Archives

Graham has worked in social services in the UK, USA, and since 1988, in Sweden. His experience has covered a wide area of social services including child protection, substance misuse, foster care and social assistance. He has been actively involved in activities organised by the European Social Network ESN) for over 15 years, including European-funded projects and is a current vice-chair of the Board of ESN. He has held positions within the management of social services, is a former Director of Social Services and is a member of the Board of the Swedish Association of Social Services Directors (FSS). Currently, he is co-opted to the Board of FSS as a European representative and was nominated by FSS to continue his appointment on the ESN Board earlier this year. Other appointments include acting as an FSS representative on the Board of the National Association of Social Workers. Outside the field of social work, Graham enjoys travelling, gardening and dividing his time between Sweden and his homeland, Wales. Football is top on the list of his sports interests.

Maria Conceição Zagalo, born in Portugal in October 1952, has had a distinguished career spanning over three decades at IBM. Joining the company in June 1973, she held various leadership roles in Customer Engineering, Marketing, Sales, and Communications. Notably, she managed Marketing, Communications, and Citizenship and served on the IBM Portugal Board before retiring in April 2011 following an executive assignment in Vietnam. In 2004, she founded the IBM Portugal Women Leadership Council.

Currently, Conceição is deeply engaged in volunteer and pro bono work. She serves as the President of the General Assembly for several NGOs, acts as a counselor for various associations, and teaches MBA courses at a business school. Additionally, she was a City Council Member for Lisbon during the 2017 mandate.

Conceição is committed to advancing gender equality and is involved in various communication, corporate social responsibility, and business forums. Her personal interests include family, jogging, traveling, reading, cooking, and gardening. Throughout her career, she has earned numerous accolades from diverse organizations.

Kai Leichsenring is Executive Director at the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, Vienna, since 2016. His background is in Political Sciences/Social Policy (Dr.phil., University of Vienna) and Organisational Development Consultancy. He specialised in comparative and applied social research and policy consultancy with a focus on population ageing, health and long-term care, and related issues such as governance and financing, quality management, labour conditions, user involvement and informal care. Apart from coordinating many national and European R&D projects, he collaborated with a number of regional and national governments, and international agencies (UNECE, OECD, WHO, Worldbank, UNDP). He has represented the research community at the UNECE Standing Working Group on Ageing and its Bureau since 2016. Moreover, he designed and facilitated workshops, conferences and trainings, and published a wide range of reports, books and articles, e.g. ‘A Research Agenda for Ageing and Social Policy’ (Ed. With A. Sidorenko), Cheltenham 2024: Edward Elgar.

Rui Jorge Santos was born in 1979 in Cascais, Portugal. He holds a degree in Sociology and has been employed at Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa since 2005. This institution, which has been active for 526 years, is dedicated to upholding social values and supporting important causes, particularly aiding the most vulnerable individuals.

After spending 8 years focusing on professional training for young people who have dropped out school, Rui Jorge Santos has, since 2013, been involved in planning and overseeing social interventions for vulnerable populations. His work specifically targets areas such as support for the elderly, people with disabilities, the homeless, and individuals in need of therapeutic assistance.

Miguel Luís Ferreira Soares is a dedicated and highly qualified professional with a degree in Sociology from ISCTE and additional training in Civil Emergency Planning. Since the beginning of his career in 2004 at the National Council for Civil Emergency Planning, he has demonstrated a continuous commitment to security and civil protection, later joining the Lisbon City Council as a Senior Technician, where he coordinated important projects.

Over the years, he has held various prominent positions at the Lisbon City Council, including technical advisory roles to municipal directors and councillors, contributing to the implementation of essential policies such as the Municipal Commission for Combating Food Waste. From 2018 to 2022, he was Head of the Division for Relations with Parish Councils, and in 2023, he became Director of the Department for Social Rights, where he continues to play a crucial role in developing inclusive social policies.

In addition to his extensive practical experience, Miguel Luís Ferreira Soares also has a strong presence in academia, teaching modules on Civil Emergency Planning and Civil Protection in Postgraduate and master’s courses at the Nova University of Lisbon and ISLA. His combination of practical experience and commitment to education makes him an example of professional excellence in the field of security and civil protection.

Marcel is currently working as director of the (Dutch) Association of Professionals Public Social Domain. Craftsmanship and professionalisation have been his main interest during his career, both as manager and as consultant of organisational development. He has studied Business Administration and Economics. He lives in Amsterdam with his wife and one of his children.

Joaquim Ascensão Pequicho was born in 1973 in Nazaré. He has a degree in Sociology, specializing in Social Exclusion, and has a master’s degree in management, as well as a postgraduate qualification in Social Economy and Law and Social Investment. In the field of Social Economy, Joaquim serves as the President of CERCINA, a Social Solidarity Cooperative. He is also the Vice-President and Executive Administrator of FENACERCI, the federative entity of CERCI institutions.

Additionally, Joaquim is the Vice-President and Director of CONFECOOP, the Confederation of the Cooperative Sector. He is an active member of the board of directors for ARFIE, a European organization that develops research and training for professionals in the disability field. He also sits on the board of the European Cooperative Organisation (CECOP) for the industry and services sector.

Joaquim has played a significant role in strengthening Confecoop’s representation in various forums, notably serving as Secretary of the Board of the General Assembly for CASES – Cooperativa António Sérgio para a Economia Social.

Sari Tervonen has been the Executive Director of Carers Finland since 2018, an advocacy and support association for carers, care recipients, and volunteers involved in family caregiving.

With over 30 years of experience in social and healthcare organizations, Sari has developed extensive expertise in advocacy, development, and fundraising. Her previous roles include Executive Director of the Finnish Epilepsy Association (2005-2018) and Chief of Development at the Finnish Alzheimer Association (1999-2005). Additionally, she has worked in providing services to people with disabilities and guiding individuals with learning disabilities.

Currently, Sari serves as a member of the committee of the National Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organizations and as a Board Member of the Finnish Association of Private Care Providers. She has also held various positions of trust in national social and healthcare organizations, including Board Member, Finnish Federation for Social Affairs and Health (2013-2018), Ombudsman and Board Member, Finnish Epilepsy Research Foundation (2005-2018), Founding Member and Board Member, Finnish Brain Council (2012-2013), Vice Chair (2008-2013) and Chair (2014-2017), Aspa Foundation, Vice Chair, Aspa Ltd (2014-2017)

At the international level, Sari Tervonen has held significant positions such as Vice Chair (2018) and Chair (2009-2023), Eurocarers, Secretary General, International Bureau for Epilepsy (2013-2017), Non-voting Board Member, International League Against Epilepsy (2013-2017)

Sari holds a master’s degree in education from the University of Turku (1986-1991) and an MBA from the University of Tampere (2018-2021).

Dr Ruth Allen has been Chief Executive of the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) since April 2016.  In April 2024 she was also elected as President of the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) – Europe Region. She represents IFSW and is an elected leader within the Council of Europe’s International NGO section (CINGO) focusing on children and young people’s rights, member empowerment and promotion of social rights.

Previously, Ruth was Director of Social Work at South West London & St Georges’ Mental Health NHS Trust in London UK, a researcher with St George’s University of London, and Director of Social Care at Hertfordshire Mental Health NHS Trust. She started her social work career in 1994 as a practitioner and latterly a manager in integrated health, social care and homelessness services. She has held a range of practice, development, leadership and policy roles. Her professional social work career – including academic and other writing as well as national policy work – has focused particularly on human rights, social justice and self-determination in mental health and related fields, and workplace wellbeing.

Dr Allen holds a BA Hons in Geography from Oxford. She holds master’s degree in social work, a CQSW and a Professional Doctorate in Professional Education from the University of Sussex, and a post-graduate diploma in applied systemic practice. She is currently undertaking a qualification in leadership coaching.

Naiara Artaza is the Head of the Nagusi Intelligence Center (NIC) and an adviser for social care strategic projects at the Cabinet Office of the Government of Biscay. With over 25 years of experience in health and social care systems, Naiara has extensive expertise in healthcare and social care management and policy reform.

She holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Health Economics, Policy, and Management from the London School of Economics (LSE), a certificate in Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley, a bachelor’s degree in Law, and a Specialist Diploma in Economics from Deusto University.

NIC is dedicated to fostering a new sector focused on aging, health, and long-term care. It serves as a platform for public-private collaboration, aiming to turn the challenges of an aging population into opportunities for economic and social development.

Expertise:

• Long-Term Care (LTC) Policy
• LTC Reforms
• Governance and Organization of LTC Systems
• Health and Social Care Integration/Coordination
• Silver Economy Strategic Design
• Economics of Aging

Connect with Naiara on LinkedIn.