Speakers

Dr. Charlotte Van Tuyckom is an Innovation Manager at the Sports Innovation Campus and a lecturer in sport sociology and innovation at LUNEX (Luxembourg) and Howest University of Applied Sciences (Belgium).

Her work explores how sport, play, and digital innovation can respond to contemporary societal challenges, with a particular focus on generational dynamics and Generation Z.

Through research, teaching, and applied projects, she investigates how sport and (exer)games can act as powerful connectors between generations, fostering inclusion, mutual understanding, and social cohesion.

She strongly believes in Sport for All as a shared space where generations meet, learn from one another, and build bridges towards a more equitable and harmonious society.

Fiona Chambers is a Professor of Education, Sport and Innovation at University College Cork in Ireland, bringing over 30 years of transformative experience to the role.

Throughout her career, she has held many positions of note, including her current roles as President and Chair of the Board of Directors of the International Association for Research in Physical Education in Higher Education (AIESEP), Vice President of the European Council for Research in Physical Education and School Sports (CEREPS), Senior Advisor to the UNESCO Global Observatory for Gender Equality and Sport, Observer to the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for Physical Education and Sport (CIGEPS), and member of the Sport Ireland Coaching Committee.

She is the co-founder of the global movement to bring physical education into OECD PISA – #PE4PISA.

She was the recipient of the inaugural Women in Business in Sport Award at the Irish Sport Industry Awards in 2023 and was named one of the Sport for Business “50 Women of Influence in Irish Sport” in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Fiona is also a government-appointed member of the Board of Directors of Sport Ireland.

Prof. Marion Keim, DPhil. LLB is the UNESCO Chair of Sport, Development and Peace (SDP) and Olympic Education based at the University of the Western Cape. Her teaching and research and community engagement areas focus on sport and development, leadership, conflict transformation, multiculturalism, youth development and sport as a means for social transformation and peace building.

She is the Chairperson of the Foundation for Sport, Development and Peace and an Advocate of the High Court of South Africa, certified in Mediation and Sports Law. She has coordinated numerous national and international sport and development projects for UNESCO, IOC, IPC, GIZ, FIFA and the Commonwealth.

Prof. Marion Keim served as member of the National Advisory Committee for Sport and of the Eminent Person’s Group for Sport and Transformation for the Minister of Sport in South Africa and on the Education and Training Commission of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee.

Since 2014 she has served on the IOC Education Commission and as President of the South African Pierre de Coubertin Committee. In 2024 she was elected Secretary General of the Association of National Pierre de Coubertin Committees of Africa. She was also elected Chairperson for Sportanddev in 2024 as well as the Co-chair of UNESCO’s global Fit for Life Knowledge Innovation Network. Marion facilitates and lectures globally, she is the author, co-author, compiler and editor of more than 30 books and serves on numerous international Sport Peace and Education boards.

Lilamani de Soysa is an international expert in sport management, gender equality in sport, and the development of Sport for All initiatives.

She has worked with several major international sport organizations, including the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and the European Table Tennis Union (ETTU), where she has contributed to the strategic development of sport, the organization of major sporting events, and programs supporting youth and women in sport.

Within the Tsukuba International Academy for Sport Studies (TIAS), established as part of the legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, she developed international cooperation between sport federations, universities and organizations and taught in the field of gender and sport.

She is a member of UNESCO consultative structures and is actively involved in initiatives promoting gender equality in sport.

As a former international table tennis player and a member of executive bodies of several international organizations, she brings together academic research, practical sport management experience and international cooperation in sport.

Wolfgang Baumann graduated in Sports Economics, Sports Science and English Language at the Universities of Bonn, Bayreuth and Stirling (Scotland). He is elected TAFISA President since 2022, which follows his tenure as TAFISA Secretary General since 2005.

He is the former Executive Director of the German Sports Federation (DSB, now DOSB) and the Sport Marketing Agency Deutsche Sport Partner GmbH.

He has contributed to and developed various international and national Sport for All programs and campaigns. His main working areas are targeted participation programs, marketing and management of Sport for All and comparative studies of Sport for All internationally. He has been consultant for Sport for All in more than 50 countries and invited as a speaker to numerous congresses and seminars worldwide. He has published on the topic in magazines, professional journals and books.

His international positions include his seat on the IOC Olympism365 Commission, and till 2021 he was the elected Vice President of the International Council of Sports Sciences and Physical Education (ICSSPE). In 2015 he was appointed member of High-Level Advisory Group of the EU Sport Commissioner. In 2022 he was appointed by the Vatican representative of the Holy See at the Council of Europe.

He is married and has three daughters. His hobbies are sport (golf, skiing, tennis, soccer) and music (plays saxophone in a jazz band). As a volunteer he worked for many years in the church council of his local Catholic church.

Katongo Bwalya is a Lecturer in Physical Education and Sport at the University of Zambia and Executive Chairperson of the National Organisation for Women in Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation (NOWSPAR). She holds a BSc in Physical Education and Sport (Cuba), an MA in Sport Management (UK), and a PhD in Physical Education and Sport (Zambia). With over 15 years of experience across public and private sectors, her work focuses on sport for development, particularly advancing opportunities for girls and marginalized communities in Southern Africa. Katongo has contributed to regional and international sport leadership initiatives through collaborations with organizations including TAFISA, AUSC Region 5, and ICSSPE. A 2018 Mandela Washington Fellow, she is committed to promoting gender equity and social inclusion through sport, alongside her work in research, curriculum development, and international teaching.

Shortly after earning his medical degree in Barcelona (1972), Dr Cusi moved to Sydney, Australia. He taught at the University of NSW and served as Deputy Master of Warrane College there. He later worked in General Practice for ten years before becoming a Sports Medicine Specialist. He was the Medical Officer of the junior (U19) Australian Rugby Union team, and served as a Medical Officer at the 2003 Rugby World Cup and the 2015 Asian Football Cup. He was a Medical Officer of the Australian Olympic Program, in addition to running a busy Sports Medicine Medical practice. On returning to his native Barcelona, he has continued his medical and education work. He is a Consultant to the Fundació Brafa, where he is involved with the Bchampion programme, designed to help coaches of junior sports teams (5 to 16) help their players to develop the 20 leadership competencies through team sports.

After having graduated with a degree in Diplomacy and International Organisations Management in Paris, he has pursued his professional career in countries such as Canada (French Consulate in Quebec), France (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and Belgium (European Commission), and finally in Spain, where he has been responsible for the European Union programme at national level (FORCE) and has worked as a consultant on the management and administration of projects co-financed by the European Commission.

More recently, he founded A.I.E. Deportres Eventos Deportivos 2015 and, from November 2016 to October 2019, he was a member and secretary of the board of the NGO ‘Sport for Education and Health’.

He is currently Secretary General of the European Pickleball Federation, Vice President of the Spanish Pickleball Association and head of the international department at the Instituto España se Mueve.

He is also a member of the Madrid Sports Press Association and of AIPS (International Sports Press Association).

Stanislas has served as Executive Secretary of the Council of Europe’s Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) following its creation in 2007. Since 2025 he is also responsible for the Sport Conventions. During his tenure he has led key initiatives, co-ordinated the negotiation of numerous standards and overseen the drafting of the Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions (the “Macolin Convention”) as well as the organisation of Ministerial Conferences. From 2021 to 2025 he chaired the Council of Europe’s Staff Committee. He joined the Council in 2003, working on the Anti-Doping and Spectator Violence Conventions, and liaising with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), UNESCO and international sports federations, among others. Prior to this, he worked as an NGO leader, trainer and consultant in the youth, refugee and environmental sectors.

Iva Glibo is a Research Manager at the Global Observatory for Gender Equality & Sport in Lausanne, where she leads international research initiatives advancing gender equality and inclusion in and through sport. She brings extensive cross-sector experience spanning academia, advocacy, non-governmental and international sport organisations. Her work focuses on sustainability, sport for development, and governance, with particular expertise in evaluating and designing initiatives that promote equality, participation, and more sustainable sport systems. Iva holds a doctorate in strategic sustainable development in sport organisations and contributes to global dialogue through knowledge translation, with a focus on bridging the gap between research and practice.

Rita Horváth and Lilla Szekeres are both dedicated professionals committed to promoting active lifestyles and strengthening the social value of sport and recreation in Hungary. With strong academic backgrounds in physical education, recreation, and health promotion, they contribute to national-level initiatives that support physical activity and healthy lifestyles.

Rita’s career is primarily connected to sport development and a wide range of sport-related projects. As a ski instructor and a pioneer of Nordic walking in Hungary, she has been actively involved in training and instructing, while also contributing to community building. She has gained significant experience in the implementation of national and international sporting events, as well as EU-funded projects.

Lilla represents the practical and community-focused side of recreation and health promotion. She has been actively involved in volunteer coordination at international sports events, workplace health initiatives, and public participation programs. As a fitness instructor, she maintains direct engagement with participants, motivating people across different age groups to stay active.

What unites them is their shared role at the State Secretariat for Active Hungary, where they work on programs targeting different segments of society while pursuing a common goal: fostering a healthier, more active population. Both place strong emphasis on connecting generations, ensuring that initiatives support not only specific groups but society as a whole.

Anca-Maria Ionescu is the Manager of the Romania BeActive initiative within the National Agency for Sport, overseeing the national implementation of the European Week of Sport. She coordinates large‑scale events, strategic partnerships, and nationwide awareness campaigns promoting physical activity and healthy lifestyles. As an Erasmus+ Ambassador, she serves as a trainer and evaluator and leads the Service for Non‑Reimbursable Funds Projects and Administration of Sports Heritage Assets, where she contributes to the development, management, and monitoring of EU‑funded programmes.

With more than 13 years of experience in drafting and implementing European projects, Anca has contributed to over 100 initiatives in fields such as education, sport, youth, culture, and innovation. She has built strong collaborations between NGOs, public institutions, local authorities, and private partners, facilitating access to European funding and the exchange of best practices. Her work focuses on strengthening community engagement and enhancing the long‑term impact of sport‑related initiatives.

In her current role, Jana is responsible for the management of the Sports for Nature Initiative’s Executive Team, capacity building, and strategic partnerships. Hosted by the IUCN, the Executive Team ensures day-to-day operations of the Initiative, including engaging Sports for Nature members in the Frameworks activities, and helping develop sports’ capacity to champion nature and contribute to its protection and restoration.

Jana came into the role with extensive sustainability-in-sports expertise and capacity building and project management experience having worked on sustainability, public affairs and sport diplomacy in the Olympic movement (Czech Olympic Committee and the European Olympic Committees EU Office) for a decade.

With over two decades of competitive basketball experience under her belt, Jana still enjoys the occasional pick-up game, but you will find her more often in the great outdoors hiking, jogging or leading yoga classes.

Marieke Klösters is the director of Sports, Education and Culture of the City of Rotterdam and she is fully committed to contribute to equal opportunities for all the inhabitants. Under her leadership, Rotterdam’s sports policy is both developed and implemented, with a strong focus on addressing the needs of various target groups. Her extensive experience within the public sector leads to great results in the field of sports, always in collaboration with key partners in the city. She is passionate about “grassroots social work.” In Rotterdam, we call this the “sociale basis”. For residents, what matters goes beyond the sport or exercise itself. It’s about the added value and how the community can generate this itself with financial or practical support. As a council, we don’t want to stand in the way of this; rather, we want to empower residents.

Kevin Lebeurre is a sports executive specializing in strategic development and international cooperation. As a Board Member of the French Federation of Omnisports Clubs (FFCO), he designs and leads cooperation programs aimed at structuring and promoting sports participation, addressing key issues such as health, social cohesion, and inclusion.

Through his responsibilities, he actively contributes to national discussions on the role of sport in society, while developing partnerships and collaborative initiatives at an international level. His expertise is grounded in strong operational experience in managing large-scale sports projects, notably within the Union Sportive des Cheminots de France (USCF).

Committed to making sport accessible to all, he advocates for a vision where sport becomes a powerful driver of social impact, capable of addressing contemporary challenges, particularly those related to evolving lifestyles and the use of digital technologies.

Lee Huei Chern serves as Chief of Strategy Group at Sport Singapore, leading national sport strategies and policies while overseeing corporate planning, data and research, technology, and integrated communications. With over 25 years of experience in public and private sectors, she has been instrumental in positioning sport as a strategic national priority since joining Sport Singapore in 2012.

Huei Chern champions transformative strategies that advance citizen engagement and build foundations for an inclusive sport ecosystem. She spearheads a systems-wide approach to align government, industry, and community stakeholders, supporting Singapore's pioneering “Sport As Strategy” framework under Vision 2030 to leverage sport for social cohesion, economic development, and nation building.

She holds a Business Administration degree and has undertaken executive programmes at Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Cambridge Judge Business School, and MIT Sloan School of Management.

Stanislav is a Business Development and Entrepreneurship student at Brno University of Technology. He is a co-founder of Sportera, a mobile application focused on connecting people through sport and increasing the use of public sports facilities. Within the project, he is responsible for marketing communication and community growth.

Sportera enables users to find sports locations, join activities in real time, and participate in community events. At the same time, it generates anonymized data that help cities and public institutions make more effective decisions about investments in sports infrastructure.

At the TAFISA World Congress, he will speak as part of the “Navigating the Digital World” session, sharing insights on digital innovation in community sport.

After earning an MBA in the United States, Aya Noguchi played professional women’s soccer in Sweden. Following her retirement, she worked with an NGO in Zambia, promoting gender equality through sport. From 2015 to 2018, she served in the International Affairs Division of the Japan Sports Agency, focusing on international cooperation and women’s sport policy. Since 2018, she has worked as a university faculty member, and she is currently an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Arts and Literature at Seijo University, as well as Deputy Director of its International Research Center for Sport and Gender Equality. Since 2020, she has led the Japan Sports Agency–commissioned project “ASEAN-Japan Actions on Sport: Gender Equality.” She also founded Azitama Corp. in 2024 and the Azitama Non-Profit in 2026 to address social issues through sport.

Rohan Pereira is a sport and development practitioner working at the intersection of sport and social impact. He serves as Regional Trainer for the Girls Positive and Safe Coaching Pathway, contributing to the development of gender equitable sport globally. He currently serves as Product Manager at Sportz Village Foundation, where he focuses on designing and strengthening scalable sport-based programs that improve access and developmental outcomes for young people from underserved communities.

Rohan brings experience in research, program design and management, monitoring and evaluation, and capacity building, having supported organizations in building evidence-driven sport interventions. He is a Chevening Scholar and holds an MSc in Sport Management, Politics and International Development from Loughborough University. He is particularly interested in how sport can be leveraged to address systemic barriers to education and inclusion, and expand opportunities for young people from marginalized communities.

Shelley Roddie is based in Victoria on the west coast of Canada. She is the Manager of Major Events and Social Media at Sport for Life, where she supports the planning and delivery of events that bring together leaders across sport, health, and physical literacy.

Her backgraphy includes a range of professional and volunteer experiences in sport, health, and wellness, with a strong focus on youth engagement and increasing access to inclusive sport opportunities for all. She is passionate about creating environments that encourage participation, connection, and lifelong involvement in physical activity and sport.

Sport has always been an important part of her life. She enjoys staying active and spending time outdoors, whether running, swimming, or cycling.

Dr Ben Farai Sanders is the Executive Director of the International Platform on Sport and Development (sportanddev), a leading global platform for actors using sport in development. He is also Course Director for the massive open online course (MOOC) on Sport for Sustainable Development, developed with the Commonwealth Secretariat and Australian government, which has attracted over 11,000 learners from 204 countries and counting.

Ben has extensive practical and theoretical experience, including working with the United Nations, Commonwealth, FIFA, Laureus and many others, in designing, delivering and evaluating policies and programmes that use sport for development and peace, including the Sustainable Development Goals. He completed the first PhD by publication in Sport for Sustainable Development in Africa and has published academically and presented widely. He has worked in the non-profit sector, public sector and international development cooperation and is proudly South African.

Fernando Soria Hernández is a multidisciplinary professional specializing in communication, health promotion, project management, and organizational development. He is Secretary General of España se Mueve, a Spanish non-profit that promotes physical activity, health, and inclusion through sport nationally and internationally. He leads all initiatives, including participation in the SIMS Project and the CIRS initiative.

His career includes leadership roles in the pharmaceutical sector and the founding of the Instituto de Crecimiento Integral, combining healthcare, communication, and coaching expertise to deliver people-centered projects. Within SIMS, he leads EsM’s contribution to more inclusive sport systems in Europe.

España se Mueve focuses on awareness and multi-channel communication to make sport accessible to all. Through CIRS (Communication for Inclusive and Responsible Sport), it engages media professionals as active promoters of inclusion, diversity, and social change through sport.

Rita Horváth and Lilla Szekeres are both dedicated professionals committed to promoting active lifestyles and strengthening the social value of sport and recreation in Hungary. With strong academic backgrounds in physical education, recreation, and health promotion, they contribute to national-level initiatives that support physical activity and healthy lifestyles.

Rita’s career is primarily connected to sport development and a wide range of sport-related projects. As a ski instructor and a pioneer of Nordic walking in Hungary, she has been actively involved in training and instructing, while also contributing to community building. She has gained significant experience in the implementation of national and international sporting events, as well as EU-funded projects.

Lilla represents the practical and community-focused side of recreation and health promotion. She has been actively involved in volunteer coordination at international sports events, workplace health initiatives, and public participation programs. As a fitness instructor, she maintains direct engagement with participants, motivating people across different age groups to stay active.

What unites them is their shared role at the State Secretariat for Active Hungary, where they work on programs targeting different segments of society while pursuing a common goal: fostering a healthier, more active population. Both place strong emphasis on connecting generations, ensuring that initiatives support not only specific groups but society as a whole.

Aurélie Van Hoye is Professor at Université de Lorraine. Her research interests are focusing on supporting sports movement (federation, clubs, coaches and PE teachers) development, especially regarding their health promotion activities and motivational climate, as well as more indirectly through the study of physical activity policies from national to local level. She is particularly active in the translation of research into practice.

Natálie earned her master’s degree in 2022 from Palacký University in Olomouc, specializing in Indonesian studies. Following her previous experience in an international educational setting at the National Agency for European educational programmes (DZS), she began working that same year at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport at Charles University, where she is employed in the International Office. She focuses primarily on international project activities as a project coordinator and on establishing cooperation with foreign partners. Since 2023, she has experience coordinating projects within the European Solidarity Corps, Erasmus+ KA1, KA2, Erasmus Sport, and Horizon.

I believe sport is one of the most powerful tools to unite people and transform communities.

My name is Maxim Zorchin, and I am the Director of Sporter Moldova and President of the Sport for All Moldova Federation. I lead the development of mass participation sports in Moldova, organizing over 20 large-scale events annually, including the Chișinău Marathon, as well as running, cycling, swimming, and triathlon competitions.

Through these initiatives, we bring together tens of thousands of people each year and actively promote a healthy, active lifestyle.

I come from a professional sports background as a Master of Sport in table tennis, and today I continue my journey as an amateur triathlete. My focus is on building communities, scaling impactful sports projects, and inspiring more people to move.