Dr. Voravate is a key figure in capacity building programs for public sector organizations in developing countries. He leads teams in training and development across various critical areas. With a strong history of collaboration with multinational and international organizations, as well as non-governmental entities, he offers valuable advisory services.

Previously, Dr. Voravate directed impactful projects, including evaluating a physical education initiative for children with disabilities, funded by the IKEA Foundation and Special Olympic International. Dr. Voravate’s expertise extends to World Bank projects and human resource development in Laos. He maintains extensive partnerships with governmental and organizational bodies, providing advisory support to diverse entities. Holding degrees in Soil Science and Regional and Rural Development Planning, he is well-versed in this field.

He holds a B.Sc. in Soil Science fromKing’s Mongkut Institute of Technology Lad Krabang (KMITL) and an M.Sc. in Regional and Rural Development Planning from AIT School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD).

Dr. Belford s a Senior Lecturer at the University of The Gambia, with expertise in Economic Development, Economic Policy Analysis, and Economic Theory in developing countries. Dr. Belford has also worked as a Business Relations Officer at Standard Chartered Bank in The Gambia.He graduated with a degree in Economics and Management from the University of Gambia and holds a specialization in Agricultural Economics from the National Taiwan University and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Among his numerous publications, Dr. Belford has authored papers on topics such as:

• The Effect of Agricultural Technology Transfer on Zimbabwe’s Economic Development: A Dynamic Global Trade Analysis Project Approach
• An Assessment of the Level of Access to Eye Health Care Services: A Case Study of OneSight – Gambia

Luís Veiga Martins has a degree in Economics from Universidade Católica Portuguesa, and an MBA in Management with a specialization in Marketing, from the same University. He is the Executive Director of CIFAL Cascais and is also the Director of Sustainability at Nova School of Business and Economics, Chair of the PRME Chapter Iberia. He also carries out consultancy activities at the national and international levels. He was the General Director of CELPA – Paper Industry Association, General Director of Sociedade Ponto Verde, and President of PRO Europe, the European Association of Packaging Management Entities. Previously, he was sales director for the Portucel Soporcel group (currently The Navigator Company). His professional experience has allowed him to develop a set of skills in different fields such as sustainable development, corporate governance, business development and activities, and Public Affairs, among others.

Mr. Rafael Santos holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Municipal Management and Administrative Law from the University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. He also holds a Diploma in International Cooperation, accredited by the Training Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a Diploma in City Management and Administration from Xiangxi University Vocational College of Foreign Studies in China.

With over 10 years of experience in academic and training fields, Mr. Santos has served as a facilitator and coordinator of training programs at the National Cooperative School (ENECOOP) since 2014. He has a strong background in international relations, having managed the Dominican Municipal League’s international relations for over three years and served as Deputy Director of Training and Education for Local Governments at the LMD.

Mr. Santos was Director of Cooperation with Local Governments under the Administrative Ministry of the Presidency from 2020 to 2023. He is currently the President of the Board of Directors of the Cooperative of Employees of the National Palace.

In addition to his public service career, Mr. Santos has over a decade of experience in insurance brokerage, with in-depth knowledge of the General Insurance Law 146-02, Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Law 155-17, and Social Security Law 87-01. He holds licenses from the Superintendence of Insurance and the Superintendence of Health and Occupational Risks. Fluent in English, Mr. Santos is recognized f or his expertise across multiple sectors and his dedication to local governance and development.

Dr Mpilo Ngubane serves as the Executive Director of CIFAL Durban. He also leads the Skills Development Unit of the eThekwini Municipality in South Africa, responsible for the learning and development of employees within the City and communities that are citizens of the municipal area. Leads knowledge management and best practice sharing programmes in the African continent.

Dr Ngubane has a vast experience in local government management, having held the positions of Municipal Manager at the uMngeni Municipality (2012-2014) Deputy Municipal Manager for Corporate Services at the uMsunduzi Municipality (2012), and Municipal Manager at the Mandeni Municipality (2006-2011).

Currently, he also serves as Chair of the KZN Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) and NEC member of the Institute of Local Government Managers (ILGM), a professional body for Local Government Managers.

He Lectures and Author of several research papers. His community involvement includes facilitating the establishment of mechanisms that enhance service delivery to the community and coordinating and conducting training for the community to enhance their participation in the mandates of the Municipality.

Dr Ngubane holds a Doctoral Degree in Public Administration from the University of Durban-Westville. His area of specialization includes service delivery, a Master of Business Administration from Buckinghamshire University College in the UK, and a Master of Arts – Applied Linguistics from the University of Natal (KZN). He earned a Post-Graduate Diploma in Labor Law at the University of Johannesburg and is currently completing a Master of Philosophy in Labour Law and Employment Relations from the University of Johannesburg.

Strategic and results-driven networker with a very good knowledge of the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders, the French-speaking region of Wallonia and the multilingual Brussels-Capital Region in Belgium and of the Brussels-based international organizations and institutions.

Between 2000 and 2002, Mr. Wollaert developed and implemented the strategic plan for the Brussels-based social profit organization KAURI, the largest network on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Belgium. From 2002 to 2012 he has led on a weekly basis, trainings, seminars, debates, conferences, network-events, company-visits, and cross talks with NGOs tackling all possible topics in the field of CSR.

In August 2013, he was appointed as Manager of the Forum for Social Entrepreneurship of Vlerick Business School. He is also Lecturer at the Vlerick Business School in the fields of Business Ethics and CSR, and teaching to all Masters in General & Marketing Management.

Dr. Gail Grabowsky is Dean of the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and a Professor of  Environmental Science and Studies at Chaminade University.  Dr. Grabowsky has been the Director of Chaminade’s Environmental Studies Program since its inception in 2000. She has published an award-winning book: ‘50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save Hawaii’ and appeared as a “science character” in National Geographic/Sea Studios’ series: The Shape of Life. Dr. Grabosky was appointed by Governors Cayetano and Lingle to serve on the State’s Environmental Council for eight years, the last two as Chair.

She has also helped advise on policy and education as a member of the Advisory Council for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve, now known as Papahanaumokuakea National Marine Monument a World Heritage site in Hawaii.

Prof. Çisil Sohodol is a distinguished faculty member at Bahçeşehir University’s Faculty of Communication. She holds a BA, MA, and PhD in communication from Ege University. Her academic focus encompasses corporate communication, reputation management, crisis communication, and sustainability communication. In addition to her academic pursuits, she is a columnist for various sectoral magazines and newspapers.

Prof. Sohodol directs the Bahçeşehir University Social Impact and Responsibility Center, overseeing projects aligned with the university’s vision of excellence in social impact. As the Director of the Quality Executive Board, she leads the university’s quality management and accreditation processes. She is also responsible for Bahçeşehir University’s sustainability ranking systems and its commitments to the UN Global Compact. Additionally, she represents the university on the Impact Investment Platform. Additionally, she continues her efforts as a Board Member and the Head of the Media and Communication Committee at the Artificial Intelligence and Technology Association.

Ambassador Byung Hwa CHUNG received a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea (1985), M.A. in Politics from University of Massachusetts, Amherst, U.S.A. (1994), Ph.D. in Public Administration from Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Korea (2017).

He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Republic of Korea in 1987. For the period between 1995 and 2002, he was appointed to serve at the Korean Embassy in the U.S.A. and then Ethiopia.

At the Bilateral Trade Bureau (MOFAT), he served as Director for North American Trade Division in 2003.

Then, between 2005 and 2007, he served as Counsellor to the Korean Permanent Mission to the United Nations and International Organizations in Geneva, Switzerland.

Later on, in 2008, he worked as Minister-Counsellor at Korean Embassy in Yemen. He also served as Deputy Director-General for Multilateral Trade Bureau (MOFAT) in 2011, and as Director-General for Multilateral Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in 2013.

In 2017, he was appointed as Minister at the Korean Embassy in the Kingdom of Belgium and Korean Mission to the European Union. He also served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Slovak Republic in 2018, and Consul-General at the Korean Consulate General in New York, U.S.A. in 2021.

Ambassador Byung Hwa CHUNG currently serves as the sixth Director of UNITAR CIFAL Jeju / Jeju International Training Center (JITC).

Dr. Willy Mugenzi is the Managing Director of Yes Africa Ltd, a role he has held for over 10 years. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Communications from the National University of Rwanda, and a specialized Master’s degree in Media, Peace, and Conflict Studies from the University for Peace. Dr. Mugenzi also has a PhD in Peace and Conflict Studies, further solidifying his expertise in the field.

James has over 25 years of dedicated experience and expertise in global business services, sustainability, impact investment and finance. He co-founded and is currently the CEO of global business services company, ADEC Innovations, focused on Sustainability, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), Resiliency, Adaptability and Impact. Under his strategic guidance, ADEC Innovations has grown to encompass 4000 employees across 6 continents. Committed to promoting sustainable development and ensuring a meaningful impact on a global scale, he consistently demonstrates the harmonious balance between achieving business success and upholding environmental responsibility in both his professional and personal endeavours.

As a sustainable development advocate, he works closely with different United Nations (UN) agencies, including the United Nations South-South Cooperation and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) on various programs, initiatives and publications, focusing on ESG, sustainability and climate change. He was awarded the 2014 United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation Visionary Award. He is the Coordinating Lead Author of the Data and Knowledge Chapter of UNEP’s 6th edition of the Global Environment Outlook 6 (GEO-6).

She has worked within the maritime industry and academia, served as the managing partner of a ship-owning company and acted as a Board Member of the Turkish Chamber of Shipping and a member of the Board of Governors at Piri Reis University. She is a board of trustee member of the Turkish Maritime Education Foundation.

Professor Akdemir was awarded a PhD from De Montfort University with the thesis “Improving Supply Forecasting within the Shipping Industry”; the forecasting model developed in this programme of study made use of neural networks and employed novel methods to identify sudden changes in the market. It provided a mechanism of corrective action when the fluctuations in the market were considered excessive.

Over the last six years, Ignacio has been responsible for the launching and implementation of the Jarama Circuit 2021 Plan, a comprehensive masterplan that seeks to ensure that the emblematic Jarama Circuit retains its historical role on the Mobility and Motorsport scene, thanks to a vast investment program; the remodeling of its entire infrastructures, facilities and services; new marketing and commercialization strategies; the revitalization of RACE Driving Academy activities and courses; and the design of products and experiences specially tailored to the Automotive Meetings & Events market.

As RACE Foundation Director, Ignacio is leading the RACE Foundation Restructuring Plan which implies the full involvement of RACE Foundation in Mobility & Road Safety Programs through the development of new strategies and projects -including CIFAL Madrid RACE, the first United Nations’ Road Safety Training Centre in the World managed by RACE-, the promotion of institutional initiatives and awareness campaigns, the introduction of Road Safety as part of the CSR initiatives of large corporations and the implementation of Mobility Plans for municipalities and corporations across the country.

In the past, he has the honor of serving as General Manager of Madrid 2020 Foundation, the Executive Committee for the Madrid 2020 Olympic Bid, chaired by the Mayor of Madrid and created at the initiative of the Spanish Olympic Committee. He was also Chief Executive Officer of Madrid Visitors & Convention Bureau, responsible of the formulation and implementation of the successive strategic tourism plans for the city of Madrid that were designed to make the city more tourism – oriented. As General Manager of the Public – Private Partnership Office of the Madrid City Council, he launched a pioneer platform for the proper planning and involvement of the private sector in the public issues of the city, including those related to urban planning and mobility.

At his various career stages, Ignacio has been a member of different public and private bodies. He was the Madrid City Council representative for the World Tourism Organization (WTO) as well as the Madrid City representative for the World Expo 2010 Shanghai focused on the best urban planning practices around the world. He is currently a member of the Executive Committee of the Spanish Automobile Federation and a deputy member of the International Historical Commission of the FIA.

Ms. Deborah Salafranca is the Director of CIFAL Málaga and an Economic Policy lecturer at the University of Málaga. She has been with CIFAL Málaga for over six years, serving as a project manager. During her tenure, CIFAL Málaga has successfully led projects such as the Green Helmets. Ms. Salafranca holds a specialization in International Cooperation from the University of Málaga, further enhancing her expertise in global development initiatives.

He is the President of ACI-LAC (the Latin American and Caribbean chapter of the Airports Council International). Administrator of Mérida Airport (1995 – 2006) and Director of Regional Airport Operations. Researcher on projects for the OAS (Organization of American States). Director of CULTUR (Culture and Tourism) of the Yucatán State Government.

Héctor Navarrete is from Mérida, Yucatán. He holds a degree in Economics from the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán. He is a lecturer at several universities in America and Europe, teaching courses in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. He has also held a range of positions in the academic, public and private sectors.

Ms. Maricarmen Estrada has extensive experience managing complex government and privately funded international development programs across Latin America and the Caribbean, including in restricted-access environments. She has demonstrated executive expertise in designing, implementing, and monitoring initiatives in public health (HIV, reproductive health, family planning), human rights, democracy and governance, citizen security, migration, youth development, and humanitarian assistance. Ms. Estrada excels in building relationships and consensus among diverse stakeholders, including international donors, national and local governments, civil society organizations, and academia. She also has significant experience administering U.S. federal awards (e.g., USAID, DRL) and collaborating with UN agencies such as UNAIDS, UNDP, IOM, WFP, UNICEF, and WHO/PAHO.

Ms. Ihuoma Njemanze has over Fourteen years of experience in programme management and the successful implementation of donor-funded projects at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). She is part of the Nigeria Project Office (NPO) which was launched in 2006 in Port Harcourt and has spearheaded numerous projects focused on technical skills development for youth, tackling plastic waste pollution through waste to wealth schemes, capacity building for civil service administration, and livelihood training for women and girls affected by oil mining and pollution in the Niger Delta region. She is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Humanitarian Studies and Social Development and holds a first degree in Geography from the University of Port Harcourt as well as a Professional Master’s Degree in Disaster Risk Management and Development Studies.

Prior to her graduate studies in Korea, Prof. Palumbarit studied at the Asian Center, UP Diliman with Korea as her country of specialization. She is currently an Associate Professor at the Asian Center, University of the Philippines, Diliman.

Her research interests and areas of expertise include Korean Studies, Filipino migration to Korea, Environmental politics, and Korean and Southeast Asia issues.

Mr. Artur Zieliński is a graduate of Warsaw University of Technology with a degree in environmental engineering. He has also completed post-graduate studies in the European Financial, Economic and Legal Relations at the Warsaw School of Economics and in the Human Resource Management at the University of Warsaw.

He held management positions at PKN Orlen S.A., has been a member of the Board at the Handball Section of Wisła Płock sport club and worked on municipal sanitation network projects at Płock Waterworks.

For over a year now, he has been involved in the City’s investments, as the head of the Investment and Renovation Department.

He is skilled in Management, Quality Assurance, Engineering Management, Graph Theory, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Strong education professional with a Doctorate of Philosophy focused on Computational Science and Engineering from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

His work mainly focuses on education and management of information technology, research and planning on informatization applications, E-governance and knowledge management, cooperative projects on training and communication with United Nations and other international organizations.

Between 1997 and 2000, He was the Deputy Chief and Chief at the Divisions of Training, Development Planning, and Cooperation of Shanghai Municipal Informatization Commission, Shanghai Municipal Informatization Office, and Shanghai Info Port.

Mr. Wang is a Researcher at the Institute of Information and Science of the Shanghai Academy of Social Science (SASS), Guest Researcher at Shanghai Normal University, and Advisory Committee Member of the TCDC/ECDC Network in China, United Nations Development Program. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

In his research pursuits, Dr. Switzer explores into critical areas such as catastrophic marine inundation events (like tsunamis or large storms), sea level changes, and the evolution of coral reefs and tropical coastal systems. He acquired his BSc and PhD in Geosciences from the University of Wollongong, Australia, and furthered his research through an Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong fellowship at The University of Hong Kong. Adam is widely recognized as an expert in coastal science, particularly in the study of coastal hazards and Quaternary geology, where he applies diverse geophysical and geological techniques to study and reconstruct environmental changes in coastal systems across various Asian countries. His ultimate aim is to contribute to the development of safer and more sustainable communities in Asia through his research program at the Earth Observatory of Singapore, engaging in collaborations with individuals from ten Asian nations.

Ms. Vashakidze has consulted on various sustainable development issues governments, non-governmental organizations, the World Bank Group, UNDP in South-East Asia, UNICEF in NYC and Bolivia. She has chaired and been active on various public and non-profit boards, among them chairpersonship of GEF that promotes philanthropic work in Eastern Europe, and of the EFN that unites ten partner foundations and data-tanks from the US, Europe, and Eurasia.

Ms. Vashakidze holds advanced degrees in Social and Economic Geography, Environmental Management, and International Development from Columbia, Edinburgh, and Tbilisi State Universities. She obtained an EMBA in Global Management jointly issued by LSE, NYU, and HEC Paris and is currently pursuing an Advanced Leadership Initiative Fellowship at Harvard University.

Dr. Tremblay has an active research portfolio as a community engaged scholar with expertise in participatory action research, arts-based methods and decolonizing methodologies with a special focus on water and land stewardship, community mapping and livelihood enhancement.  Dr. Tremblay is the PI of the SSHRC funded Partnership Development Grant ‘Indigenous Knowledge Bridging of Land and Water Governance in Tanzania and Canada’ and Co-PI of several grants including Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) ‘Nature-based Climate Solution (NBCS) Community Toolkit for Climate and Water Security’, the BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund (BCSRIF) ‘UAV Habitat Mapping to Inform Salmon Stewardship’ working in partnership with the First Nations Fisheries Council, and the New Frontiers in Research Fund Transformation 2020 ‘ BIOSCAN’, a global biosurveillance system for biodiversity science and policy.

Dr. Asgary is an expert in disaster, emergency, and business continuity management. He has been actively involved in research, teaching, and professional activities in these fields since 1993. His research has been published in leading disaster and emergency management journals including Disasters, International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, International Journal of Disaster Science, Disaster Prevention and Management, Environmental Hazards, International Journal of Emergency Management, International Journal of Business Continuity and Risk Management, Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, and International Journal of Emergency Services among others. He was among the funding faculty members who started the first university program in Disaster and Emergency Management in Canada at Brandon University in 2003 and later among the funding faculty members who started Disaster and Emergency Management at York University. Dr. Asgary served as the IAEM Canada president between 2007-2009 and as a board member of IAEM during the same period. He has led as a PI, Co-PI, and collaborator in many research projects funded by different agencies including NSERC, GEOIDE, SSHRC, PreCarn, CIHR, NFRF, ORF, Transport Canada, Public Safety Canada, Welcome Trust, IDRC, and DRDC. Since 2015 Dr. Asgary has been the executive director of York University’s Advanced Disaster, Emergency and Rapid-response Simulation (ADERSIM). His research interests include post-disaster recovery and reconstruction, business continuity and risk assessment, disaster and emergency simulations and modeling, applications of AI, VR, AR, and MR, and geomatics in disaster and emergency management, and cost-benefit analysis and decision-making under uncertainty.