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I consider myself above all a geographer with experience in integrated urban development. Holder of an MSc in Cities, Space and Society from the London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom, and a Bachelor's Degree in Geography from the University of Aegean, Greece, with a professional experience of over 20 years in EU projects submission, management and implementation as a free-lance consultant, 19 years of which as an advisor to the Mayor of Kavala ( Greece).  

My expertise lies in successfully introducing civic participation and co-designing complex strategic documents. An expert with a particular interest in trying our new, pilot and innovative urban solutions driven by excessive and inclusive civic participation. A professional with strong interpersonal skills, advanced personal motivation, and a proven ability to build and work collaboratively. Thus, my prior experience working at a city level, collaborating, proposing, and experimenting with urban innovations, and concertizing goal setting aiming at sustainable urban development gave me an understanding and appreciation of the importance of a job well done.

My current responsibilities as Kavala's Mayor's advisor in EU-funded projects (cross border, interregional projects) allowed me to successfully address questions on urban challenges, civic participation, public ethics, management of conflicts and mainstreaming of bottom-up processes in decision-making as an urban practitioner. My current duties include organizing stakeholder workshops, co-designing urban agendas, and coordinating transnational exchange of experience events. Furthermore, working with the UNESCO Chair Con-E-Ect allowed me to gain valuable skills in developing multidisciplinary projects, including their results in integrated urban agendas. 

Based on these activities, I have worked as a ULG coordinator in several URBACT networks (LUMASEC, TOGETHER, Making Spend Matter, and URGE), coordinating and animating stakeholder-engaging workshops, organizing and participating at knowledge exchange partner events as well as  supporting and drafting integrated urban plans.

You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” – Richard Buckminster Fuller

 

 

 

 

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I am an experienced and motivated senior expert on the production of the built environment and on urban regeneration in general.

More specifically, my credentials comprise,

-  Extensive knowledge and deep understanding of the design, construction and social aspects of sustainable urban development,

- 40+ year experience in architectural, urban design, planning and

international development projects in most cases as a team leader or coordinator,

- 38 years after being awarded my doctorate status from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, based on my research titled ‘Environmental Information & Cognitive Needs’,

- 24 years academic experience in teaching architecture, landscape architecture, urban design and cultural heritage management both at undergraduate and postgraduate level in the Department of Planning & Regional Development of the University of Thessaly in Volos, Greece, having been elected and serving as the Head of the Department until September 2020,

- 24+ year experience in dealing with vulnerable social groups, and housing affordability, also serving for 13 years as the representative for Greece in the European Observatory of Homelessness organized for the European Commission by FEANTSA, paired with,

- recognised communication, organizational, multi-tasking and problem-solving skills, extensive networking capacity with EU as well as South-eastern European bodies.

It is needless to say that, after my retirement from academic work, I am thrilled to be among the URBACT experts, looking forward to be engaged in novel challenging assignments.

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I am an expert in culture and community engagement, specializing in transnational projects focused on community-led initiatives and co-creation. With a rich background in cultural management, creative community engagement, audience development, and event production, I possess extensive experience in administration and planning. My true passion lies in leveraging public spaces within cities to foster neighborhood transformation and community revitalization through inclusive projects driven by the community.

I firmly believe in the power of the arts and cultural institutions to promote cultural diversity and facilitate intercultural dialogue. Consequently, my mission revolves around advancing creative place-making, community building, and the development of public spaces that promote overall health, happiness, and well-being. By investing in the assets, inspiration, and potential of the local creative community, I strive to inspire collective reimagining and reinvention of public spaces, positioning them as the heart of every community.

Throughout my career, I have successfully produced both physical and digital spaces for artists and creatives to showcase their work. Additionally, I have established international cultural networks that foster collaboration, facilitate the exchange of experiences and knowledge, and provide support for the cultural sector. I am dedicated to engaging with people, places, buildings, temporality, and change to create resilient spaces that encourage participation, embrace diversity, and foster experimentation.

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Having 33 years of experience, I was validated as URBACT III Lead Expert (May 2015) and Urbact IV Lead Expert (April 2023).

I worked as LE with the City of Rome supporting for 5 years the 2 Waves of the Transfer Network called RU:RBAN.

Since April 2018 i followed the URBACT Method guiding the 11 participating cities and their ULGs to transfer the policy topic of the project. https://urbact.eu/networks/rurban. 

I was also the core Technical Advisor for the city of Trikala supporting the VILAWATT UTM project: Innovative local public-private-citizen partnership for energy governance, that was among the 5 projects approved for this special call that succesfully compined UIA and URBACT programs https://urbact.eu/networks/vilawatt.  

In addition to my strong involvement in URBACT III, I took part in other activitiies in the framework of URBACT III:

1. Transfer Network Campus moderation, being evaluated as the best moderators in all countries Campuses.

2. URBACT City Festivals (Lisbon and Paris),

3. Moderating capacity building online workshops for cities representatives        and also 

4. The official evaluation of the EU National URBACT Points for their performance during URBACT III period (in high program level).

5. The adaptation of the new URBACT IV TOOLBOX AND TOOLS FOR EFFECTIVE TRANSFER, along with 6 other very experienced Lead Experts.

I am a business expert in sustainable integrated urban development (since 1992). Mine specialties are in urban & regional development, integrated and participatory policies, EU Structural Funds programs support, Multilevel governance, Integrated approach for urban regeneration and local -regional RIS3. My long-time experience in urban and regional projects includes more thematic expertise as equality, inclusion, diversity - job & skills & other ESF related policy issues (structural and national funds).

During 2021-2022 I worked as project manager and facilitator in 2 massive exchange programs by EU, having prepared the proposals and the exchange framework: 

A. The International City Partnerships: Acting for Green and Inclusive Recovery is a project of the European Union and managed by DG REGIO of the EU -      City pairings with Gwangu & Athens Metropolitan Areas  https://c.ramboll.com/international-city-cooperation     Themes of Cooperation: Air Quality & Climate change  

B. International Urban Cooperation programme (IUC) (2016-2020), IURC aims to lead and develop a form of decentralised international urban and regional cooperation in the fields of sustainable urban development and innovation. Region pairings with Attica, Greece & Colima,Mexico.  https://www.iurc.eu/about/

Since July 2023 I am supporting as Lead Expert the city of Trikala (TechDiversity APN).

I was a Jury member of the New European Bauhaus awards 2023 working for DG Regio.

 

more can be found:  https://kkc.gr/

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