organizations and development agencies in Europe and abroad (UN, EU, World Bank, Green Climate Fund, etc.). He founded in 2013 an international consultancy specialized in climate risks management which became in 2024 ACTIERRA, an engineering and consulting company working on climate and ecological transitions. Stephane operates now as ACTIERRA’s Climate Director and is involved in several EU-funded programmes, such as TransformAr and ClimateFit, dealing with accelerating transformative adaptation and climate finance across Europe.

Stina Kaisa Karlstrøm, Oslo Municipality, Landscape architect

Stina Kaisa Karlstrøm is a landscape architect who has been working at the Agency for Urban Environment in Oslo Municipality for the past three years. In her role, she focuses on climate adaptation, stormwater management, and flood mitigation at various levels. She serves as both a project manager and a consultant in her field, holding overarching professional responsibility within the agency.

Svitlana Samsonenko, Deputy Mayor, Konotop City Council

Leads the work of the team on restoration and implementation  of project initiatives in the area of our community. Implementation of new progressive ideas and a creative approach in solving issues – this is the only way we can change cities and communities for the better.

Tadej Stepisnik Perdih, Project Manager,  National Technical University of Athens

Tadej Stepisnik Perdih (Ph.D. Mech. Eng.) is responsible for partnerships and project implementation and at the Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering of the National Technical University of Athens. His career focuses on cross-disciplinary topics of water/wastewater management including nature-based solutions, water-energy-food nexus and alternative water sources. He has experience in managing projects across several EU funding schemes, including Horizon, PRIMA, Life+, ERC PoC and I3 - Interregional Innovation Investment. Tadej is currently making sure that projects CARDIMED (NBS | Horizon Europe), SureNexus (nexus | PRIMA), INNO4CFIs (nexus | I3) and iWAYS (wastewater treatment | H2020) are running smooth and is also involved in REMEDIES (plastic pollution | Horizon Europe) and Biodaph2O (wastewater treatment | Life+).

Teresa Czerwińska, Vice-President, European Investment Bank

Teresa Ribera, Minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (Spain)

Tetyana Simchuk, Principal Officer, Department for International Cooperation and European Integration of Rivne Regional State Administration

With extensive experience in project and HR management, interpreting, translation, training, evaluation, and assessment, Tetyana is a seasoned public servant and researcher. Based in Rivne, Ukraine, she leverages her education and experience gained in both the US and Europe (in 2024 she successfully completed the LSE IDEAS programme in UK) to enhance the success, transparency, and sustainability of her region and country.
A dynamic and fast-learning professional, Tetyana is passionate about travelling, choreography, and yoga. She is also an environmental activist mastering psychology.
Tetyana’s research spans diverse yet interconnected domains, including public integrity, participatory democracy, gender equality, economic policy, and environmental management. Her contributions have a strong focus on practical applications and policy recommendations.
Ukrainian and proud of it.

Thomas Koetz, Senior Advisor Climate Neutral and Resilient Regions & Pathways2Resilience Coordinator, EIT Climate-KIC

Dr. Thomas Koetz is Senior Advisor for Climate Neutral and Resilient Regions at EIT Climate-KIC responsible for orchestrating the application of a systems innovation approach for transformations towards climate neutrality and resilience at regional scale, demonstrating that fast and system level change is possible. Currently, he is coordinator of the Pathways2Resilience project, a flagship project under the EU Mission Adaptation supporting 150 regions to become climate resilient. Thomas has worked for over a decade as Programme and Policy Officer in environmental public policy for the European Commission and the United Nations, having been centrally involved in establishing the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change and the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), which he served as Head of Work Programme. He has worked on issues such as climate change, biodiversity, sustainable development, rural development, and multilevel governance, and has a PhD and background in science-policy interfaces, and Master degrees in ecological economics, and in landscape ecology and environmental management.

Thomas Osdoba, Program Director, NetZeroCities

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Tina Katika, Senior Researcher, ICCS

Dr. Tina Katika is a senior researcher at ICCS, leading the team of Extended Reality. She holds a diploma and an MSc in Engineering, has obtained a Ph.D. from the Technical University of Denmark, and has worked as a researcher in the Colorado School of Mines. She is experienced in product management, focusing on the XR field, which has reached users in multidisciplinary sectors. She is responsible for guiding the management and R&D team to develop, deliver, and test tailored immersive technologies across various disciplines and end-users. Her main field of research lies in the development of human-centric applications. Her research activities concern using Extended Reality to improve citizen engagement in adopting Circular Economy principles. Her ambition is to close the knowledge gap and create a strong awareness of the careful use of resources, environmental protection, and community wellbeing. Dr. Katika has published many peer-reviewed research papers in her field of expertise.

Tom George, Product Lead for Sustainable Cities at Google, Google

Thomas George is a Product Lead at Google working at the intersection of Cities and Sustainability, building solutions to help Cities decarbonize while improving the lives of its citizens. He came to Google from Sidewalk Labs where he was leading the Pebble team, optimizing parking and transportation systems in cities.  Prior to that, he was VP of Technology for Quadlogic Controls, leading product development and acquisitions, and COO of BlocPower, a Clean Energy startup.
Tom has spent over 20 years building teams to develop and deploy products and systems around the world; in sustainability, clean-energy, IoT and satellite communications, among others. From energy policy in New York to rural electrification in Eastern Congo to hardware product development in China, Tom has a demonstrable ability to plan, execute and deliver in complex situations.

Tommaso Buso, Associate, BwB

Tommaso is an associate at BwB, where he covers numerous projects of sustainable finance, ranging from sovereign green bond issuance, NBS investments, cities decarbonisation modelling, structuring of financing facilities, all the way to support the deployment of reforestation financing.
Over 3 years, he has worked with companies and organisations across Asia, Europe, Africa and America. Previously, he has worked for the retail ESG practice of Amundi AM, Europe’s largest asset manager, and the sustainable finance division of Deloitte France, the largest European sustainability advisory team.
Tommaso holds a master’s degree in Economics and Public Affairs at Sciences Po Paris and speaks 4 languages.

Toomas Toodu, Green Cluster Manager, Pärnu County Development Centre

Toomas Toodu's contribution to promoting climate awerness and the implementation of sustainability principles has been significant. For the past two years, he has led the green cluster at the Pärnu County Development Centre, aiming to support local businesses and residents on sustainability issues, helping them transition to more environmentally friendly practices and technologies. Toomas is known for his passionate commitment to sustainability principles, managing to inspire both colleagues and community members to think and act in ways that contribute to the preservation of the environment for future generations. His work at the Pärnu County Development Center has made a significant contribution to advancing the green transition in this region, making Pärnu County a model for integrating sustainability into the local economy and community life.

Vasileios Latinos, Head of Resilience and Climate Adaptation, ICLEI Europe

Vasileios Latinos, is Head of Resilience and Climate Adaptation at ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability, European Secretariat. Vasileios is a climate resilience expert and project coordinator, with 14 years experience, working with local and regional governments throughout Europe. He is responsible for the management and coordination of projects and services in the topical areas of climate change adaptation, urban resilience and disaster risk reduction and leading the programmatic development of ICLEI in this field.

Wiebke Pankauke, Deputy Head of Unit “Strategy, policy coordination and urban transitions” Directorate General for Research and Innovation, European Commission

Wiebke coordinates the European Commission’s cross-sectoral team implementing the EU Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities. The Mission’s goals are to support 100 cities in becoming climate-neutral by 2030 and to turn these cities into innovation and experimentation hubs to enable all European cities to follow suit by 2050. Before joining the Commission’s research and innovation department in 2021, Wiebke worked on transport and internal market issues in the Commission and before that as a newspaper journalist in Germany.

Xavier Casanova Colomé, Expert | Green & Digital Transformation, ICLEI Europe

Xavier Casanova Colomé is an expert in green & digital transformation at ICLEI - Europe. His background includes a bachelor and master's degree in Telecommunications Engineering at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and a master's degree in Sustainable Development at University Colleged Dublin. He has worked in the private sector in different companies ranging from e-democracy to software development or industrial machinery. In his work at ICLEI Europe he is involved in the Smart Cities Marketplace, with a session in EURESFO on 27th June at 14:00.

Wolfgang Teubner, Regional Director Europe & Managing Director, ICLEI Europe

Wolfgang Teubner is responsible for the strategic and economic development of the ICLEI in Europe. He has more than 25 years of professional experience working with local governments on sustainable urban development, climate adaptation and mitigation, Local Agenda21, waste management, as well as sustainable urban transport policies. During his career he has been involved in more than 150 European and international projects, including several research activities. In the period between 1994 and 1999 he coordinated the ICLEI‘s European Cities for Climate Protection Campaign and ICLEI‘s European Local Agenda 21 Guidance and Training Programme. From the start in 1994 he has been involved in the European Sustainable Cities and Towns Campaign and has participated in the drafting of the Aalborg Charta as well as the Aalborg Commitments and the 2016 Basque Declaration. Between 1999 and 2004 he has represented the Local Government sector on the European Environment and Health Committee and has been a speaker at many high-level international events including the European Council of Ministers.

Yaera Chung, Portfolio Learning Lead, UNDP

Yaera Chung is a Portfolio Learning Lead at UNDP Regional Bureau of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where she guides UNDP Country Offices and regional projects in building systems thinking portfolios for digital transformation, future of work and urban transformation. She is currently working with municipalities to apply systems thinking by building systems learning portfolio through EU Mayor’s for Economic Growth (M4EG) and Cities Experiment Fund, Slovak Transformation Fund initiative.

Yann Françoise, Deputy director of climate and ecological transition, City of Paris

28 years serving to cities for tackling climate change. Yann FRANÇOISE is Deputy head of Climate and Ecological Transition Directorate, Head of the climate department at City of Paris. Since 2004, he has been led Paris Climate Action strategies gathering commitments and actions of all Paris’ community, from citizens to companies. This department has developed different tools and plans for reducing Paris’ carbon footprint and adapting Paris face to climate change issues. UNFCCC awarded in 2021 the Paris Climate Action. In 2021, he published “Paris face to climate change” a survey on Paris climate change vulnerability. In 2022, with IOM, he coordinated a survey about “climate migrations and Paris, risk and opportunities”. He represents the city of Paris at technical level at Global Covenant, C40, and other international organisations. He is co-author of Summary for Urban Policymakers of IPCC reports (SR1.5 & AR6).

Yuliia Boiarchuk, Literary editor, BDO in Ukraine

At BDO in Ukraine, Yuliia works as the literary editor. Her main responsibilities are editing and translating financial statements, contracts and marketing materials.

Yuliia Helazhys, Head of Climate and Innovation, UN Global Compact Ukraine

Yuliia Helazhys is the Head of Climate and Innovation at the UN Global Compact Ukraine, where coordinates the Climate Ambition Accelerator program. With a background in economics, Yuliia has experience in project management, marketing, and business operations across various industries.
Passionate about environmental responsibility, Yuliia helps businesses integrate sustainability and engage in climate action.She believes that businesses can drive innovative change towards building resilient, adaptive, and climate-neutral cities.Her master's thesis examined business planning for the integration of renewable energy sources into housing, focusing on energy efficiency and urban development.
Yuliia envisions a world that cares for the environment and future generations, she is committed to fostering public-private partnerships and innovative business models that advance sustainable post-war recovery while maintaining the value and utility of municipal services.

Yuliia Meleshko, Chief specialist of the department of energy efficiency and grant activities, Executive Committee of the Chornomorsk Council of Odesa District and Odesa Oblast

Сhief specialist of the department of energy efficiency and grant activities of one of the most progressive communities in southern Ukraine. Work experience in local self-government bodies for more than three years as an economist and project manager, worked with UNICEF, GIZ, USAID projects.

Zoe Buyle-Bodin, EU policy advisor for R&I, Energy & Climate, Normandy Region

Zoe Buyle-Bodin is EU policy advisor in charge of Research & Innovation, Climate Action and Energy portfolios at the Brussels office of Normandie Region. Member of the Horizon Europe Climate & Energy NCP team, she is also coleading the ERRIN/European Regions Research & Innovation Network Adaptation Task Force. She holds a master’s degree in Political Science from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Lille and a MA in European Political and Governance Studies from the College of Europe.