Validated Expert info
Expert can perform the Lead expert role and Ad hoc expertise missions at network and programme level in relation to:
1. The design and delivery of (transnational) exchange and learning activities
2. Thematic expertise:
[Food; Participative governance; Strategic urban planning]
3. Methods and tools for integrated and participatory approaches:
> Integrated and participatory design of strategies
Summary
I am a jurist by training, with a Doctorate in Agronomy and Rural Development, and I am specialized in regional and urban policies, smart specialization, and governance. My professional career has consistently focused on bridging policy with practice in integrated territorial development and sustainability. My expertise has been applied in diverse contexts, including urban and rural development (Andalusia) and EU regional policies (Brussels and Vienna). My current international work focuses on urban and territorial sustainability, where I hold roles as an External Expert for organizations such as the European Commission, the European Parliament, FAO, and the IUCN.
I have experience in supporting complex integrated urban and territorial processes. My primary focus is on facilitation and establishing participatory governance structures that enable genuine co-creation. I view my role as a methodological guide, dedicated to transforming networks into dynamic laboratories for mutual learning. I have extensive experience designing and delivering multi-stakeholder processes, often involving the quadruple helix (public administration, business, research, and civil society). Crucially, I employ systems thinking and missions-led planning tools to help local communities move beyond simply identifying problems to defining shared visions and pinpointing the key "levers of change" necessary for integrated action.
As a Validated Expert, I am happy to bring my commitment to guiding and empowering URBACT partners to effectively advance from shared learning into impactful local action aligned with people and planet wellbeing.