Entrepreneurship & urban innovation projects

Jaime Ruiz Huescar

Co-founder of CITIES FORUM

Based in Spain

Jaime is the Co-Founder of CITIES FORUM and Director of its branches in Spain and Colombia. CITIES FORUM is an international firm and think tank comprised of experts in sustainable urban development and smart cities, with presence and projects in Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Oceania. He was the Smart City project coordinator and was in charge of electric mobility at the Murcia City Council in Spain, where he led one of the working groups of the RECI, the Spanish network of smart cities. Jaime is leading various international projects of CITIES FORUM in the field of sustainable urban mobility, aimed at providing advice, training, and technical support to governments and cities worldwide in collaboration with funding organizations such as the World Bank, the IDB, or the GIZ. Jaime is an expert evaluator of electric mobility projects for the European Commission and has been a juror for several international awards like the "European CIVITAS AWARDS." Jaime has a degree in Industrial Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Cartagena and a Technical Architecture degree from the Catholic University San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM). He has completed training programs at business schools such as IESE and the University of Oxford. Jaime Ruiz has been a speaker at over 50 international events related to smart cities and sustainable urban mobility since 2018 to the present, in addition to being the master of ceremonies at five editions of the Latam Mobility Summit held in Mexico, Medellín, and Santiago de Chile. Jaime was also recognized as a Top Transportation Planning Voice on LinkedIn.

Raúl Oliván Cortés

Based in Spain

Director of Hexagonal, a laboratory, foundation, and consultancy specialized in public and social innovation. He founded LAAAB (2018–2023) and Zaragoza Activa (2010–2017). He is the creator of the Hexagonal Innovation Model (HIP), commissioned by the Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government. He advises institutions and organizations across Europe, Latin America, and Africa, helping strengthen systemic transformation processes through innovation labs and communities. He holds a Master’s degree in Philosophy, a BA in Advertising and Public Relations, and a Diploma in Social Work. Alumni of the United States’ International Visitor Leadership Program. Rockefeller´s Bellagio Center fellow and alumni.

Lior Steinberg

Based in Netherlands

Lior Steinberg is an urban planner and the co-founder of Humankind, a Rotterdam-based agency for urban change. He works with cities to shift from car-centric design toward "human-scale" urbanism - creating streets and public spaces that prioritize walking, cycling, and social interaction. His career path is unconventional: he spent six years as a computer programmer before transitioning to urbanism. This technical background informs his current work, including the development of "Cycling Lifestyle AI," a tool that helps planners and residents visualize the transformation of car-heavy streets into Dutch-style cycling infrastructure. Lior has consulted on urban mobility and strategic planning for cities around the world. A strong advocate for inclusive design, he specializes in tactical urbanism and child-friendly cities. He is also the author of the children's book The Car That Wanted to Be a Bike, which introduces sustainable mobility concepts to a younger audience.

Venugopal AV

Based in India

As a Program Manager working in urban development, I’ve learned that transforming cities is as much about transforming systems and mindsets as it is about infrastructure. My journey has centered on collaborating with government agencies, from city corporations to national ministries, to translate people-first ideas into funded projects and adopted policies. I’ve navigated the complexities of building consensus, strategizing for scale, and turning setbacks into learning opportunities within the public sector. I can offer support to mentees exploring: · Government Engagement & Policy: Strategies for effective collaboration, communication, and technical input to influence policy. · Project Strategy & Scaling: Moving from a pilot concept to a budgeted, city-wide or national program. · Navigating Professional Growth: Building a purposeful career in the public/social impact sector, handling motivation, and learning from challenges. · Personal Branding: Communicating your work and impact authentically to different audiences. If you're passionate about creating change within systems and seeking a thoughtful sounding board, I’m here to share insights from my own journey and what I've learned from peers.

Nicolas Kersting

Project, Acquisition & Development Manger

Based in Germany

I am Nicolas Kersting, an urban planner and project manager at Superwien Urbanism, working at the intersection of public space, sustainable mobility, and climate-resilient urban development. Over the past years I have supported cities and partners across Latin America, Europe, Central Asia, and Africa—helping shape diagnostics, action plans, and pre-feasibility packages that translate ambitious visions into implementable projects. My work combines technical structuring (from concept to costing and implementation planning) with strong participatory practice. I have designed and facilitated co-creation processes with municipalities, universities, communities, and multidisciplinary expert teams—turning stakeholder insights into street redesigns, green corridors, inclusive public spaces, and nature-based solutions for heat and stormwater challenges. I also support proposal development for donor-funded assignments (including World Bank, ADB, IDB and others), aligning teams, narratives, workplans, and compliance requirements. As a mentor, I support emerging urban professionals in three areas: (1) building a clear professional direction and portfolio, (2) strengthening practical skills in stakeholder engagement, project structuring, and delivery, and (3) navigating international urban-development work with confidence, cultural sensitivity, and realism—without losing purpose.

Sven Kohlschmidt

Specialist on collaborative urban design

Based in Germany

Sven Kohlschmidt is an Urban Planner and co-founder of the Urban Living Lab ‘Simeri Laboratorio Urbano’ (www.instagram.com/simerilab) working on a community-based regeneration process and placemaking strategy in Calabria. He has over six years experience as project manager at the studio urbanista (www.urbanista.de). His work is dedicated to co-creation strategies, participatory design and community engagement. Since 2022 until 2025 he was co-leading the Spring Term Design Studio at the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape at the University of Calgary and was leading block seminars on the strategic activation of post-urban landscapes at HafenCity University (https://www.hcu-hamburg.de) in Hamburg as well as Placemaking & Design in 2025 at the (https://www.uam.mx/eng/). Sven is officially registered as a planner at the Hamburg Chamber of Architects (AKHH). In 2024 he was a mentor at the Public Space Academy Mentorship Program (https://www.publicspaceacademy.org/mentorship/). He is an active member of the Placemaking Germany Network as a subgroup within the wider network of Placemaking Europe (https://placemaking-europe.eu).

ANA TORRALBA BARALLAT

“I illuminate new possibilities for professinals, teams, cities and climate futures—and help turn vision into reality.”

Based in Spain

"Change Your Perspective, Change the World". Cities are complex by nature. They are living systems shaped not only by plans, policies, and infrastructure, but by the mindsets, values, and decisions of the people designing them. My work begins there. I am a Systems Innovation Facilitator, strategic advisor, and mentor, collaborating with Cities Forum to support urban professionals who are navigating complexity. My expertise includes systemic urban strategies, stakeholder mapping, healthy cities, climate communication, and team coaching, always with an eye on long-term territorial impact. With a background in civil engineering, sustainable urban systems, and systems innovation, and complemented by my work as a Certified Executive & Team Coach and Mentor (CORAOPS–UCM), I support people who are shaping — or seeking to shape — more resilient, inclusive, and regenerative urban futures. My professional journey began in the technical world of engineering and sustainable urban development. I worked +10 yrs as road safety and urban mobility consultant (active mobility and vulnerable users expert). As I worked with urban strategies, mobility systems and climate-related initiatives a pattern became clear: many well-designed urban solutions struggled not because of a lack of expertise, but because of lack of mindsets that allowed to navigate systemic complex challenges. So I deepened my understanding in Systems Innovation & coaching to be able to see beyond the visible and help others do so. At the same time, a significant part of my mentoring and coaching focuses on career transitions with climate and social purpose. Here, mentoring becomes a space to transform uncertainty into direction, confidence, and intentional action. I also mentor entrepreneurs and teams developing climate solutions that balance innovation with social responsibility

Alexandru MATEI

Senior Officer Urban Agenda and Partnerships | Speaker | Moderator | Guest Lecturer | Urban Agenda for the EU | Oxford AI Alumni

Based in France

Alexandru is a passionate urban (re)thinker and senior urban professional working at the intersection of cities, communities and European policy. With over 15 years of experience, he supports places across Europe in the design and implementation of just, sustainable and integrated urban development. Having lived and worked in nine cities and one village across four European countries, he is known as a connector of cities, networks and actors, and for his resilience in navigating complex career paths and cultural transitions. As a mentor, Alexandru supports urban city practitioners by combining strategic urban expertise with insights from psychology, including flow, positive psychology, meaningful work, relationship building, trust, resilience, communication, public speaking, conflict management, passion and purpose. His mentoring focuses on helping professionals navigate complexity, strengthen confidence, improve collaboration and align personal motivation with long-term impact. He brings particular experience in building a career in a different country and reflecting on the balance between personal and professional life goals. In 2022, he took over the restructuring of the Support Services for the Urban Agenda for the EU as part of the European Urban Initiative, leading its conceptualisation and implementation, advising multiple partnerships and managing a multidisciplinary team. His work covers EU urban policy, programmes and networks, and he is recognised for generating synergies between institutions and policies. His main interests include integrated, place-based and sustainable urban development, territorial strategies, regeneration, the common good, European spatial planning and the societal impact of artificial intelligence. He has initiated and managed numerous EU-funded projects and is also interested in photography as a tool for observation and exploration.

Didier Vancutsem

Based in Germany

Jeffrey Shumaker

Partner, PPD; Former Chief Urban Designer, NYC

Based in United States

Jeffrey Shumaker, AICP, has been working at the intersection of architecture, urban design and planning for more than thirty years, in both the public and private sectors, and in cities across the globe. He served the City of New York as its Chief Urban Designer and Director of Urban Design and held leadership roles in some of the world’s top architecture, urban planning and design firms, including SOM, KPF and BIG. Jeffrey is currently President of Urbanscape, an international urban design and planning consultancy and Co-Founder of Partners in Public Design. Taking a place-based approach to his work, Jeffrey is helping communities, architecture and planning firms, private and non-profit institutions, towns and cities create better places to live, work, study and play. Jeffrey provides a full range of services from urban design, planning and illustration to liaising with city agencies and advising clients on strategy and public approvals. Globally, Jeffrey is serving as expert advisor to UNHabitat on implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – participated in two expert panel discussions - and is working with cities around the globe to build internal urban design capacity, most recently in Pretoria, S. Africa and Seoul, S. Korea. Jeffrey holds dual Masters Degrees in Architecture, Planning and Urban Design from MIT and a Bachelor of Architecture with Honors from Syracuse University. He is the recipient of the Public Architect Award from AIANY and the Michael Weil Award from the NYC Department of City Planning, both recognizing excellence in urban design in the public realm. Jeffrey teaches and lectures frequently and is currently an adjunct professor of urban design and planning for Columbia University and the Syracuse Architecture program in NYC.

Patricia Gimenez Franco

Senior Urbanist | Architect | International Advisor

Based in Paraguay

Urbanism is about people’s everyday life — and that conviction has shaped my professional journey. I am an architect and senior urbanist with over 20 years of experience across architecture, urban and territorial planning, and geography. I have built an international career working in multicultural and multidisciplinary environments, living and working in different countries, with strong language skills and high geographical mobility. My professional path spans the public and private sectors, advising cities, governments, development projects, and international cooperation programs in Latin America and Europe. My core areas of expertise include urban policy, planning and design; housing, land management; real estate; public space; urban regeneration; urban governance; resilience; capacity building, among others. I have contributed to complex urban initiatives with institutions such as the WB, IDB, UNDP, UN-Habitat, EEAS, the EU, LILP, KRIHS, and Gehl, among others, through projects, advisory roles, workshops, and learning programs. Beyond academic frameworks, my work is grounded in practice and real-world complexity, shaped by governance constraints, institutional dynamics, implementation gaps, and the relational dimension of urban management — understanding not only how cities are planned, but how they actually work. I write to reflect on practice, translate complexity, and share urban knowledge. As a mentor, I support professionals navigating career transitions, international and consulting pathways, and complex decision-making processes, offering clarity, grounded strategic thinking, and a pragmatic understanding of how urban work unfolds in practice. My mentoring approach is reflective and structured, helping mentees work through moments of uncertainty or stagnation by reconnecting skills, experience, and direction. Despite extensive experience, I continue learning from practice, context, and people — because urban work is dynamic, and context matters.

hemalatha M C

Master Planner

Based in India

Policy, Planning and Design professional in the fields of Urban Development, Industrial corridor planning, Smart Cities, Master Planning including Project Management Consultancies and Project Management Units. Experience working in Middle-east, India, Zambia and Nepal. Team mentoring, and Project Structuring. Experience formulating and strategizing projects from inception upto project implementation methods. Supports program management through conducting Techno Economic Feasibility studies, Land suitability/Capability studies and detailed Site assessments. Company representative and Client fronting.

Merve Akdag

MSc Architect and Urban Researcher

Based in Turkey

Merve Akdağ is an interdisciplinary designer with a background in architecture (B.Arch, Istanbul Technical University) and a Master’s in City and Architecture from Özyeğin University. She has led teams and developed public strategies as a design professional. As the founding leader of Şehrine Ses Ver, she has initiated award-winning participatory projects, interdisciplinary workshops, and interactive urban panels. Her work is grounded in inclusive design, urban justice, governance, public engagement, and data-driven design. She is committed to authentic thinking and effective coordination in shaping equitable urban environments. Her studies focus on producing innovative content, fostering team & community engagement, and developing and detailing unique artificial programs and collaborations in The Spatial J/U/S/T Art & Design Collective.

Konstantinos Kourkoutas

Coordinator of a Strategic Research Community of Sustainable and Smart Cities

Based in Spain

City enthusiast working currently as the coordinator of a multidisciplinary strategic research community of more than 30 groups, research centers and institutes in the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona in Spain, impulsing open urban innovation processes, promoting quadriple helix implication and citizen co-creation. Design Thinker, strategic vision and social catalyst. Experience in masterplanning of ecological mixed-use and residential settlements. Involvement with smaller scale urban and architectural design projects, utilizing bioclimatic criteria. Experience in energy performace analysis and calification for residences and tertiary sector buildings. Research experience in territorial,regional and urban studies in European and National Research programs.

Paul Wilson

Based in United Kingdom

Paul Chairs the Advisory Board for Smart Cities World, read by over 1.6m people worldwide, Smart Cities World provides daily news coverage and weekly features about the fast-changing world of urban innovation. Paul is the Founder of GroundedThinking.net. He is also Senior Advisor at Open Agile Smart Cities with 170 city members and an honorary Research Fellow at the University of Bristol’s Smart Internet Lab. Most recently Paul was Chief Business Officer, Connected Places Catapult, the UK’s innovation accelerator for cities, transport, and place leadership. Paul co-hosts the Urban Exchange podcast with the Resilient Cities Network, the Bentley Horizons podcast about the future of infrastructure, and The Living Network podcast with the Smart Internet Lab at the University of Bristol about the future of digital infrastructure. He combines an in-depth understanding of digital technology with a strong understanding of public policy processes, and a concern for nature. Paul draws on 30 years’ international leadership experience in technology and cities. Earlier in his career he was Chief Marketing Officer of $3Bn fintech company SunGard Financial Systems. He then led the development of the first economic growth strategy for the Bristol and Bath City Region as Chief Executive of the West of England LEP, winning £260m of investment from Government. After this he founded the pioneering Smart City Project ‘Bristol Is Open’, winning numerous international Smart City awards, and became a founder and Board member of the UK Government’s UK5G. Paul became telecoms industry association TM Forum’s Smart City International Advisor and then its Chief Marketing Officer, creating the ‘City as a Platform Manifesto’, attracting 300+ signatories from Governments, Companies and Cities worldwide. Paul has lived in London, Hong Kong and Geneva, and worked extensively in America. Today he lives with his family in Bristol, England.

Milena Ivkovic

Based in Netherlands

I’m an architect and urban planner. My professional journey began as a public space designer at a large international consultancy in the Netherlands, where I worked on masterplanning projects for cities across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. However, I was never interested in designing spaces alone, and my focus shifted to a broader question: how can urban planning better reflect everyday life and community needs? Over the years, I’ve worked across diverse countries and governance contexts, collaborating with international organisations, cities, and institutions as an expert in public space renewal, adaptation, and reconstruction. I have contributed to projects with UN-Habitat, UITP, Placemaking Europe, and ISOCARP, where I served as a Board Member and led the Urban Planning Advisory Teams (UPAT) programme. As Creative Director of BLOK 74 in Rotterdam, I develop innovative digital tools for learning and capacity-building, helping diverse stakeholders engage with complex urban challenges in practical and accessible ways. I also lead Placemaking Balkans, a non-profit think tank implementing EU-funded programmes (Interreg and Erasmus+), focused on public space transformation and participatory approaches to urban development. Alongside my project work, I contribute to the urban design field through leadership and advisory roles on international boards, juries, and professional networks, actively supporting international urban policy dialogue and knowledge development. Since 2024, I have served as a validated expert in integrated urban planning for the URBACT IV Programme of the European Commission, and in 2025 I joined the VNG International pool of experts. Why mentoring? Because I remember how confusing and overwhelming the early stages of a career can feel. Urban planning is interdisciplinary, political, and often messy. I look forward to supporting mentees in building confidence, sharpening their ideas, and finding their way in this complex field.

Cynthia Echave

Strategic Advisor on Regenerative and Systemic Transformation

Based in Spain

I am a strategic advisor in systemic transformation, supporting communities, cities and territories in navigating complex transitions within ecological and social boundaries. I currently work as an independent professional, advising public institutions, regional and local governments, and territorial ecosystems on systemic, place-based and climate-just transformation processes, with a strong focus on governance, implementation and long-term impact. Shared agendas & strategic advisory From 2023 to 2025, I collaborated with the Government of Catalonia as Senior Advisor for the RIS3CAT 2030 Strategy, contributing to the design and activation of shared agendas addressing rterritorial revitalisation, resilience and just transitions. My work focused on system mapping, multistakeholder governance and transformative innovation, supporting local and regional actors in aligning public policy, territorial strategies and implementation pathways. International cooperation & economic transformation. Previously, I worked as Senior Project Coordinator at the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association (EMEA), coordinating international teams and contributing to European and Mediterranean cooperation projects focused on sustainability, green economy, energy transition and territorial development. This experience strengthened my understanding of the economic dimension of urban and territorial transitions, and the role of policy frameworks, investment and cooperation in enabling systemic change. Urban ecology & implementation background. Earlier in my career, I was Head of the Urban Planning and Public Space Unit at the Barcelona Urban Ecology Agency, where I led multidisciplinary teams and coordinated over 30 national and international projects on Superblocks integrating sustainable urban planning, mobility, public space, green infrastructure, urban metabolism and liveability. This role grounded my work in real-world implementation, institutional comple

Luciana Renner

Executive Director, Fundación Placemaking

Based in Mexico

Luciana Renner is an architect and urban practitioner with over ten years of experience in participatory urbanism in Spanish-speaking contexts. Her work focuses on transforming public spaces into meaningful places that promote community wellbeing, social cohesion, and everyday urban life, with an emphasis on early childhood, gender equity, older adults, and sport. She is the Executive Director of Fundación Placemaking, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing collaborative approaches to public space transformation across Spanish-speaking contexts. Since joining the organization in 2019, she has contributed to consolidating its strategic vision, strengthening partnerships with public institutions and international foundations, and scaling programs that combine technical expertise with community participation. Luciana leads LAPIS – Lugares Amigables para la Primera Infancia, a flagship program supported by Fundación FEMSA that promotes early childhood development through play and community participation. The program has been implemented in more than 90 public spaces across 23 states in Mexico and five Latin American countries, adapting to diverse urban and cultural contexts. Her experience includes advising and coordinating initiatives such as Parques México with Fundación Coca-Cola, Pinta tu Cancha with Fundación MetLife, and SHE – Safety, Hygiene and Empowerment with Essity, as well as providing technical assistance on age-friendly public spaces in Costa Rica and participatory budgeting pilots in Yucatán, in collaboration with GIZ and local governments. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), with an academic exchange at Bauhaus University Weimar, and has completed executive training at INSEAD and the American Express Leadership Academy. Luciana is a frequent speaker and educator at international forums and universities, and is the author of the LAPIS Manual.

Salvador Herrera

CEO at Urbanística

Based in Mexico

I am an urban planner with a professional journey spanning over more than two decades at the intersection of law, ethics, governance, and urban design. Trained as a Planner, with a graduate specialization in Urban Management in France and a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture. My experience bridges public institutions, international organizations, and professional practice. I have held senior roles in municipal planning agencies in Mexico, worked with multilateral institutions such as the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, CAF, and UN-Habitat, and since 2014 I lead Urbanística, a Mexico-based planning firm that develops urban, territorial, housing, mobility, and regulatory strategies across Latin America and beyond. My work covers the full planning cycle: diagnosis, legal and normative design, participatory processes, implementation instruments, and capacity building. Cities, regions, and national governments have relied on my expertise to translate policy goals into actionable spatial and regulatory frameworks. As a mentor to other urban planners, I offer three concrete forms of value. First, professional clarity: guidance on how to build a coherent planning profile that goes beyond technical silos and responds to real institutional constraints. Second, practice-oriented judgment: mentoring planners on how to navigate complex political, legal, and social environments without compromising ethical standards or professional integrity. Third, strategic growth: helping emerging professionals understand how to move between academia, public service, international cooperation, and private practice, and how to translate planning ideas into credible projects, instruments, and careers.

Misha Mittal

Based in United Arab Emirates

Misha Mittal is a senior urban strategist and city advisor with over 17 years of experience shaping policies, mega-scale developments, and sustainability-led urban transformation across the UAE, India, and international markets. She currently serves as Senior Manager – City Advisory at Expo City Dubai, where she works closely with mayors, city leaders, multilateral organizations, developers, and technical experts to design and deliver future-ready urban strategies, flagship initiatives, and global partnerships. Her work focuses on translating long-term urban vision into implementable and investable outcomes across land use, mobility, infrastructure, and climate resilience. In parallel, Misha leads the G100 Smart and Sustainable Cities Mission in the UAE as the Country Chair, advancing women-led leadership, city diplomacy, and systems thinking at the intersection of governance, climate action, built-environment, technology and economic resilience. She has led intellectual property development that integrates urban planning, ESG, finance, governance, and communication into structured frameworks and digital metrics and has been a member of several national and emirate-wide task force. A Certified Circular Economy Professional and sought-after speaker, Misha is known for bridging strategy with execution. Her expertise spans climate-conscious real estate, heat and water resilience, circular economy models, and nature-positive urban systems, as well as building effective public–private and international partnerships. As a mentor, she supports mid-career professionals, emerging leaders, and founders in urban planning, sustainability, infrastructure, and real estate, helping them move from technical roles to trusted advisory and leadership positions. Her mentorship is strategic, candid, and grounded in real-world decision-making, focused on navigating complex institutions, leading in ambiguity, and creating meaningful, long-term impact.

Cornelia Dinca

Sustainable & Smart Cities

Based in Netherlands

I am an urbanist, consultant and educator focused on sustainable urban development. I am the founder of Sustainable Amsterdam, a boutique consultancy specialized in transferring Amsterdam and Dutch approaches to sustainable urban development internationally through experiential learning programmes. I have extensive experience working with governmental and semi-governmental partners such as the City of Amsterdam and Amsterdam Smart City, with a strong focus on international collaboration and knowledge exchange. Throughout my work, I have been involved in various mentoring roles, including as mentor city representative in the EU Intelligent Cities Challenge (ICC), supporting other European cities in their urban innovation and sustainability journeys. I have also mentored startups through different EIT and New European Bauhaus programmes. I also support individuals in their career development paths, particularly (young) professionals moving to Amsterdam / the Netherlands who are navigating the local urban and sustainability ecosystem. My mentoring approach combines practical urban experience with reflection, learning and personal guidance in complex sustainability transitions.

Hassan Elmouelhi

Based in Germany

Jens Aerts

Based in Ethiopia

Experienced in international urban development assignments with a diversity of key actors, I combine technical knowledge and human skills to support multi-stakeholder projects towards sustainable urbanisation, corridor development and green transformation. With a sharp analytical focus, I am good at data analytics, strategic thinking and clear reporting. I have been trained as a Master in Civil Engineering Architecture in Belgium and a Master in Urban Planning in Spain. With my 20 years of experience in practice, policy and research, I have been managing complex projects with cities and municipalities, international institutions, NGOs and project developers in different international contexts. Currently I provide technical assistance to the European Union, World Bank, Cities Alliance and the Global Infrastructure Basel Foundation, focusing on regional development, urban climate resilience and urban mobility. I am regularly asked to provide technical assistance in spatial research, local policy development and innovative urban development practices, to help shape investment programs and planning policies based on principles of sustainability, inclusion and economic feasibility. Nowadays I commute between Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Brussels, Belgium.

Sean Hertel

Based in Canada

Giselle Sebag

Executive Director | Founder

Based in Spain

I’m Giselle Sebag (MPH, LEED AP)—an architect, urban planner, and public health practitioner focused on improving health by design. I work at the intersection of urban planning, public health, mobility, climate resilience, and equity, helping cities and civil society partners translate evidence into place-based strategies that improve everyday life—how we move, what we breathe, how safe we feel, and how connected we are. I serve as Executive Director of the International Society for Urban Health (ISUH), a global network advancing the field of urban health and strengthening the bridge between evidence and real-world action. I also founded Vital Cities, an evidence-driven advisory practice that partners with city governments, the private sector, and mission-driven organizations to ensure urban investments deliver the greatest possible impact—improving health, quality of life, and economic outcomes. My career has been built in the “in-between spaces” where change is hardest—and most promising: between planning and health, policy and design, infrastructure and community life. I’m especially interested in how practical shifts—safe walking and cycling, public-space activation, access to nature, healthier housing and neighborhoods, and inclusive community life—can transform places and reduce inequities. I’m based in Barcelona and New York and work internationally. What I offer as a mentor: Strategic, practical support for mentees who want to create measurable impact across disciplines. I can help you (1) clarify your direction and refine your professional story, (2) translate research and data into implementable urban strategies, (3) navigate cross-sector stakeholder dynamics, and (4) apply a place-based approach that breaks down silos and builds shared purpose. Bring a real challenge—an initiative that’s stuck, a career crossroads, or a project that needs a sharper strategy—and we’ll work together to move from insight to action.

Diego Garcia Fernandez

Based in Mexico

Diego García es Arquitecto y Urbanista con más de 16 años de experiencia, principalmente en los campos de planificación urbana, placemaking, diseño urbano y arquitectónico, desarrollo orientado al transporte público (DOT), gestión de proyectos, regulaciones urbanas y arquitectónicas. Diego posee una Maestría en Urbanismo de la Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña (Barcelona TECH) y es egresado de la Facultad de Arquitectura de la UNAM. Entre los proyectos relevantes en los que Diego ha participado se encuentran 4 planes maestros para plantaciones de café cerca de Antigua Guatemala, cada uno abarcando más de 70 hectáreas, tres planes maestros en el área sur de la Zona Metropolitana de Guatemala, que cubren más de 1,000 hectáreas, 2 proyectos de mejora urbana con enfoque en el Desarrollo Orientado al Transporte Público (DOT) en Belo HoDiego García is an Architect and Urban Planner with over 16 years of experience specializing in urban and architectural design, placemaking, transit‑oriented development (TOD), master planning, project management, and urban regulations. He currently leads the Urban Planning & Architecture practice for Arcadis in Mexico, where he has grown the team from 1 to 21 professionals and driven significant business development and project delivery. Diego holds a Master in Urban Planning from UPC / Barcelona TECH (ETSAB, DUOT Barcelona) and an Architecture degree from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Among Diego’s notable projects are strategic master plans for coffee farms near Antigua Guatemala, covering more than 100 hectares, and several large‑scale urban master plans in the Guatemala City metropolitan area exceeding 1,000 hectares. He has contributed to innovative TOD initiatives in cities such as Belo Horizonterizonte y Río de Janeiro, un estudio de pre-factibilidad para el teleférico de Chapultepec.

Betty Chemier

Director at ReURBE

Based in Panama

Hi, I’m Betty—a self-made urban professional from Panama City. I started the journey that led me here because there was no park in my neighborhood, so I decided to build one. Together with my neighbors, we planned it, raised funds, and built and planted the park we had been dreaming of. That was my first real experience with participatory planning, co-design, and tactical urbanism (I only learned those terms after we finished). That project changed my life. I leaned into learning—taking courses with Gehl, Project for Public Spaces, and participating in design charrettes at Harvard—then came back home and founded a social enterprise, ReURBE. With my team, I’ve led projects across the country focused on creating more livable, inclusive, and meaningful places. Later, I joined the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Accelerator Labs network, where for three years I helped test and scale practical solutions for challenges that shape our cities—disaster risk reduction, circular economy, waste management, and more—using systems thinking, experimentation, and a “learn fast” mindset. I’m now back in my own practice with ReURBE, working with clients on projects that mix place activation with sustainability strategy—turning big goals into real-world pilots, partnerships, and measurable impact for the territories and people they serve. If you’re a young professional who wants a mentor to help you navigate participatory processes, design projects with communities, structure experiments, or bridge urban practice with sustainability and systems thinking, I’d love to support your growth.

Daniel Serra

Strategic Consultant

Based in Spain

I am an innovation expert with more than 20 years of hands-on experience building the things that most organisations only talk about: ecosystems that actually connect people, programmes that deliver results, and strategies that survive contact with reality. My career has taken me from the factory floor of Tier-1 automotive suppliers to the boardrooms of European institutions, and that breadth is not incidental — it is the foundation of how I think and what I bring to every engagement.I started in automotive engineering, managing complex product launches and cross-border projects for companies like Ford, SEAT, Volvo and Daimler. Those early years taught me something that no MBA course fully captures: how large organisations make decisions under pressure, where strategy breaks down in execution, and what it takes to move things forward when the interests at the table are genuinely conflicting. By the time I transitioned into innovation, I already knew that the hardest part is never the idea — it is the system around it.That conviction shaped everything I did next. At CARNET — the Future Mobility Research Hub co-founded by SEAT, Volkswagen Group Research and the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya — I helped build one of the first structured public–private innovation partnerships in Southern Europe focused on urban mobility. I managed over 60 collaborative research projects, co-led flagship initiatives like the Virtual Mobility Lab and MaaS Catalonia, and spent three years learning how to make academia, industry and city government work together productively. It is harder than it sounds, and more rewarding than most work I have done.From there I joined EIT Urban Mobility at its founding, and spent the better part of seven years helping build what became Europe’s largest innovation community in urban mobility: over 1,000 partner organisations across 35 countries, a portfolio of more than 150 invested startups, and a pan-European ecosystem that connected cities, operators, corporates, research institutions and ventures around a shared agenda. I led the ecosystem and stakeholder function, grew membership revenues from €1.4 million to €2.5 million in 18 months, trained and developed over 40 partner-facing professionals, and eventually took on the leadership of the Impact Ventures unit, responsible for deploying approximately €6 million in seed investment in 2025. None of that happened through clever slide decks. It happened through sustained relationship-building, a clear sense of where value actually lies, and a willingness to stay close to the work.What I have developed over these two decades is a specific kind of expertise: I know how innovation ecosystems are built and how they fail, how European programmes work from the inside, how to translate policy ambitions into concrete investment and partnership logic, and how to help organisations find their place in a landscape that is always more complex than it first appears. I am equally comfortable working at the level of strategy and at the level of execution — in fact, I think that distinction is often less useful than it seems.Today I work independently, advising organisations across mobility, smart cities and European innovation on strategy, ecosystem positioning, programme design and partnership development. I also serve as a Board Member of Gaia-X Spain, mentor professionals through EMCC Global and Esade Business School, and speak regularly at events including Smart City Expo World Congress and the International Transport Forum. I hold an Executive MBA from Esade Business School and a Master’s in Management Engineering from the Universitat Politècnica de València.I am based in Barcelona, work across Europe, and am open to strategic consulting engagements, interim leadership roles and advisory or board positions.

Andrey Perminov

Urban Planning Consultant

Based in Spain

Andrey Perminov — Urban Development Strategist, Project Director, and PMO Leader Urban development and spatial strategy professional with 12 years of experience leading complex, multi-stakeholder projects spanning master planning, real estate advisory, investment strategy, and urban regeneration across Europe and the Middle East. Currently based in Madrid, Andrey has built his career at the intersection of urban planning, business strategy, and investment — helping cities and developers move from concept to implementation. His project portfolio includes a master plan in MENA region that secured over $1 billion in investment, an adaptive reuse strategy that attracted $250 million in private capital, and urban improvement programmes that impacted over 300 cities. Before moving to Spain, he spent seven years at two leading urban consultancies, progressing from analyst to Project Director and Head of International Business Development. In these roles, he led cross-functional teams of up to 20 professionals, managed relationships with government bodies, municipalities, and private investors, and built evidence-based methodologies for spatial development that were adopted at the national level. He also tripled the international competition conversion rate through a more strategic approach to global tenders and partnerships. His academic background bridges urban planning with economics and business: an MBArch from IE University in Madrid (Dean's List, Best Student Award), an MSc in Regional and Urban Planning from LSE, an MSc in Economics from the University of Amsterdam, and a BSc in Economics and Finance from the University of London. Having studied and worked across five countries — Russia, the UK, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, and Spain — Andrey understands firsthand the challenges of building an international career in urban planning: navigating unfamiliar job markets, adapting professional positioning across cultures, and finding the right niche in a rapidly evolving field. He is fluent in English, speaks Spanish, and is a native Russian speaker. As a mentor, he offers practical guidance in several areas that are often underrepresented in traditional urban planning education: - The business of cities — how to think about urban projects not only through the lens of design quality but also through investment logic, stakeholder alignment, and delivery feasibility. - International career strategy — how to position yourself for roles outside your home country and navigate the practical realities of relocation and cross-cultural teamwork. - From analysis to leadership — how to transition from technical or analytical roles into project leadership and management, including building and running teams, managing client relationships, and setting up effective project delivery processes. - Strategic consulting in urban development — how to structure and sell urban strategy projects, work with public and private clients, and deliver at the intersection of planning, economics, and policy. Andrey is particularly keen to support early- and mid-career urbanists who are exploring international opportunities, considering a pivot toward the strategic or business side of urban development, or looking for guidance on how to make their expertise more impactful and marketable in a global context.