Biography

• Dr. Eugen Baldas is current President of the European University for Volunteering; he was European Representative of IAVE Board and Vice President of IAVE. As head of the German Caritas Association’s Volunteer Sector, Eugen set up Volunteer Centers and coordinated activities in the International Year for Volunteers (2001) and in the European Year of Volunteering 2011. A focus within the German Caritas is faith based volunteering. Together with Universities he did various research in volunteering and voluntary activity in the community and published a number of books related to the Voluntary Sector. Eugen is retired and still active in volunteering

Biography

• Casper Bo Danø, CEO of FriSe (Volunteer Centers and Peer Groups Denmark) since 2011, specializes in social entrepreneurship and leadership. He promotes civil society and community engagement in Denmark, leading a network supporting 70 local volunteer centers. His role includes strategic direction, policy development, and innovative tech solutions. Casper holds a Master's Degree in Social Entrepreneurship from Roskilde University and a Master's in History and French from Aarhus University. He is involved in various professional affiliations and board positions. Casper’s work effectively bridges policy, research, and practical application within the nonprofit sector, driving meaningful community impact and fostering volunteerism.

Biography

• Lejla Šehić Relić has been a dedicated social activist since 1993, the founder and CEO of the organization for social development DKolektiv and leads the National Volunteer Development Centre. Since 2019, she has served as the President of the Center for European Volunteering (CEV), a network of over 60 organizations across Europe. Holding a degree in public administration, specializing in social innovation Lejla has shaped policies and practices in Croatian and European civil society for over two decades. She has co-authored several publications on volunteering and community development and was a laureate of an award for promoting peace making, nonviolence and human rights in Croatia in 2020.

Biography

• Elsie Yuen-Yee WAN is a Director of Empowering Life Network, Volunteer Officer of the Agency for Volunteer Service, as well as Member of a number of NGOs and Volunteer Institutions in Hong Kong, and also an Affiliate Member of the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches. She has been a Volunteer Mentor / Mentor-Supervisor of several volunteer
  mentorship/leadership programs, and a professional Volunteer Trainer and Life/Personal Coach. Elsie has received considerable volunteer service awards since 2005. She has been actively involved in promotion of volunteerism, coordination/organization of volunteer events and enhancement / development programs, with more effort on education and nurture programs for the underprivileged, in particular the youth and parents of SEN children.

Biography

• Joanna Tan is a Manager at the Singapore International Foundation. She leads capacity- building projects that serve as catalysts for fostering positive and sustainable development across Asia. These collaborative efforts result in the creation of enduring relationships that drive not only transformative social change but also leave an imprint on the communities in the region. Joanna has always held a passion for youth empowerment and education. Her recent volunteering endeavours took her to the United States, where she engaged with children and contributed to holistic development programmes. Her aspiration is to expand her outreach and advocacy work in the realm of education, focusing on those with special needs.

Biography

• Katy Lazo, National Coordinator for Volunteering, Glasswing International, El Salvador. I am 35 years old and from El Salvador. Volunteering has shaped my life since childhood, inspired by my parents' dedication to transforming the lives of children in rural areas. At 16, I embraced volunteer work, and by 18, I was managing volunteers and funds. My mission is to address poverty in El Salvador through the power of community service. Today, I lead a passionate team of seven, and together we mobilize 800 volunteers annually. Our collective efforts create over 300 extracurricular clubs in public schools, fostering quality education and hope for a brighter future.

Biography

• Christian Porras Lobo is a Costa Rican passionate about building a more sustainable future. Currently based in Barcelona, Spain, he leads a global team as Project Manager for SDG Communities, dedicated to promoting the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Over the past five years, he has worked on responsible business projects across nine countries, including his home country of Costa Rica, the Philippines, Malaysia, Portugal, India, Poland, and China, gaining invaluable international experience. He is also a graphic designer, driving global communications around responsible business practices within Fujitsu. His commitment to creating a positive impact on the world fuels his dedication to fostering sustainable business models that benefit both people and the planet.

Biography

• Angelo Menezes is the driving force behind the Community Pillar for Global Delivery at Fujitsu. Over his 14-year journey with the company, he has embraced diverse roles, all leading to his current position. Besides steering the Community Pillar, he is also the Employee Experience Manager for the Fujitsu delivery center in Portugal. His passion is for enhancing workplace culture and fostering a strong sense of community and this fuels his dedication in these roles. Trained as a teacher, he has had the opportunity to teach in Sweden and Japan, witnessing firsthand the transformative power of Education. This global perspective continues to shape his approach to leadership and community building at Fujitsu.

Biography

• Hyejin Yoo is working as the head of the digital division of Seum, a child welfare action group. Seum is the only child welfare organization in Korea that specializes in supporting children of incarcerated parents. And Seum is pursuing a wide range of rights advocacy activities to improve awareness of prisoner's children. Children have the right to grow up equally and healthily regardless of their origin, gender, or parental status. Although the world's sensitivity to human rights has improved compared to the past, children of prisoners are still discriminated against due to dichotomous thinking between good and evil and the emotional guilt-by-association system that projects the parents' sins onto the children. Hyejin would like to talk about how Seum has been calling out for equal rights as children of incarcerated parents.

Biography

• Eunja Lee works with Daegu Metropolitan City Volunteer Center as a social worker and Volunteer Manager. She is also the Disaster Integrated Volunteer Support Team Executive Manager. Her Disaster response-related work includes the following – 2003 Daegu subway fire, volunteer situation room operation; 2007 Daegu SOS Volunteer Support System construction; 2013 Heat wave preparation volunteer activities; 2017 Psychological First Aid (PFA) Training; and 2020 COVID-19 Emergency Support Activities.

Biography

• Jin-Kyung Jung, a professor at Kwangwoon University, is president of the Korean Academy of Volunteerism. Professor Jung is also now a member of the Presidential Committee on Regulatory Reform and the Volunteer Promotion Committee. And she served as a board member of the Korea National Volunteer Center and director of operations of the Korean University Council for Social Service.
  Her recent major research projects include National Survey on Volunteering (2023), Study on the New Normal of Volunteerism (2022), Research on Policy Measures for the Protection of Volunteers in Korea (2021), Study on the Effects of KOICA Overseas Volunteering of the Returnee Volunteers (2018), and the 3rd National Plan for Volunteer Promotion (2017).
  Professor Jung has considered it her mission as a scholar to bridge volunteer policy and practice for over 25 years.

Biography

• Wolfgang Krell has spent the last 40 years working to advance volunteer engagement both from paid and volunteer leadership positions in nonprofit associations. As the Executive Director of the Volunteer Centre Augsburg since its beginning in 1997, he has had the opportunity to promote and develop volunteering at the local, regional and national level in Germany. At the European level he is active with partners from different countries to create innovative developments around volunteering. Under his leadership the Augsburg Volunteer Centre was the host organization for IAVE World Volunteer Conference 2018. Since 2021 he is an IAVE board member, elected as the European representative.

Biography

• Deirdre Araujo has been the head of volunteer engagement for San Francisco’s Exploratorium for nearly 30 years, and serves on the national boards of the American Association for Museum Volunteerism and the National Association of Volunteer Program Leaders in Government, in the latter role as the liaison to the National Association of Counties. Volunteer service is both a personal passion and professional practice; besides helping in her local library and animal shelter, she’s served on various boards, including two terms as president of the American Association of University Women in San Francisco. She has recently joined the national board of SERVAS US.

Biography

• Soo-jin Yoon leads new volunteer program initiatives at Taean County Volunteer Center, managing projects such as the Safe Village Development project and the Immigrant Connection Platform. Since 2019, she has spearheaded volunteer education and campaigns, covering a wide range of issues from foundational training to human rights advocacy. Her work promotes community engagement and empowerment through inclusive initiatives and skills development.

Biography

• Willem-Jan de Gast , after a 12-year career in international higher education, started working in the field of volunteer policy and management in 2005 at the national institute for social development. In 2019, he established his own company and works as consultant, trainer, researcher and writer for individual volunteer involving organisations, educational institutes, volunteer centres and national programmes targeted at enhancing volunteering in the Netherlands. Throughout his career, his drive has been to support and guide civil society organisations, volunteer managers and volunteers so they can flourish.

Biography

• Petra van Loon started working in the field of politics, policy making and management early on in 1995. In various roles and in different branches of government and for organizations that are part of civil society. She has lived and worked in Indonesia and in several small villages in Spain doing anthropological research for her thesis. Throughout her career and life, she has committed herself to issues such as active citizenship, equal opportunities and empowerment, encouraging volunteer initiatives and enhancing policies to make volunteering an easygoing and meaningful experience. Currently, she acts as program manager of Growing older together (beteroud.nl).

Biography

• Megha Aggarwal anchors the #EveryIndianVolunteering initiative at the India Welfare Trust, dedicated to expanding volunteer engagement across diverse causes. Her work focuses on community and capacity building and strategic funding to enhance volunteer initiatives in India. Megha is passionate about fostering community connections and driving impactful volunteer management. She lives in Delhi, India, and holds a Master’s in Environment and Development. Megha is an active #DaanUtsav Volunteer and has also coordinated volunteering campaigns for V-Force, the online volunteering platform by UNV India in 2021.

Biography

• Ramalingam Natarajan is the Co-founder of Volunteer for India (VFI). An Aeronautical Engineer turned Social Entrepreneur, he leverages his expertise as an International Happiness Coach and Theatre Artist to drive social impact. Under his leadership, VFI has empowered over 12,000 volunteers, contributing 160,000 hours of service across diverse causes, including Environment, Education, Animal Welfare, Rural Development, Youth Empowerment, Women Wellness, and Mental Health. Through the Volship Fellowship, VFI is creating volunteer leaders in every city, aiming to make volunteerism a national value in India. A finalist of the IAVE Ideathon 2024, his innovative approaches and international collaborations with organizations like IAVE, Good Deeds Day, and GivingTuesday underscore his commitment to fostering a culture of volunteerism globally.

Biography

• Jestyn Koh is a Senior Manager at the Singapore International Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to building a better world through shared ideas, skills, and experiences. With a focus on healthcare, education, and digital programmes across Asia, Jestyn plays a pivotal role in shaping market strategy, forging impactful partnerships, and spearheading projects that promote sustainable development and international cooperation. His responsibilities include managing volunteer programmes, ensuring alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and cultivating relationships with international partners and stakeholders. Jestyn's innovative programmes have garnered notable accolades, including the World Bank Digital Skills Innovation Award (Lifelong Learning) and the e- Learning Forum Asia Award (Community Outreach).

Biography

• Joseph Kolapudi is a young professional who currently serves as the Creative Director for SolveSquad, an Australian social enterprise dedicated to assisting young professionals from refugee and migrant backgrounds via virtual volunteering. He also is part of the advisory board for the Australian Refugee and Migrant Care Services (ARMCare) nonprofit, assisting those from trauma and disability backgrounds. In his spare time, he volunteers as part of the Humans for Good Australia community.

Biography

• Uchenna Livingston Ibebunjo is an experienced administrator with a passion for volunteering and community development. He is the Project Director of the Hannah May Foundation, Nigeria, and serves as the Regional Representative for Africa on the Board of Directors of the International Association for Volunteer Effort. With an academic background that includes a major in sociology, Uchenna combines his senior management role at the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Nigeria, with meaningful initiatives in promoting climate action and combating pollution and deforestation with technical solutions, along with an understanding of the social structures and cultural norms of communities in Nigeria.

Biography

• Mrs Mary Mlambo, is the Founder and Executive Director of Lungelo Youth Development, South Africa. Mary is a Christian with a great desire for community development, promotes volunteerism internationally and very big in contributing towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), resilient in goal 4, (Quality Education) 10 (reduced inequalities) and goal 17 (partnering for the goals). A Financial advisor by profession registered with the South African Financial Services Board (FSB), worked for over 20 years in the Insurance Industry, left the industry to put a vision of Lungelo Youth Development into action. A vision of creating a resource Centre for children development and a platform to address societal issues affecting the youth by Building Capabilities & Exploring Opportunities Lungelo Youth Development strives to ensure that the youth understand their role and responsibilities as catalyst for change shifting mindsets from Youth being the future to Youth being the present.

Biography

• Hyunsoo Gweon is a professor in the Department of Social Work at Kyungnam University and her main research interests are role identity and professionalism of volunteer managers. She is the principal investigator of the research on the development of the National Occupational Standards (NCS) for Volunteer Management in 2024, and has been involved in research on the job analysis, qualification system, and education and training system of volunteer managers from 2020 to 2023. Hyunsoo Gweon holds a PhD in social work from Kyungpook National University Graduate School of Social Work in Korea and worked as a volunteer manager at Daegu Volunteer Center for 10 years.

Biography

• Phoebe Carrera has 15+ years of experience in Corporate Social Responsibility program implementation and strategy, sustainability, volunteer engagement, and CR management system consultancy. She is the CSR Senior Manager of TELUS International in Asia Pacific. In this role she mobilizes thousands of team members annually through community volunteering and manages corporate grants to support NGOs in the Philippines and India. She is a board of trustee of Philippine Coalition on Volunteerism and Association of Foundations Philippines. She earned her master’s degree in business administration with a specialization in international business and sustainable development from Maastricht School of Management, The Netherlands.

Biography

• Shuwan Zhang, Assistant Professor at the National Institute of Social Development, China Research Center of Volunteering of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). She holds a Ph.D. in Development Studies from SOAS, University of London, a Master's degree from the University of Manchester, and a Bachelor's degree from the Renmin University of China. Her research interests are in the field of Development Studies. Social Governance, Volunteering Research and Social Issues in Development Countries. She has published a series of Journal Papers in China Review, Beijing Cultural Review, etc. She also edited a series of Blue Books on Volunteering Development in China.

Biography

• Gabriel de Faro is a psychologist and a postgraduate in marketing, who has dedicated the last 9 years to social engagement and volunteering in Brazil. Is now responsible for the Atados website, the biggest volunteering platform in the country where 4.5 thousand NGOs connect with 280 thousand volunteers through all sorts of opportunities that tackle the SDGs. A specialist in corporate volunteering has coordinated projects with companies such as Coca-Cola, Shell, L’Oréal and UHG to create activities, programs and technology engaging the corporate in a more just and sustainable world.

Biography

• Michaela Rýgrová is a volunteering and sustainability expert with over 15 years of experience. She focuses on creating lively volunteering ecosystems and efficient and fruitful connections between organizations and volunteers. Her endeavour to change how people volunteer is connected to Vlna pomoci (i.e. Wave of Help) - a nation-wide platform and marketplace for volunteering in the Czech Republic. As an answer to today's busy world, she puts emphasis on short term volunteering, which can spark more interest, engagement and in her eyes is a gateway to long term volunteering. She believes volunteering is substantial in dealing with current world challenges.

Biography

• Alexandra Infante Perales is an economist with a Master's Degree in Organizational Governance, and more than 15 years of experience in designing and implementing volunteering programs within the corporate sector, government, academia and civil society. She is the Executive Director and cofounder of Perú Voluntario, a community of networks within Peru dedicated to fostering and strengthening the nation's volunteering ecosystem. She is CEO and cofounder of IKIGAI Social Lab, a Bcorp that designs and implements high-impact sustainability strategies and projects.

Biography

• Eui-soo Cho, Professor, Department of Social Welfare, Silla University, Republic of Korea. A member of the Research Committee of National Research Council for Economics, Humanities And Social Sciences and a member of the Presidential Committee(Planning and Evaluation Committee) on Balanced National Development. Currently Chairperson of Volunteer Development Committee of Busan Metropolitan City and a Board Member of Korea Association of Community Welfare. Publications include Blockchain-based volunteer bank implementation plan; Research Methods for Social Welfare; and Data Analysis Using SPSS.

Biography

• Melissa K. Pang, BBS, MH, JP, Chairman of the Agency for Volunteer Service (AVS). Ms. Pang is a highly respected Hong Kong solicitor, qualified in Australia, England and Wales. She has served as the President of the Hong Kong Law Society and LAWASIA, and was the first female President of the Hong Kong Law Society from 2018 to 2021. Ms. Pang is actively involved in public service, serving as the Chairman of the Family Council, Hong Kong Press Council, and Agency for Volunteer Service. She is also a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. In recognition of her contributions, Ms. Pang has been awarded the Medal of Honour, Justice of the Peace, and the Bronze Bauhinia Star by the Hong Kong Government.

Biography

• Sonia Fernandes is a Social Entrepreneur, consultant, teacher, and trainer. She is the Founder and CEO of Pista Mágica – Volunteering & Innovation. The author of several books and manuals on volunteering and the creator of the CADEI volunteer management training methodology (Training, Diagnosis, Experimentation, Impact). She has a Degree in Anthropology and a master's degree in Humanitarian Action. She has developed her international volunteer work and skills in countries such as the USA, Mozambique, East Timor, and Togo, in addition to volunteer work carried out nationally in Portugal for over 30 years. She has also worked with humanitarian organizations, the United Nations, and the European Union. She has reached thousands of volunteers, students, and professionals as a trainer, teacher, and consultant.

Biography

• Alžbeta Brozmanová Gregorová is an associate professor at the Faculty of Education, Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia. She focuses primarily on volunteering, service-learning, the nonprofit sector in Slovak conditions, and participatory approaches in social work. She has been actively working in advocacy and development of volunteering since 2002. She was involved in preparing several strategic documents on volunteering in Slovakia. Since 2011, she has been the vice president of the Platform of Volunteer Centers and Organizations and is currently president. She is a graduate of the Fulbright program, a member of the Government Council for Nongovernmental Organizations, a member of the Board of the Directors of the European Association on Service-learning in Higher Education, and a member of the Service-Learning Network for Central and Eastern Europe.

Biography

• Dr Jurgen Grotz is a published author and academic. He has over 30 years' experience of applied research across the academic, public, private and voluntary sectors. His largely interdisciplinary work about volunteer involvement has a strong focus on participative approaches and public engagement. He has co-edited 'Palgrave Handbook of Volunteering, Civic Participation, and Nonprofit Associations' (2016), ‘Volunteering, research and the test of experience' (2022), 'Mobilising Voluntary Action' (2022), co-authored 'Patient and Public Involvement in Health and Social Care Research' (2020), 'Volunteer Involvement: An Introduction to Theory and Practice' (2022), and his latest book ‘Volunteer Involvement in UK Universities’ became available this year.

Biography

• Dr Mark Stanford is Deputy Director of research at Singapore’s National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC). A cognitive anthropologist by training, he has conducted social and psychological research in China, Myanmar and Singapore. His research focuses on cross-cultural variations in mechanisms underlying cooperation and prosocial behaviour. At NVPC, he manages a portfolio of studies tracking changes in the non-profit sector in Singapore.

Biography

• Ms Mya The Pwint is an Associate with the research team at Singapore’s National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC). With a bachelor’s degree in social sciences, her research focuses on the non-profit sector, volunteering, and migration. Mya has conducted research with non-profit organisations in Singapore, examining the strength of community- based initiatives and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on low-income families. Outside of work, Mya volunteers with an organisation that supports and advocates for the rights of female migrant domestic workers in Singapore.

Biography

• Seon Kyeong Ahn Ph.D Candidate received bachelor's degree from the Department of Social Welfare and Counselling in Honam Theological University and Seminary. She received master's degree from Department of Social Welfare in Ewha Womans University and is currently a Ph.D candidate. She worked as a social worker in South Korea for 12 years and currently serves on the Communications Subcommittee of the Society for Social Work Research (SSWR) Doctoral Student Committee (DSC). Her research focuses on child and youth welfare, children's rights and reclusive youth, nonprofits and volunteering.

Biography

• Ick-Joong Chung, Ph.D. received bachelor's and master's degrees from the Department of Social Welfare in Seoul National University and a doctoral degree in child and adolescent welfare from University of Washington. He is a professor in the Department of Social Welfare at Ewha Womans University and serves as the President of the National Center for the Rights of the Child, a public institution under the Ministry of Health and Welfare in South Korea. His research focuses on child and youth welfare, and he is currently researching child abuse, children in poverty, donations and volunteering, etc.

Biography

• Debbie S.F. Huang has been the Secretary General to Volunteering Taiwan since 2001. For her long-term engagement in civil society, she builds up the collaboration with governments, academics, voluntary organizations, and business sector based on the context of volunteering 2.0. She promotes the innovative module in training the youth volunteers to improve the conditions in remote areas. The concept of “From Volunteering to Social Enterprising” is designed as a solution which appeals to maximize the performance of volunteering to help the self-sustaining of the communities. For the recognition of her volunteer effort, Debbie was invited to join in the faculty of Social Enterprise Management Institute at Chinese Culture University, and serve regularly as the trainer for volunteer managers at the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Biography

• Ming-Feng Lee, has devoted himself to environmental education and volunteering for 22 years. He founded Youth Volunteer Service for Eco-Friendship (Taiwan) and International Youth Influence Promotion Association (IYIPA), which has 5,000+ youth engaged and influenced 60,000+ people. He has received recognition from the Taiwanese President 7 times and won EE 30 Under 30 Class of 2022, Taiwan Environmental Protection Professional Medal, etc. To realize the philosophy of ‘‘Caring for the Earth, Starting from the Heart; Protecting Nature, Starting from the Small’’, he aims to make environmental protection a natural thing through volunteering.

Biography

• Sarang Hanyou has served as CEO of ITASEOUL since 2016. ITASEOUL is a nation-wide, technology-based, volunteer service that collects data and trash associated with marine pollution and is an organization that seeks ‘to inspire humanity’s collective mind for good’. In 2022 a commendation from the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, Republic of Korea, was awarded to ITASEOUL for its contribution to reducing marine waste.